Page 8 - LatAmOil Week 46 2021

LatAmOil TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO LatAmOil

Manatee is located off the south-eastern coast of Trinidad (Image: Ministry of Energy)
The prime minister went on to say that he as the Atlantic LNG plant. “The Manatee devel-
expected the Manatee project to help the coun- opment presents a significant medium-term
try overcome the challenges it has experienced opportunity for the local energy sector to bolster
because of declining gas output. “In considering gas supply to both domestic and LNG export
our current proven reserves of natural gas and markets,” it commented.
the size of the many discoveries of new fields, Around the same time, Stuart Young,
the significance of this development will be Energy Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, said
fully appreciated in Trinidad and Tobago,” he he expected the development of Manatee, which
commented. holds about 2.7 trillion cubic feet (76.46bn cubic
Manatee is expected to begin production in metres) of gas, would improve domestic gas sup-
2025, Rowley added. The field’s initial output ply conditions.
will amount to 350mn cubic feet (9.9mn cubic The new field is likely to be “the single largest
metres) per day, rising later to 700 mmcf (19.8 new gas production [stream] in Trinidad and
mcm) per day, he stated. Tobago for decades,” he was quoted as saying by
Shell confirmed last month that it had struck Argus Media.
a deal with authorities in Port of Spain on the Manatee is a section of a larger gas field,
parameters of the PSC. It also stated that the pro- Loran-Manatee, that straddles the maritime
ject would help secure adequate gas supplies for border between Trinidad and Tobago and Ven-
Trinidad and Tobago’s domestic market, as well ezuela. ™

COLOMBIA
Colombian oil pipelines targeted by

thieves seeking gasoline for drug trade

COLOMBIAN oil pipelines are reportedly
becoming more attractive targets for criminal
gangs seeking crude oil for use the drug trade.
Oil theft is on the rise because gangs no
longer have easy access to smuggled Venezuelan
gasoline supplies, according to a Reuters report
that cited data from Colombian tax authorities
and the state-owned pipeline operator Cenit.
Illegal pipeline withdrawals have become
increasingly common since 2016, largely
because of Venezuela’s descent into acute social Loran/Manatee straddles the maritime border with Venezuela (Image: Chevron)
and economic crisis, the news agency explained.
Colombian gangs are now stealing crude to “Now it’s switched,” commented Yessica
refine it into gasoline, some of which they send Prieto, project and investigations director at
to Venezuela, Reuters noted. This amounts to a the Colombian energy advocacy group Crudo
reversal of previous smuggling patterns, it said. Transparente.

P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 46 18•November•2021