By Kemol King
GEORGETOWN (Reuters) -Guyana’s government has submitted an oil pollution bill to the Parliament proposes to make responsible parties liable for damages caused by oil spills, including from vessels, according to a copy of the act published in the Official Gazette.
The South American country, whose oil production controlled by an Exxon Mobil-led consortium is expected to surpass 900,000 barrels per day this year, is trying to reinforce oversight of its nascent energy industry, where all crude and gas output comes from offshore fields.
Responsible parties shall provide financial assurance to cover spills, conduct regular inspections and audits, and address any issues found, according to the measure.
The bill includes penalties for companies that fail to comply with regulations, including the suspension of licenses to explore and produce oil for those that do not provide the financial assurance required.
Under the proposed measure, the country’s Oil Spill Committee would be assigned more formal duties to oversee the industry and coordinate response to any spills.
(Reporting by Kemol King; writing by Marianna Parraga; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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