Gas
pipeline still a go despite T&T concern
Trinidad Express
Port Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
09 04 07
GOVERNMENT HAS NOT been deterred from the Eastern
Caribbean Gas Pipeline project despite seeming
uncertainty on the extent of Trinidad and Tobago's
natural gas reserves.
Minister of Energy and the Environment
Elizabeth Thompson said last Wednesday that following
preliminary
negotiations last month, Government was still committed
to the process which, she hoped, could be wrapped
up in a "couple of months".
"I have met directly with
the Minister of Energy of Trinidad [Dr Lenny
Saith], perhaps three
weeks ago now, and he has indicated that although
Trinidad does have a gas shortage, Trinidad is
committed to giving Barbados gas via this pipeline.
"He has committed to a specific volume of
gas that has been approved by the cabinet of Trinidad,
and the Trinidadian investors are very keen to
go ahead; so, if the negotiations can be concluded
satisfactorily in a way that we think best captures
the best interests of the taxpayers and people
of Barbados, then that project will be a go," Thompson
said while attending the reopening of the rebranded
Simpson Oil Ltd (SOL) convenience store in Redmans
Village, St Michael.
The minister also revealed that the Barbados National
Oil Company and the Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Development would soon embark on a six-month
pilot project involving the use of an ethanol-gasoline
fuel mix in a number of private and public-sector
vehicles.
She said if the experiment was successful, Government
would move to widespread use of the fuel mix which
would require building new storage facilities.
Thompson also disclosed that a Barbadian company
had put in an application to import ethanol for
re-export purposes.
She said energy costs had moved from $150 million
three years ago to $475 million.
/Barbados Nation
Trinidad
Express
Wednesday, August 29th 2007
Copyright
©2007 Trinidad Express. All Rights Reserved.
