Berbice must prep for major transformation – Exxon says as gas plans advance

Berbice is being positioned as the next major hub of economic activity in Guyana, with ExxonMobil Guyana on Friday outlining plans that could shift large-scale industrial development beyond Georgetown and into Region Six.

ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge, during a meeting with the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA), said ongoing and planned gas projects could drive infrastructure expansion, attract major international investors and create widespread business opportunities across the region.

Responding to a question from BCCDA President Samantha Reid on what the plans mean for Berbice, Routledge said the region should expect a transformation similar to what took place in Georgetown following Guyana’s first oil discovery in 2015.

“I would expect in Berbice… there’s going to be this need for economic development throughout the economy,” Routledge said, pointing to expected investments in roads, bridges, utilities and industrial facilities.

Routledge was joined by ExxonMobil’s Public and Government Affairs Manager, Nakisha Burns.

They both anticipate that development would extend far beyond oil and gas operations, triggering demand for services across sectors including construction, transportation, banking, healthcare, catering and logistics.

The ExxonMobil head revealed that the company has already submitted a field development plan for its Longtail project and is targeting a 2030 startup, pending government approvals expected by the end of this year.

Even more significant for Berbice, Routledge said, is the Haimara gas project, located offshore near the Suriname border, which could begin production by 2031 and supply gas directly to the region.

“We’d feed gas from there to Berbice before we would feed from Longtail,” he said.

ExxonMobil has also established a project team to examine a pipeline from Haimara to Berbice and is working with government to determine where critical infrastructure — including gas processing facilities, power plants and industrial sites — will be located.

Routledge disclosed that 11 to 12 major international companies, including players in energy, technology and heavy industry, have already expressed interest in investing in Berbice.

“These are major companies… interested to come and invest in Berbice to build out these onshore facilities,” he said, citing potential projects such as fertilizer plants, bauxite-to-alumina operations, power generation and data centres.

While he noted that work is ongoing to convert interest into firm agreements, Routledge said the scale of investment being explored signals a major economic shift for the region.

For local businesses, he said, the opportunities could mirror and potentially exceed the ripple effects seen in Georgetown over the past decade, with growth spreading across the wider economy.

Routledge also addressed concerns about whether Berbice businesses will be ready to benefit, assuring that ExxonMobil is working on a tailored approach to ensure stronger local participation.

“We really see you as a Berbice Chamber as a key partner in that,” he told BCCDA members.