T&T’s
energy reserves no cause for concern
By Radhica Sookraj
The Trinidad Guardian
Port
Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
03 04 07
PNM
activists are concerned that soon T&T will no
longer be the main supplier of petroleum products
in the Caribbean region, but will take second place
to Venezuela.
These
concerns were raised yesterday during the PNM’s
General Council meeting at the GTM Building in San
Fernando.
But
PNM’s vice chairman John Donaldson, who chaired
a press conference later, said T&T’s oil
reserves were continually being renewed, as this
was a part of T&T’s history.
“Some
people raised their concerns about the fact that
T&T may no longer be the chief supplier of petroleum
and petroleum products for countries in Caricom.
“Reserves
are always being renewed. This is the history of
the petroleum and gas industry in Trinidad. New
reserves are continually being identified.”
Donaldson
said, based on a recent statement by Foreign Affairs
Minister Arnold Piggott, it was evident that new
reserves were already identified.
“I
thought we would have gathered this from the statement
of the Minister of Foreign Affairs when he indicated
that Trinidad will now get 25 per cent increase
in reserves from the basins which we get from Venezuela.”
Donaldson
also dismissed concerns that the planned aluminium
smelters will deplete gas reserves, saying the industry
will utilise only about two per cent of T&T’s
gas reserves.
“Minister
Lenny Saith has already said that less than two
per cent of reserves will be involved in smelter
development,” Donaldson added.
Trinidad Guardian
Monday 26th February, 2007
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©2007 Trinidad Guardian. All Rights Reserved.
