T&T seeks Guyana’s support as it looks to restart refinery

Dr Moonilal at the energy conference

Trinidad and Tobago is seeking stronger energy partnerships with Guyana as part of strategic measures to restart its shuttered state-owned Petrotrin oil refinery.
Speaking at the ongoing Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo at the Marriott Hotel on Wednesday, Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal said the twin-island nation is also prepared to leverage its multi-billion-dollar energy infrastructure and over 100 years of experience in the sector in a bid to revitalise the country’s declining oil industry.
“Trinidad and Tobago brings to the table a wealth of experience in oil and gas,” Minister Moonilal stated.
He said this includes contractors, labour, technology, human capital, strategic and technical assistance in management, as well as insight into the pitfalls of the industry.
Moonilal noted that with the reopening of the oil refinery, Guyana, as well as the wider Caribbean, stands to benefit immensely from easier access to refined products that are usually sourced from international markets.
“One can only imagine, if we really restart our refinery, that we could supply Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad, but also the rest of the CARICOM region,” the Minister said.
He pointed out that countries would then have the opportunity to purchase products such as diesel, petrol and aviation fuel.
“We could produce those products in Trinidad and, just one hour away, ship them back to Guyana, return them to Suriname and throughout the Caribbean islands…” the Minister opined.
Moonilal expressed deep regret that a closer alliance had not previously been formed with Guyana and Suriname, the region’s new oil producers.
He said Trinidad and Tobago’s attendance at the conference seeks to address this oversight fundamentally, even as it receives positive feedback on the role the country could play in supporting the region’s newest oil majors.