Page 7 - LatAmOil Week 23 2022

LatAmOil TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO LatAmOil

PM says Trinidad and Tobago will step

up search for gas at maritime borders

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s Prime Minister Keith offshore acreage are due to wrap up by the end
Rowley announced last week that his govern- of this year, he added. Port of Spain began seek-
ment intended to step up co-operation with ing nominations for the Onshore Acreage for
other nearby countries to expand exploration Competitive Bidding round last September and
for natural gas at and around the borders of its hopes to launch auctions by the end of June,
offshore zone in the Caribbean Sea. he stated. These sales would be followed by a
Speaking at the Trinidad and Tobago Energy shallow-water round covering 25 open blocks,
Conference 2022, Rowley noted that Port of though no target date has been set, he added.
Spain had already signed agreements that The prime minister was speaking shortly
allowed joint exploration in the vicinity of the before the government of Trinidad and Tobago
maritime borders with the governments of Bar- wrapped up auctions for deepwater blocks that
bados, Grenada and Venezuela. He declared were launched late last year. The licensing round
that the country would pursue projects of this covered 17 blocks but drew a lacklustre response
type and announced that his administration had from international oil companies (IOCs). Port
finalised similar maritime border agreements of Spain received four offers from BP (UK) and
with two more countries – Guyana and Haiti. Shell (UK), which formed a consortium to bid
The prime minister went on to say that his for Blocks 23(b), 25(a), 25(b) and 27. ™
government was not just interested in regional
co-operation. He noted that Trinidad and
Tobago had also signed a protocol of intent on
co-operation in the energy sector with Ghana
in May 2020.
Together, he said, these initiatives demon-
strate Port of Spain’s commitment to pursue
opportunities that make the most of the coun-
try’s extensive experience and expertise in oil
and gas operations.

Licensing rounds
Rowley also noted at the conference that Trini-
dad and Tobago was working to attract invest-
ment to its onshore and offshore blocks. “We
have embarked on a series of [licensing] rounds,
which commenced with the deepwater bid
round in December of last year,” he stated.
Eight more sets of auctions for onshore and Port of Spain has already signed several maritime accords (Image: Drillinginfo)

NGC subsidiary seeks to create

hydrogen-based economy

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s state-owned Nat- Tobago Energy Conference 2022. He described
ural Gas Co. (NGC) is working with National the initiative as part of the country’s move
Energy, its wholly owned subsidiary, and an toward energy transition.
independent consulting firm, Kenesjay Green “Our hydrogen policy envisages the move-
Ltd (Kenesjay), to create a sustainable hydro- ment to hydrogen from renewable sources –
gen-based economy for the Caribbean state. not only as a decarbonisation tool, but also as
Prime Minister Keith Rowley announced feedstock for industry and a form of alternative
NGC’s plans last week during the Trinidad and energy, once the economics pan out,” he said.

Week 23 09•June•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P7