GEORGETOWN, WILLEMSTAD – A potential oil spill from the planned Longtail offshore project by ExxonMobil off the coast of Guyana could affect at least twelve Caribbean islands, according to the company’s own environmental impact assessment.
The report highlights significant risks for Trinidad and Tobago, particularly during the rainy season. In the event of a major incident, there is a 60 to 70 percent chance that oil or condensate could reach the coastline. Sensitive ecosystems such as mangroves, habitats for manatees, beaches, and protected nature reserves could be severely impacted.
The island of Tobago is also considered highly vulnerable. Coral reefs, seagrass beds, and sea turtle nesting beaches could suffer damage, with pollution potentially reaching the coast within five days under worst-case conditions.
The potential impact extends beyond Trinidad and Tobago. The study indicates that several other Caribbean territories could be affected, including Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Barthélemy, Saba, and the United States Virgin Islands. The findings underscore the cross-border nature of the environmental risks.
The Longtail project is the eighth large-scale oil and gas development in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana. It is expected to begin operations by 2028 and could produce for up to 30 years, with an estimated capacity of around 250,000 barrels per day.
At the same time, a legal debate is ongoing in Guyana regarding liability in the event of a major oil spill. ExxonMobil currently carries insurance coverage of $600 million per incident, along with an additional $2 billion guarantee. Critics argue that this is insufficient and are calling for an unlimited parent company guarantee to ensure full compensation for potential damages.
They warn that without stronger safeguards, countries across the Caribbean could be left bearing the financial and environmental consequences of a large-scale spill that exceeds existing coverage.
The findings are likely to raise concerns across the region, including in Curaçao, as governments and environmental groups continue to monitor the expansion of offshore oil production in nearby waters.
