A company headed by a former ExxonMobil Executive, Jesus Bronchalo, has been selected to assist the Guyana Government and ExxonMobil Guyana to develop Guyana’s natural gas plan, but the Government has brushed aside concerns of a potential conflict of interest.

The Natural Resources Ministry in a statement explained, that it had set an evaluation team to conduct a detailed evaluation on the 17 proposals based on the technical and administrative submissions received.

According to the Ministry Fulcrum LNG, the US-based company owned by the the former Exxon Executive, was deemed the most responsive compliant bidder and ranked No. 1, followed by CNOOC Power and Gas Group, which was ranked No. 2, and a consortium of local and international companies which was ranked No. 3.

The Ministry said “as such, Fulcrum LNG will be supporting the government and the Stabroek Block operator, ExxonMobil Guyana, to utilise the non-associated gas – serving as an independent development. Fulcrum LNG’s submission was very detailed and comprehensive, and outlined a structured approach to gas development; hence the evaluators were satisfied based on the submission of its competency which resulted in the company being ranked No. 1. In summary, the Fulcrum LNG proposal was considered by the evaluators as the most comprehensive and technically sound proposal”.

The Ministry explained that the evaluation report was then submitted to the cabinet with no objection and after deliberation and examination, the report was granted no objection for the Fulcrum company to be engaged.

The Ministry said it later engaged both the company and ExxonMobil to begin the process.

The Ministry said the government has taken note of questions of conflict of interest but noted that at the time of the evaluation, Mr. Bronchalo’s involvement in Fulcrum LNG was known, and his previous relationship with ExxonMobil was not seen as presenting a conflict of interest, since he had severed all ties with said company.

The Ministry said that the Guyana  Government has every intention of advancing, in the most transparent manner possible, the development of the infrastructure needed to harness our country’s  gas resources, in the interest of national development and to the benefit of the Guyanese people.

The company is just one year old.

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