ExxonMobil Guyana is weighing the development of a second major natural gas pipeline to the Berbice region, a project estimated to cost at least $2 billion, according to company President Alistair Routledge.

Speaking at a press briefing Thursday, Routledge emphasized that while the expansion is a key component of Guyana’s energy strategy, its execution depends on securing firm commercial commitments and "anchor demand" from industrial consumers.

"To do similar for Berbice in larger volumes, a larger pipeline could easily be $2 billion or more," Routledge said. 

"In order to be comfortable that we move forward, we have to know that there’s a market for the gas and that there are projects ready to take it."

The proposed pipeline would land at the mouth of the Berbice River, supporting a second gas-to-energy hub. Potential users include data centers, bauxite processing plants, and fertilizer production facilities.

Routledge revealed that ExxonMobil has held preliminary talks with neighboring Suriname regarding shared infrastructure. While discussions are in early stages, he noted that Guyana is currently "further ahead" in understanding its offshore resources.

The project’s technical foundation rests on the Haimara cluster in the southeast Stabroek Block. ExxonMobil is currently sequencing its offshore developments to maximize recovery, focusing on "drier" gas fields like Pluma and the condensate-rich Longtail discovery.

The Guyanese government has signaled aggressive support for the project. President Dr. Irfaan Ali has targeted the end of the decade for completion, framing the pipeline as the "bedrock of industrialization." 

Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh added that the infrastructure would unlock massive employment in Region Six, complemented by a new Berbice River bridge and expanded road corridors.

In the interim, ExxonMobil is focused on the Hammerhead project, which is expected to produce up to 90 million standard cubic feet of gas per day. 

Unlike previous offshore developments where gas was reinjected, Hammerhead’s output will feed the existing pipeline to Wales, West Bank Demerara, to bolster current power generation.