Shell still committed to T&T energy future, says PM Rowley

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says Shell “remains committed to securing Trinidad and Tobago’s energy future and is excited to play a leading role in unlocking the country’s energy transition potential and building their portfolio in Trinidad and Tobago”.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says Shell “remains committed to securing Trinidad and Tobago’s energy future and is excited to play a leading role in unlocking the country’s energy transition potential and building their portfolio in Trinidad and Tobago”.

The assertion comes following a meeting with high-level Shell executives at the company’s London office, on Thursday November 4th.

An official release from the Office of the Prime Minister reports that the Prime Minister headed up a delegation that included Minister of Energy and Energy Industries and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young MP, and Eugene Okpere, Senior Vice President and Country Chair of Shell Trinidad and Tobago, who were present for the meeting with the Shell executives.

Prime Minister Dr the Hon Keith Rowley and Minister of Energy and Energy Industries the Hon Stuart Young, during the meeting with a team of Shell Executives at the energy company’s head office in London, on Thursday 4 November 2021. (Image courtesy Office of the Prime Minister)

The Shell team at the meeting included De La Rey Venter, Executive Vice President of Shell’s LNG business for the Western hemisphere; Ed Daniels, Executive Vice President, Strategy, Portfolio & Sustainability; and Anders Ekvall, Business Opportunity Manager.

According to the release from PM’s Office, discussions focused on key growth projects and potential collaboration opportunities aimed at furthering this country’s renewable energy goals.

Wael Sawan, Shell’s newly appointed Director of Integrated Gas, Renewables and Energy Solutions, led a presentation on the company’s energy transition strategy. He focussed on the possibilities of carbon emission reduction in Trinidad and Tobago whilst working on the continued production of natural gas, which is recognised as a greener, cleaner fuel source.

Wael Sawan, Shell’s newly appointed Director of Integrated Gas, Renewables and Energy Solutions chats with Prime Minister Dr the Hon Keith Rowley. Looking on are the Hon Stuart Young (right), Minister of Energy and Energy Industries and De La Rey Venter (left), Executive Vice President of Shell’s LNG business for the Western hemisphere. (Image courtesy Office of the Prime Minister)

Sawan said Shell remains committed to securing Trinidad and Tobago’s energy future and is excited to play a leading role in unlocking the country’s energy transition potential and building their portfolio in Trinidad and Tobago.

The PM’s Office also reports that the T&T-Shell talks also centred on the recent Cabinet approval of the Production Sharing Contract Amendment (PSC) for the Manatee gas field, which is a historic development for Trinidad and Tobago. The Manatee gas field will be a significant gas production project and one of the largest single investments in Trinidad and Tobago in decades. The parties will sign the Manatee PSC in Trinidad and Tobago later this month.

In addition, the commercial restructuring of Atlantic LNG was included on the discussion agenda.

Both parties also discussed surrounding the issues raised at the recent COP26 climate change conference and a commitment was given by the Government to finalize the details related to the utility-scale solar project to be developed by a consortium comprising Shell, BP and Lightsource bp.