Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo sought to defend Guyana’s hesitation to utilize Trinidad and Tobago’s natural gas facilities to process Guyana’s gas, as calls came in for collaboration between the two countries.
Trinidad’s Prime Minister Keith Rowley and Energy Minister, Stuart Young made the play again during the recent Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo.
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Jagdeo stopped short of an outright refusal.
“Everything has to be done on the basis of [a] feasibility study…how much it costs. So, you would have to assess ‘Would it be better to process your gas right at [a] site on a floating LNG [liquefied natural gas] platform than moving it hundreds of miles to Trinidad and Tobago?’ All of these things have to be determined, not on the basis of desire or goodwill or good intention or else,” he posited at his press briefing last Thursday.
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Young called on Guyana to give Trinidad access to its proven gas reserves as it already has the infrastructure and experience. “Send your gas resources and you receive the return immediately. No wait, no moratorium, no need for incentives. Only immediate return on your natural resources that you then use for the infrastructure in your countries as a return for your people in the respective countries.”
Guyana’s gas reserves stand at an estimated 17 trillion cubic feet in the ExxonMobil-operated Stabroek block. The country hopes to facilitate the building of a vibrant gas industry with in-country infrastructure. The government has also invited proposals from private companies for the design, finance, construction, and operation of essential gas infrastructure to support offshore developments in the South American nation. A national gas strategy is being drafted, which will serve as a roadmap for the country’s gas development endeavors.
Trinidad made a similar pitch to Guyana before, offering up their refinery for Guyana’s oil. However, Guyana’s Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat said it made “economic sense” for the country to have its own.
Collaboration remains Trinidad’s mantra.
