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PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, September 9, 2016 (CMC) – The Trinidad and Tobago government says it wants to help its Caribbean Community (CARICOM) neighbour, Guyana, develop its newly found oil sector, and is positioning itself to refine oil here, Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, has said.
“We have refining capacity in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana has crude…it may very well be that the possibility might exist for Guyana’s crude to be refined in Trinidad and Tobago,” Rowley said.
“Guyana is now an oil producing country and, in the not too distant future when they come to market, we want to be there for consideration because it will benefit us considerably,” he told reporters, following the weekly Cabinet meeting, yesterday.
Port of Spain is expected to enter into an agreement with Georgetown in November for technical assistance, following visits by Guyanese officials.
Energy Minister, Nicole Olivierre, recently visited Guyana to hold talks with President David Granger and other officials, during which the offer of technical support was made.
Guyana President David Granger. Photo credit: GINA.
Speaking at the post-Cabinet news conference media briefing, she said Guyana has no experience in the oil and gas industry and was very receptive of the offer.
She said President Granger had also asked for support in the areas of education, with emphasis on engineering and technical studies, as well as infrastructure development, agriculture and eco-tourism.
Olivierre said a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is in the process of being drafted.
“By November, a delegation representing both the public and private sector in Guyana would be coming to Trinidad to take a view of some of the operations and facilities that we have for the oil and gas sector. Specific areas of interest will include options for monetising natural gas, commercial and fiscal arrangements for the oil and gas sector, learning from us in our development of local content and also training of oil industry practitioners for Guyanese nationals,” she said.
She said there is no financial commitment as it is an offer of technical cooperation and guidance.
