Three civilian helicopters arrived in Guyana over the weekend in preparation for deep sea oil exploration activities set to get underway soon by two major energy companies currently operating in the South American country.

The choppers; one 412 EP and two AW 139 civilian class helicopters, will be used to transport personnel to the offshore drilling locations of Spanish oil company Repsol and Canadian-based oil and gas exploration company, CGX Energy.

A senior official of CGX Energy Inc told Business Guyana on Monday that arrangements for the services of the helicopters were undertaken by Repsol. CGX Energy, the official said, will be utilizing one of the choppers through an arrangement with the Spanish oil company.

The helicopters are being provided by Bristow Group Incorporated, one of the world’s largest providers of helicopter transportation services. The first civil helicopter company to work in the oil and gas industry, Bristow has earned an international reputation for speed of response and quality of service.

Repsol’s high pressure/ high temperature well will be sunk 107 miles away from Georgetown in the 3,735 square kilometres Georgetown Block near the border with Suriname while CGX Energy’s Eagle-1 well will be drilled on the Company’s 100% owned and operated Corentyne Petroleum Prospecting License, off Guyana’s Corentyne Coast.

Both companies are expected to begin drilling operations soon.