Guyana introduces Caribbean’s first FPSO-focused instrument technician training programme

Guyana has introduced what the Guyana Technical Training College Inc. (GTTCI) describes as the Caribbean’s first training programme dedicated to instrumentation technicians for floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, expanding the country’s efforts to develop specialised skills for its growing offshore oil industry, according to OilNOW.  

The programme will be delivered at GTTCI’s Port Mourant campus and is designed to prepare students for instrumentation roles aboard FPSOs. These technicians are responsible for installing, maintaining and calibrating the instruments and automated control systems that monitor and regulate offshore production facilities. 

GTTCI Director Professor Clement Sankat said the programme addresses a gap in technical training as Guyana’s offshore sector continues to expand. While electrical and mechanical disciplines are already well established, he noted that instrumentation on modern FPSOs requires specialised training because today’s production facilities rely extensively on automated process control and safety systems, OilNOW reported.  

According to Sankat, no other institution in the Caribbean currently offers a programme focused specifically on FPSO instrumentation technicians.  

The new course builds on a broader investment in technical education to support the country’s energy sector. OilNOW reported that GTTCI was developed with support from the Government of Guyana and the Stabroek Block co-venturers—ExxonMobil Guyana, Hess and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana. The trainee technician programme was developed through collaboration involving SBM Offshore Guyana, ExxonMobil Guyana, LearnCorp International and the Government of Guyana.  

The training campus includes advanced diploma programmes in production, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation disciplines. Students also train using the FacTor FPSO simulator, which recreates offshore operating conditions and production systems. The simulator formed the first phase of the GTTCI project and is intended to prepare trainees for work aboard offshore production vessels.  

Demand for instrumentation and production technicians is expected to increase as additional FPSOs enter service offshore Guyana over the coming years. ExxonMobil and its partners have multiple sanctioned developments at different stages of production and construction in the Stabroek Block, creating a growing need for skilled local personnel to support offshore operations. 

Previous GTTCI trainee programmes have already placed graduates aboard SBM Offshore-operated FPSOs, providing Guyanese with direct pathways into offshore technical careers, OilNOW reported.  

Sankat said the college intends to continue expanding its facilities and course offerings in line with industry requirements, with the aim of preparing more Guyanese for long-term careers in the country’s energy industry.