Shell Trinidad and Tobago Ltd., a subsidiary of Shell plc, has taken the Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Manatee project. Shell said the undeveloped gas field in the East Coast Marine Area (ECMA) of Trinidad and Tobago marks a significant step in its strategy to grow its integrated gas business. The ECMA is one of the country’s most prolific gas-producing areas, hosting Shell’s major fields such as Dolphin, Starfish, Bounty, and Endeavour.
The Manatee field will backfill the country’s Atlantic LNG facility, enhancing utilization at existing plants.
Zoë Yujnovich, Shell’s Integrated Gas and Upstream Director, stated, “This project will help meet the increasing demand for natural gas globally while also addressing the energy needs of our customers domestically in Trinidad and Tobago. The investment bolsters our world-leading LNG portfolio in line with our commitment to invest in competitive projects that deliver more value with less emissions.”
Shell aims to grow its LNG business by 20-30% by 2030, with planned liquefaction volume growth of 25-30% relative to 2022. Production from Manatee is expected to start in 2027, reaching a peak of approximately 104,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) or 604 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/d).
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Shell is the operator of Manatee, holding a 100% working interest.
The project includes a normally unattended installation platform in ECMA, eight development wells, and a 110 km pipeline to the Shell-operated Beachfield gas processing facility, supporting export to the Atlantic LNG facility and the domestic market via the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Loran-Manatee field, discovered in 1983, was divided between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela, with each country independently developing its share after a 2019 agreement.
