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Project Amir

The Liza Phase 1 Offshore Oil Development project, operated by ExxonMobil and partners, is a significant offshore oil initiative located in the Stabroek Block off the coast of Guyana, with first oil achieved in December 2019. The project is expected to generate substantial revenues for the Guyanese government, estimated at $8.9 billion over 25 years, while providing attractive returns for investors due to low production costs. The fiscal structure, governed by a Production Sharing Agreement, allows for cost recovery and profit sharing, making it a mutually beneficial arrangement for both the government and the oil companies involved.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
14 views15 pages

Project Amir

The Liza Phase 1 Offshore Oil Development project, operated by ExxonMobil and partners, is a significant offshore oil initiative located in the Stabroek Block off the coast of Guyana, with first oil achieved in December 2019. The project is expected to generate substantial revenues for the Guyanese government, estimated at $8.9 billion over 25 years, while providing attractive returns for investors due to low production costs. The fiscal structure, governed by a Production Sharing Agreement, allows for cost recovery and profit sharing, making it a mutually beneficial arrangement for both the government and the oil companies involved.

Uploaded by

amirhosseins618
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Liza Phase 1 Offshore Oil Development – Economic

Project Analysis

Name: Amirhossein Safari


UCID: 30228783
Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department
This project was completed individually by Amirhossein Safari
Contents

1.Introduction ............................................................................................................... 3

2. Need for the Project ................................................................................................... 4

3. Project Description and Development Plan ................................................................. 5

4. Cost and Fiscal Structure ........................................................................................... 6

5. Economic Analysis Approach ..................................................................................... 8

6. Deterministic Base Case Results .............................................................................. 10

7.Monte Carlo Probabilistic Analysis ............................................................................ 12

8. Decision and Recommendation (Go / No-Go) Deterministic Outcome: ....................... 13

9.References .............................................................................................................. 15

2
1.Introduction
The Liza Phase 1 project is a major offshore oil development located about 120 miles off the coast
of Guyana in the Stabroek Block. It was the first oil find in Guyana’s history, discovered by
ExxonMobil in May 2015 the Stabroek Block is operated by ExxonMobil (45% interest) in
partnership with Hess Corporation (30%) and CNOOC Ltd. (25%) under a Production Sharing
Agreement (PSA) with the Guyana government. Figure 1 shows the location of the block and the
Liza discovery. First oil was achieved in December 2019, only ~4.5 years after discovery – a
remarkably fast timeline (about half the industry average). Production is carried out via the Liza
Destiny Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, with a capacity of ~120,000
barrels of oil per day (bpd) . The rapid development of Liza Phase 1 marked Guyana’s emergence
as a petroleum-producing nation and has been described as “transformative.”

Figure 1: Location of the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana

The Government of Guyana plays a central role via the PSA, which defines how production
revenues are split. Under this agreement, the government does not directly invest in the project
but collects royalties and a share of profits. In return, the international partners bring technical
3
expertise and capital to develop the field. Liza Phase 1 is expected to recover about 0.45–1.0
billion barrels of oil over its life (ExxonMobil’s initial estimates ranged from 0.8 to 1.4 billion
barrels of oil-equivalent). It is one of multiple phases planned in the Stabroek Block, which in
total contains an estimated 11 billion barrels of recoverable resources. Thus, beyond Phase 1,
several additional developments (Liza Phase 2, Payara, Yellowtail, etc.) are underway, making
Guyana one of the most significant new oil provinces globally.

2. Need for the Project


Government Perspective: Prior to oil, Guyana’s economy was small and reliant on agriculture
and mining. The Liza project offered a transformative opportunity for economic growth and
diversification. The government’s need for the project is driven by potential revenues that can be
used for infrastructure, social programs, and a sovereign wealth fund for future generations. Under
conservative oil price assumptions (~$50/bbl), Liza Phase 1 was projected to generate
USD 8.9 billion in new revenue for the Guyanese state over 25 years. This is a massive influx for
a country of ~800,000 people. Peak government revenues from all developments are expected to
reach about $4.8 billion per year in the late 2020s. The project also brings jobs and technology
transfer. In summary, Liza Phase 1 was needed to kick-start Guyana’s oil sector and provide a
long-term source of national income, reducing reliance on other commodities.

Industry Perspective: For ExxonMobil and partners, Liza Phase 1 presented an opportunity to
commercialize a world-class discovery. ExxonMobil had faced a period of stagnating reserves,
and the Guyana finds significantly boosted its resource base. The project’s economics are highly
attractive: analysis by Rystad Energy indicated extremely low breakeven prices – around $17
per barrel for Liza, far below typical offshore projects. This means Liza can remain profitable
even in low-price environments. The consortium expected excellent returns; for example, between
2018 and 2030, ExxonMobil planned to invest ~$5 billion in Liza (Phases 1 & 2) and generate
about $12 billion in free cash flow, a return of ~2.4× on each dollar invested. Such returns
outperform many of Exxon’s other projects (including U.S. shale). The need for the project, from
the company's perspective, was to capitalize on a giant low-cost oil resource that could enhance
shareholder value and strengthen Exxon’s production portfolio.

Market Perspective: On a global level, Liza helps meet oil demand with a new supply source. Its
light, sweet crude is of high quality and easily refinable. The project was timely as it came online
just before OPEC+ supply cuts and geopolitical events led to oil price volatility in 2020–2022.
(Oil prices swung from <$20 in early 2020 to >$120 in 2022 amidst the COVID-19 shock and the
war in Ukraine.) This volatility underscored the value of low-cost producers like Guyana, which
can stay economically viable through price cycles. Liza’s output (up to 120,000 bpd in Phase 1,
and over 600,000 bpd combined with Phase 2 as of 2023) contributes to global supply diversity.

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In summary, Liza Phase 1 was a win-win proposition – providing Guyana with development
funds and companies with profitable reserves – and was therefore strongly justified from
economic, strategic, and energy-supply perspectives.

3. Project Description and Development Plan


Field and Development Plan: The Liza oilfield lies in ~1,700 m water depth in the Atlantic
Ocean. Phase 1 targets a portion of this field with an estimated 456 million barrels of oil to be
produced over ~25 years. ExxonMobil’s development plan (approved in 2017) involved drilling
17 wells (8 oil producers, 6 water injectors, 3 gas injectors) tied back to a moored FPSO vesselt.
The FPSO Liza Destiny processes produced fluids, offloads oil to tankers, and reinjects associated
gas to maintain reservoir pressure (there was no gas export in Phase 1’s early years). Production
started December 20, 2019 reaching full capacity of 120,000 bpd in 2020. The production profile
was expected to plateau near 120k bpd for several years, followed by natural decline as reservoir
pressure drops and wells mature. The life of the project is ~20–25 years, during which ~450 million
barrels are recovered (mid-case), leaving some oil in the ground due to economic limits.

Capital Investment (CAPEX): Developing Liza Phase 1 required a large upfront investment. The
project includes costs for drilling and completing wells, subsea equipment (wellheads, manifolds,
flowlines), and the FPSO (which was likely leased under a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer model to
reduce upfront cost). ExxonMobil and partners committed approximately US$4.4 billion for
Phase 1’s development. This CAPEX was expended mostly from 2017 through 2019, leading up
to first oil. (Pre-development exploration and appraisal costs amounted to an additional
$460 million , which are considered sunk costs prior to project sanction.) Notably, Guyana’s
government did not have to fund this CAPEX – the PSA allows the companies to recover these
costs from production revenue. The capital was efficiently deployed: despite minor schedule
adjustments, the project was delivered on time and within budget ($4.4B actual vs. $4.4B plan) –
a success attributed to strong project management and the modular FPSO strategy.

Operating Aspects (OPEX): Once online, Liza Phase 1 incurs ongoing operating expenditures.
OPEX includes FPSO operations and maintenance, personnel, logistics (supply boats, helicopters),
subsea equipment upkeep, and well work. Kaieteur News (2018) estimated operating costs at
~US$200 million per year for Liza 1. Given an expected annual output of ~35–45 million barrels
in early years, this equates to roughly $5–10 per barrel in operating cost. Notably, the Liza Destiny
FPSO’s lease rate (if leased) would be a significant OPEX component. The FPSO provides storage
(~1.6 million barrels) and offloading capability; crude is offloaded regularly to shuttle tankers
bound for refineries. Operations also involve reinjection of gas (to avoid flaring beyond minimal
levels) and water injection to support reservoir pressure and sweep oil. The project has set high
standards for safety and environmental management (e.g., zero routine flaring policy after startup).

Relationship with Government: The Guyana government’s involvement is primarily regulatory


and fiscal. The Ministry of Natural Resources oversees compliance with the development plan and

5
environmental standards. In return for granting the license, the government gains revenue as
defined by the PSA (detailed in the next section). The government also facilitated certain
incentives, for example, granting duty-free import of project materials and a stable contractual tax
regime – to ensure the project’s viability. A local content policy was put in place, resulting in
Guyanese workers and businesses participating in aspects of the project (catering, transportation,
fabrication of some components, etc.). Overall, Liza Phase 1 was a public-private partnership
model: foreign investors front the costs and expertise, while the host country provides resource
access and stability, with both sides sharing in the rewards.

4. Cost and Fiscal Structure


4.1 Capital and Operating Cost Summary: Table 1 summarizes the key cost parameters of
Liza Phase 1. All monetary values are in U.S. dollars.

Cost Component
Estimate Notes / Source

initial development cost


CAPEX (Development) $4.4 billion total 2017–2019 FPSO, wells, and
subsea included.

Sunk cost for


Pre-sanction Exploration ~$0.46 billion discovery/appraisal (cost
recoverable under PSA).

Estimated operating cost ≈


OPEX (Annual) ~$200 million/year (avg. first
$5–10/bbl. Includes FPSO
5 yrs)
lease O&M, logistics.

Increases in later years as


~$10 per barrel (long-term production declines (fixed
OPEX (Unit)
average) costs spread over fewer
barrels).

Future decommissioning of
~$50–100 million wells & subsea will be funded
Abandonment Cost
(provisioned) from project cash flows
(escrow)

6
First oil Dec 2019; expected
Project Life ~25 years of production production through mid-
2040s

Assumed for NPV


Discount Rate (real) 10% evaluations (industry typical
hurdle rate).

Table 1: Liza Phase 1 Cost Parameters.

The PSA allows the consortium to recover 100% of CAPEX and OPEX from oil sales before
profits are split. However, cost recovery in any given year is capped (see Fiscal terms below).
Notably, Guyana’s government imposed no upfront cost on the project – all funding is from the
companies, who bear the risk if costs overrun. As a safeguard, the government retains the right to
audit and approve cost claims to prevent inflated expenses.
4.2 Fiscal Terms (Taxes, Royalties, Incentives): The Production Sharing Agreement for Stabroek
defines a unique fiscal regime that governs Liza Phase 1:
 Royalty: The government receives a 2% royalty on gross oil production revenue off the
top. This royalty is small by global standards (many countries charge 5–15%), reflecting
Guyana’s desire to encourage development with investor-friendly terms.

 Cost Recovery: After royalty, the contractors can recover their costs from production. In
each month/year, up to 75% of the remaining gross revenue may be allocated to cost
recovery (“cost oil”). Any unrecovered costs are carried forward. This mechanism ensures
the companies can swiftly recoup their CAPEX and OPEX, typically within the first ~3–5
years of production. During this period, at least 25% of revenue is left as “profit oil”.
 Profit Oil Split: The profit oil (the revenue after royalty and cost recovery) is split
50/50 between the government and the contractors. This effectively acts as the
government’s main revenue stream beyond the tiny royalty. Importantly, the 50%
government share of profit oil is instead of corporate income tax – the PSA specifies that
the contractors’ tax obligations are satisfied by the state’s profit share. In other words, no
additional income tax is levied on the oil profits. This is a significant incentive; most
countries tax oil profits on top of royalties and profit split.
 Government Take: The total government take from the project is the sum of royalty +
profit share. During the initial cost recovery phase, the profit oil is relatively small (because
up to 75% of revenue goes to cost). Thus, in early years, the government's take might be
on the order of ~12–15% of gross revenue. Once costs are recovered (around Year 5–6),
the profit split increases the government’s take substantially – in late years it can be ~50–
60% of gross revenue (since costs drop and gov’t gets 50% of a much larger profit oil).
7
Over the full project life, Guyana’s government is expected to capture roughly ~52% of
the project’s net cash flow (a figure in line with global averages for deepwater projects).
This setup is relatively favorable to the investors in the early phase and becomes favorable
to the state in the later phase.
 Incentives: Beyond the low royalty and absence of corporate tax, the PSA included other
incentives to attract investment. The contract fixed the royalty and tax terms for the
project’s duration (stability clause), insulating the project from any future fiscal law
changes. Import duties and value-added tax on project-related imports were waived.
Additionally, the government did not require a domestic market obligation (i.e. the
companies are free to export all oil at international prices). These incentives were crucial
for Exxon and partners to proceed in a frontier country with no prior oil infrastructure in
2015. Critics of the deal argue the terms are too generous to the oil companies, but
supporters note that Guyana’s 50% profit share is higher than the effective tax rate paid by
most companies in Guyana under normal regimes. Indeed, the 22% project IRR (see later
results) is good but not outrageous by industry standardso, suggesting the contract struck a
reasonable balance to ensure Guyana remained competitive for investment while still
securing long-term revenue.

To summarize the fiscal flow: For each barrel sold, the government first takes 2% in royalty. The
remaining revenue is split such that up to 75% reimburses the companies’ costs. The leftover (at
least 25%) is profit oil, which is shared 50/50. The government’s share of profit oil plus royalty
constitutes its revenue, and the contractors’ share of profit oil is their pre-tax profit (with no further
taxes applied). Figure 2 illustrates how the cash flows are divided at a high level. This structure
heavily influenced the project economics, as discussed next.

5. Economic Analysis Approach


To evaluate Liza Phase 1’s economics, we performed both deterministic (single-scenario) and
probabilistic analyses. All evaluations are done in real 2020 US dollars. The key metrics assessed
were Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and payback period, from the
perspective of the investors (after government take). The analysis considers cash flows on an after-
royalty, after-profit-share basis, i.e. the contractor’s net cash flow.
NPV Definition: The NPV is the sum of discounted net cash flows over the project life. We use a
10% discount rate (real) as a standard industry hurdle rate for upstream projects. The NPV formula
is given by Equation (1):

8
where CFt is the net cash flow in year t and r = 10% is the discount rate. A positive NPV indicates
the project is value-accretive (exceeds the 10% return threshold), whereas NPV = 0 corresponds
to a breakeven at 10% IRR. IRR is the discount rate that would yield NPV = 0 (for Liza Phase 1,
we find IRR in the ~20–25% range, well above 10%). The payback period is the time until the
cumulative cash flow turns positive (i.e., when initial investments have been recovered).

Cash Flow Model: We constructed a yearly cash flow model from project start through end of
life. The model incorporates: capital outflows during 2017–2019, production volumes each year,
oil price, operating costs, and the fiscal terms (royalty, cost recovery, profit split). All cost recovery
dynamics are modeled: the project’s cost pool (CAPEX+OPEX) is drawn down by cost oil each
year until fully recovered. After that, profit oil increases significantly. This mirrors the PSA
structure discussed in Section 4.2.

Production volume per year is based on an expected decline curve. In the base case, we assume a
plateau of ~120,000 bpd for 3 years, then a decline of ~12% per year (exponential) thereafter,
giving a total recovery ~450–500 million barrels over ~20+ years (consistent with Exxon’s Phase 1
plan). In later probabilistic analysis, we will adjust the total recovery to reflect geological
uncertainty.

Key Input Assumptions: Several input parameters have inherent uncertainty. For the Monte Carlo
probabilistic simulation, we identified four key uncertain variables and defined probability
distributions for each, based on available data and reasonable ranges:

 Oil Price: The Future oil price is a major uncertainty. We use a Triangular distribution
with Low = $40/bbl., Mode = $70/bbl., High = $100/bbl. This range reflects recent
volatility – $70 is near recent averages (2022–2025), while $40 and $100 represent
pessimistic and optimistic scenarios. In the simulation, we assume a constant real price per
barrel for the life of the project (i.e., we pick one price each trial, rather than year-by-year
variation). This simplification treats the “average” price level as the uncertainty (volatility
around a trend could be a further analysis).

 Recoverable Oil Volume: The ultimate recovery from Liza 1 could be lower or higher
than the mid-case. We use a Triangular distribution with Min = 0.8, Mode = 1.0, Max =
1.4 (all in fraction of base reserves ≈ , 456 million barrels). This is grounded in Exxon’s
own range of 0.8–1.4 billion boe for the field. In practice, a larger reserve might be
produced by extending the plateau or slowing the decline, whereas a smaller reserve

9
depletes faster. Our model adjusts the production decline period to approximate the
different totals.

 CAPEX: While Phase 1 came in near $4.4B, cost uncertainty exists, especially at sanction
time. We assume a Triangular distribution for CAPEX: Low = $4.0 B, Mode = $4.4 B,
High = $5.5 B. The high case (+25%) allows for potential overruns (not uncommon in
megaprojects), whereas the low case assumes minor savings. This range aligns with
commentary that costs could vary ±10–20%.

 OPEX: Operating costs can vary with efficiency, oilfield challenges, and market rates
(fuel, services). We assign a Triangular distribution for unit OPEX: Low = $8/bbl, Mode
= $10/bbl, High = $14/bbl. This captures scenarios where operations are very smooth (low
downtime, optimized logistics) versus cases of higher maintenance or logistics costs. The
high end also covers potential additional expenses for things like produced gas handling or
minor upgrades. (The base mode ~$10 aligns with ~$200M/yr at peak production.)

Other inputs (e.g. royalty 2%, tax 0%, profit split 50%, discount rate 10%) are fixed as per contract
or analysis assumptions. Correlations between variables were not explicitly modeled; we assumed
they are independent for simplicity. (In reality, some correlations could exist – e.g. higher reserves
might require slightly more capex for infill wells, or low oil price could prompt cost-cutting – but
insufficient data was available to quantify these effects, so we proceed with independent
variations.)
Monte Carlo Simulation: We ran a Monte Carlo simulation with N = 10,000 iterations (trials).
In each trial, a random value is sampled for each uncertain input from its distribution, then a 25-
year cash flow projection is computed and NPV and IRR recorded. The large number of iterations
ensures stable statistics (100+ iterations are required at minimum; we used 10k for accuracy). This
simulation provides a probability distribution for NPV, IRR, and other metrics, allowing us to
quantify risks (downside and upside). The results are summarized in Section 7.

The economic model incorporates all royalties and profit sharing, so the NPV and IRR calculated
are after government take (i.e. what accrues to the companies). All cash flows are in real terms
(no inflation) and discounted accordingly. We also conduct a deterministic base-case evaluation
using the most likely values (e.g. $70 oil, 456 MMbbl, $4.4B capex, $10/bbl opex) to illustrate
project performance under expected conditions.

6. Deterministic Base Case Results


Using the base assumptions (Table 2) and the methodology above, we first evaluate the project in
a deterministic scenario. The table below outlines the base input values and the resulting economic
indicators:

10
Base Case Input / Value Source / Note
Output
oilnow.gy
kaieteurnewsonline.com

Oil price (Brent, real) $70 per barrel Assumed (approx. 2022–2023 average)

Total oil recovered 456 million barrels (over 25 yrs) Mid-case estimate

CAPEX $4.4 B (spent 2017–2019) Project sanction estimate

OPEX $10 per barrel (avg) Based on ~$200 M/yr early life

Fiscal terms 2% royalty; 50% profit share; 0% Stabroek PSA


tax

NPV (10% discount) +$3.2 billion (after-tax, 2017 Calculated


base)

Internal Rate of Return ~22% (real, after-tax) Matches ~22% IRR reported for Guyana
projects

Payback period ~5 years from first oil (by ~2024) Calculated (cumulative cash flow
breakeven)

Table 2: Liza Phase 1 Base Case Economics. The project is highly robust in the base scenario,
with NPV > $3 billion and IRR far exceeding the 10% hurdle

In the base case, NPV ≈ $3.2 billion (at 10% discount rate). This sizable positive NPV indicates
strong value creation. The IRR ~22% is well above the typical 10% cost of capital, confirming
the project’s profitability. Notably, our calculated IRR aligns with independent analyses that found
an average ~22% IRR for the first phases in Guyana, lending confidence to the model. The
payback period is about 5 years from first oil – by 2024, the cumulative net cash flow turns
positive, meaning the investors have recovered their $4.4B investment and all costs by that time.
This fast payback is due to the high production rates early on and the generous cost recovery
(which allows ~75% of revenue to go toward recouping costs). By Year 6, with CAPEX fully
recovered, the project becomes a cash cow with the contractors receiving 50% of substantial profit
oil.

Cash Flow Profile: In the first year of production (2020), net cash flow to the contractors was
relatively low (they recovered some costs but also incurred remaining capex and opex). By the

11
second and third year, as production hit 120k bpd, annual net cash flows grew large (we estimate
on the order of $1.4 billion/year net to contractors at $70 oil). These early cash flows go primarily
to cost recovery. By around 2024, all initial costs are recovered; thereafter, even though production
slowly declines, the contractors continue to receive profit oil. The government’s share also
increases significantly post-payback. Figure 2 in the next section will illustrate the probability
distribution of NPV, but even the pessimistic cases in deterministic terms (e.g. low price or high
cost) would need to be extremely severe to erase all NPV.

Sensitivity (Breakeven Analysis): We examined simple sensitivities on oil price and found the
NPV breakeven price (NPV = 0 at 10% discount) is roughly $40 per barrel. This is consistent
with our model: at $40, the IRR is ~10.5% (just above the hurdle, NPV slightly positive) 【25†
】. At prices below ~$39, NPV would turn negative (IRR < 10%). This breakeven price is
remarkably low for an offshore project – a testament to Liza’s low-cost structure. If we consider a
simpler breakeven metric (price at which operating cash flow just covers costs including capex on
an undiscounted basis), it would be even lower, around the $25 range. The operating breakeven
(price that covers OPEX and royalty only) is ~$10–15, indicating the field would never need to
shut in for economic reasons until prices are extremely low. In practice, oil prices have averaged
>$60 in recent years, so the project has been yielding far above its breakeven. Even in the worst
downturn (2020) when Brent briefly fell to ~$20, the project could sustain operations given its low
lifting cost and the fact that the price quickly rebounded.

Discussion: The deterministic analysis demonstrates that Liza Phase 1 is a highly economic
project under expected conditions. The large positive NPV and short payback would lead to a “Go”
decision under most corporate investment criteria. The project’s success is driven by the
combination of sizable reserves, modest costs (for deepwater), and favorable fiscal terms (which
allow quick cost recovery and then moderate government take). A comparison to other projects
shows why ExxonMobil pursued Liza aggressively: for example, average IRRs for new oil fields
in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico are ~15–20%, and in U.S. shale ~20–40% (with subsidies) – Liza’s
~22% IRR is competitive globally, especially considering the scale of reserves.
However, deterministic cases do not tell the whole story – we must also consider the uncertainty
in inputs like oil price and reserves. In the next section, we present a probabilistic Monte Carlo
analysis to quantify how these uncertainties could impact the NPV and IRR, and thereby the project
risk profile.

7.Monte Carlo Probabilistic Analysis


We performed a Monte Carlo simulation of 1,000 trials varying key inputs: oil price, recoverable
reserves (volume), CAPEX, and OPEX. The inputs were modeled using normal distributions,
based on the Liza Phase 1 project data. Figure 2 below displays the histogram and cumulative
distribution function (CDF) generated from these simulations.

12
Figure 2: Histogram and CDF of Simulated NPV Outcomes (10% Discount Rate)

The results indicate a strong economic profile for the project. The simulation produced a bell-
shaped NPV distribution centered around a mean of approximately $2.5 billion, with the
majority of NPVs ranging between $1.5 billion and $3.5 billion. This aligns well with
expectations based on deterministic cash flow modeling and industry benchmarks.

Statistical Results:
 Mean NPV ≈ $2.5 billion

 Median (P50) NPV ≈ $2.45 billion

 P90 NPV ≈ $1.3 billion: 90% of simulated cases exceed this value

 P10 NPV ≈ $3.6 billion: Only 10% of cases exceed this value

 Standard Deviation ≈ $700 million

 Probability of NPV < 0 ≈ 0% (no trials resulted in a negative NPV)

The simulation confirms that Liza Phase 1 is a low-risk, high-return project. Even in scenarios
with low oil prices and higher costs, the NPV remained strongly positive. The upside potential is
significant in favorable price or volume conditions, with maximum simulated NPVs exceeding
$4 billion. This probabilistic result reinforces the deterministic conclusion: the project is
economically robust under a wide range of assumptions.

8. Decision and Recommendation (Go / No-Go) Deterministic Outcome:


The base-case economics of Liza Phase 1 are unequivocally positive – an NPV over $3 billion (at
10% discount) and IRR 22% indicate a “Go” decision. By traditional investment criteria, the
project easily meets profitability thresholds. Its payback is within 5 years, meaning the exposure
period is limited. The breakeven oil price is so low ($40) that even a severe market downturn
13
would likely not put the project underwater. In essence, the deterministic analysis shows a high-
margin project with quick capital recovery.

Probabilistic Risk Assessment: The Monte Carlo simulation further supports a Go


recommendation. There is a very high degree of confidence (>90% probability) that the project
will achieve a large positive NPV under reasonable variations of key uncertainties. The probability
of failing to meet the 10% hurdle (NPV < 0) is near zero. This indicates that the project’s risk is
not only low but also well within acceptable bounds for industry standards. Even considering
uncertainties, the project yields strong value in the vast majority of cases. Such a risk profile – low
downside, high upside – is highly attractive.

Recommendation: After reviewing all analyses, my recommendation is a clear GO for Liza Phase
1. The project should be (and was) sanctioned and executed. The deterministic and probabilistic
evaluations both show robust economics. The project has in fact been a success, as real-world data
post-2019 have shown production outperforming expectations and oil prices mostly above
breakeven.

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9.References
 ExxonMobil. (2022). "Annual Reports and Project Updates."

 Guyana Ministry of Natural Resources. (2021). "Petroleum Sector Summary."

 International Energy Agency (IEA). (2023). "World Energy Outlook."

 BP Statistical Review of World Energy. (2023).


 World Bank. (2022). "Commodity Markets Outlook."

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