Saith:
Smelter would use only 2% of T&T’s daily
gas production
By
Curtis Williams
Trinidad
Guardian
Port
Spain
Petroleumworld.com
08 27 06
The
two proposed aluminium smelters would use less than
two per cent of the country’s natural gas
production, according to Energy Minister Dr Lenny
Saith.
Speaking
yesterday with the Guardian shortly after addressing
the British Caribbean Chamber of Commerce, Saith
said he was seeking to clear the misinformation
surrounding the planned construction of the two
smelters and in particular the Alcoa plant in Chatam.
The
Energy Minister pointed out that daily natural gas
production was already nearing four billion cubic
feet per day (bcf/d) and by the time the smelters
are built it is expected to cross 4 bcf/d.
“When
you take into account what the country’s daily
natural gas production would be and you compare
that to 150 million cubic feet per day that will
be used to generate electricity for the smelters
then you can see the smelters will be using little
gas,” Saith said.
The
Minister said while Alcoa will be paying a relatively
low price for the gas it was important that gas
prices be looked at in the context of what it does
for the country.
Saith
said it was clear on the surface that the State
will get more money from T&T’s natural
converted into LNG than used to make aluminium.
But
the minister argued that one had to look at what
a metals industry will mean for the country.
“When
you look at the situation it is clear that with
a metals industry you get taxes, employment and
many other things which may eventually work out
to be more than you get from LNG and you use less
gas.” Saith told the Guardian.
He
said it was unfortunate that UNC activist Ramesh
Lawrence Maharaj was able to get away with suggesting
that the smelter would be built to assist in killing
Muslims in the Middle East.
Saith
said it is that type of wild statements which have
to stop.
More
than that he said with the alumina coming from Jamaica,
the project will help a fellow Caricom state in
its balance of payments position and reduce the
trade deficit between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad Guardian
Thursday
17th August, 2006
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