TTPC:
LNG decision by year end
E.Ohep/Petroleumworld
Mr. Fazal
Hosein , President, Geological Society of Trinidad
and Tobago
The Trinidad Guardian
Port
Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
02 11 07
Government
will finally decide by December whether the country
will have a fifth LNG Train.
Acting
Prime Minister Dr Lenny Saith said yesterday by
year’s end a feasibility study will determine
if the country invests in the project.
Saith
also confirmed that pending environmental clearance,
the La Brea-based Alutrint aluminium smelter will
be operational this year.
He
was speaking during the Petroleum Conference at
the Trinidad Hilton, Port-of-Spain.
Saith
unveiled some of the country’s plans to go
downstream into petrochemicals and metals, listing
seven projects.
Once
more, he dangled the benefits of employment as justification
for the projects.
“The
immediate benefits of all seven projects will be
seen in employment generation; providing as many
as 25,000 jobs at peak construction, 4,400 permanent
jobs and many more indirect jobs,” Saith said.
The
projects include two aluminium smelters, an ethylene
complex, a gas to polypropylene plant, an urea ammonia
nitrate plant, a steel foundry plus an ammonium
plant.
In
spite of Saith’s pronouncements, STCIC president
Rampersad Motilal noted the spike in natural gas
utilisation in T&T.
He
said gas utilisation had increased by 25 per cent
from three billion cubic feet per day to four billion
cubic feet per day.
“The
concern must be whether the replacement rate is
sufficient to compensate for this depletion rate
and what exploration programmes are being pursued
in order to achieve a satisfactory increase in proven
(gas) reserves,” Motilal said.
He
said new gas discoveries were necessary and he alluded
to the poor response to the Government’s last
ultra-deep bid round.
Saith
addressed the exploration issue.
To
allay fears, he said 11 wells will be drilled this
year at a cost of US $234 million.
Plus,
in 2008 six wells will be drilled at a cost of US
$164 million.
Energy
czar Professor Ken Julien acknowledged that in some
quarters there was questioning of T&T’s
model of industrialisation.
He
noted there were calls for a greater Government
role in acquiring regasification facilities and
shipping lines for LNG.
Julien
also commented on the concern of citizens regarding
environmental issues.
He
urged the Environmental Management Authority (EMA)
to play a greater role in supervising the energy
industry, particularly concerning carbon dioxide
emissions in T&T.
An
institution like the EMA should be proactive in
this rather than reactive,” Julien said. “Be
proactive by having an assessment of (carbon dioxide
emissions) that is here and begin to identify the
limits.”
The
Trinidad Guardian
Tuesday 6th February, 2007
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©2006 The Trinidad Guardian. All Rights Reserved.
