June 20 (Reuters) - U.S. firm Fulcrum LNG was selected

to help Guyana develop a plan to design, finance, construct and

operate a natural gas processing facility in the South American

country, President Irfaan Ali said on Thursday.

The company's proposal was selected from among 17 submitted

to Guyana for the gas project. Fulcrum will work with Guyana and

energy giant Exxon Mobil ( XOM ), which leads a consortium

responsible for all the country's oil production, President Ali

said at a media briefing.

"We have identified a technical team to work with the

stakeholders in coming up with the model and to negotiate a

heads of agreement and look at the viability -technically and

financially- of the project," Ali said.

An Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) spokesperson did not have an immediate

comment on the announcement.