By Kemol King
GEORGETOWN, June 27 (Reuters) - A proposed large natural
gas project in Guyana by U.S. energy developer Fulcrum LNG
includes partnerships with U.S. oil service company Baker Hughes ( BKR )
and engineering firm McDermott, the country's
vice president said on Thursday.
Guyana's President Irfaan Ali last week said Fulcrum LNG had
been chosen from among 17 companies to help Guyana develop a
plan to design, finance, construct and operate gas processing
facilities. The project will involve between $10 billion and $15
billion in investment.
Fulcrum LNG is expected to work with a consortium led by
Exxon Mobil ( XOM ), which controls all crude and gas production
in the country, and the government on the project.
Guyana has been pressing the Exxon-led group to come up with
a plan to develop the country's offshore gas reserves or
relinquish areas where gas has been discovered so they can be
developed by others.
The South American country is estimated to have some 16
trillion cubic feet of gas off its coast, according to the U.S.
Energy Information Administration.
Besides pairing with U.S. oil service and engineering firms,
Fulcrum LNG's proposal would include financing from the U.S.
Export-Import Bank and the participation of private equity firms
and an environmental partner, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo told
a media briefing.
Fulcrum LNG is led by a former Exxon top executive in
Guyana, Jesus Bronchalo. The executive had resigned from Exxon
by the time Fulcrum LNG's proposal was submitted, Jagdeo added.
"We don't have a conflict of interest," Jagdeo said. "Now,
if he has a conflict of interest with Exxon, that's a different
matter."
An oil consortium by Toronto-listed producer Frontera Energy ( FECCF )
and its affiliate CGX Energy ( CGXEF ) "will not play the
government of Guyana" and must specifically show how they intend
to develop their offshore oil project and what financial support
they have, the vice president also said.
The group, which is looking for a new partner to develop the
Corentyne block, recently submitted a notice of potential
commercial interest for their latest oil discovery, a step
needed to apply for extra time to appraise it and evaluate its
viability.
"I have not examined it (the notice) as yet, but we'll do
so, and next week it will go to the Cabinet... For a very long
time, they have been jerking people's string," Jagdeo said.