‘Oil Spill Bill’ ready for the National Assembly

The Guyana Government is set to table the critical ‘Oil Spill Bill’ in the National Assembly next Monday, establishing the international standards under which operators in the industry are expected to function.

During his weekly Issues in the News programme on Tuesday, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, announced that the “landmark” Oil Pollution, Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Responsibility Bill 2025 will be up for debate, alongside other important pieces of legislation.

He highlighted that the bill seeks to establish a robust, modern, and comprehensive legal framework to govern the prevention, preparedness, response, and liability arising from oil spill incidents involving installations and facilities engaged in petroleum operations under the Petroleum Activities Act.

This framework will apply across the national territory, including Guyana’s territorial sea and exclusive economic zone.

“It ensures that every person and/or entity involved in any petroleum activities—including drilling, exploration, production, storage, handling, and transportation of petroleum products, oil, gas, etc.—shall be held to the highest standards of operational safety and environmental responsibility.”

The bill also enshrines liability for those responsible for any oil spill or negligent operations that result in damage of any kind, the Attorney General clarified.

Significantly, the bill does not cap liabilities, and explicitly provides for the responsible party to be held accountable for all damages caused by their actions or omissions.

It also introduces a dispute resolution mechanism within the legislation, while preserving the right of any aggrieved person to approach the High Court for remedies—including compensation—related to any petroleum activity that may have caused damage to property, person, or the environment.

The Attorney General noted that the bill introduces to Guyana the international standards and duty of care required by global norms, ensuring that operators in the oil and gas sector are held to internationally recognised benchmarks. As such, the legislation represents a major step forward in aligning Guyana’s oil and gas operations with global best practices.