Rabin Chandarpal, Deputy General Manager, Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI)Rabin Chandarpal, Deputy General Manager
Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI) was established at a time when there was no shore base infrastructure or oil and gas logistics hub in Guyana. It chose the ideal location, found the right partners, and leaped into such a venture even before local companies were thinking about supporting the oil and gas industry.

“Many companies faced issues with permits and access to land and staffing, and that is where GYSBI was able to provide a base of operations and support for them,” says Rabin Chandarpal, Deputy General Manager of GYSBI. “We have been able to offer properly built and permitted world-class facilities operated by trained and competent staff.”

As Guyana’s premier logistics hub, GYSBI’s services complement each other and are greatly needed for the activities taking place offshore Guyana. At present, the company operates with four berths, two of which are at heavy lift capacity. Being one of the first facilities in Guyana that can accommodate heavy lifting, it brings the services back to the country, a prime example of local content development.

GYSBI’s wharf length is 1,400 ft with a wharf area of 139,220 sq. ft. (3.2 acres) with 50,117 sq. ft (1.2 acres) of cargo marshaling area, 131,061 sq. ft (3.0 acres) of enclosed warehousing, and a water bunkering facility, which provides clean, fresh water at World Health Organisation (WHO) standards. This is done at 70m3 per hour and has a storage capacity of 1,575,000 liters.

GYSBI’s fuel bunkering facility has a capacity of 3,400,000 liters of diesel fuel storage with safety features, metering, and fire suppression. There are also two waste management companies on the base, which can process hazardous and non-hazardous waste in addition to vessel tank cleaning and recycling services.

On its industrial estate, 71 acres of which have been developed to date, GYSBI has 203,912 sq. ft of enclosed warehousing, four warehouses, and a 16,250 sq.ft. wash bay facility, which handles pipe-washing activities. This facility recycles water for use with 40 acres of open storage space.

To date, GYSBI has 773 staff members, 95 percent of which are Guyanese employees. The company doesn’t exist as the only option for Guyana, but what they have been able to bring to the table is remarkable. It has developed the staff to a world-class level, with all the safety protocols and safety measures in place.

Many companies faced issues with permits and access to land and staffing, and that is where GYSBI was able to provide a base of operations and support for them

GYSBI has been able complement ExxonMobil’s expansion activities in just five years. The client started off with one berth, today it has built four berths.

Fuel supply was a key logistical problem in this project. GYSBI, to this end, has worked with Exxon to build a fuel facility right on its shore base. The company also collaborated with SOL Guyana, who invested over $1.4 million to run a fuel line from its location to GYSBI’s location to solve this issue.

GYSBI’s key differentiating factor is its ability to be always on the innovation track. The company has managed to retain its staff over the past five years, and their talents have now been complemented by experience, something a new oil and gas-producing country like Guyana did not have.

GYSBI recognizes that any economy is multifaceted and complex and strives to diversify to areas that are most beneficial to the country. Guyana, at this point, is clearly on the path to rapid advancement, and GYSBI is proud of the part it has played in boosting the oil and gas industry.