Guyana in focus as Exxon and partners plan offshore gas investment

ExxonMobil and its partners are moving ahead with investment in Guyana's offshore gas, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal and ExxonMobil. The development has drawn attention in Guyana as the search term "guyana" trends in global searches. The details below are drawn from the company and press coverage available so far.

The Longtail project and next phase

ExxonMobil has said it is advancing the next phase of its Guyana development with a project called Longtail. The company's own announcement frames the step as part of its wider work in the country's offshore area. The Wall Street Journal reported that Exxon and its partners plan to invest in offshore gas in Guyana.

The reports do not give a final investment figure or a full production timetable in the material available. Any further details on volumes, start dates and partner shares have not yet been confirmed.

New floating vessel launched in China

A separate development involves a floating production vessel. On November 10, the sixth Fast4Ward multi-purpose floating production and storage vessel, hull number MPF6, was launched at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding yard. The yard is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, and the hull was built for the Dutch company SBM Offshore.

The vessel uses SBM Offshore's "universal" hull design, based on a floating production, storage and offloading unit with crude oil storage of up to 2.3 million barrels. It measures 333 metres long and 60 metres wide, with a displacement of 460,000 tonnes. Construction began on July 15, 2025.

The reports say the vessel has a multi-point mooring system and can operate in marine conditions such as those found in West Africa and South America. Waigaoqiao has now secured orders for six such hulls from SBM Offshore. The first five were delivered in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

The reports do not state which project the MPF6 is destined for. Any link between the vessel and Guyana's offshore projects has not been officially confirmed.

What we know so far

The confirmed points are that ExxonMobil is advancing the Longtail phase and that Exxon and partners plan offshore gas investment in Guyana. Separately, a large floating production hull was launched in Shanghai on November 10. Further details on the investment, timing and the vessel's final destination are expected as the companies release more information.

Image idea: ExxonMobil or Guyana offshore oil platform photo for the lead story.