The Energy Chamber of Trinidad & Tobago (ECTT) and Suriname state oil company Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V. (Staatsolie) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on building health, safety and environmental (HSE) capacity in the Surinamese oil and gas sector.
The agreement between the ECTT and Staatsolie was signed on October 13, between Dr. Thackwray Driver, President and CEO of the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago and Mr. Rudolf Elias, Managing Director of Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V.
According to the Chamber, under the agreement, both parties will establish a framework of effective co-operation and knowledge sharing, which is geared towards the development of HSE standards, assessment systems, building the technical and HSE capacity of service providers and providing certification services in the Surinamese oil and gas sector.
Additionally, a cadre of health, safety and environmental specialists will be identified for training and development, with the objective of their being able to advise service companies and conduct certification audits in accordance with industry standards.
The Chamber said the MoU is valid for a duration of three years, with the option to be renewed by tacit agreement.
The agreement between the two CARICOM neighbours comes at a time when Suriname has so far had three oil discoveries offshore and is looking to move ahead with development of these resources. The discoveries made in Suriname follows the more than 8 billion barrels of crude that have been found in Guyana at the adjacent Stabroek Block.
