PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2017
RE: Angelin project
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All responsible stakeholders in the country must be disappointed by the decision not to construct the Angelin platform in La Brea. However, this decision has been driven by the need to ensure that natural gas is available in Trinidad & Tobago by early 2019. There are clear concerns that any interruptions to project delivery, whether due to labour unrest or other factors, would have serious implications for bpTT, the National Gas Company and the downstream processors and users of natural gas. This in turn would have serious implications for the overall national economy.
This decision highlights to urgent need for Trinidad and Tobago to improve productivity. Within the energy-related construction sector, many companies report that productivity levels have dropped over recent years not least due to high rates of absenteeism and protests. At the same time, demands for wage increases have continued, meaning that companies have become less competitive compared to companies operating in the United States, Mexico and elsewhere. This reality highlights the need for serious reforms to our industrial relations framework and improvements to work ethic and productivity.
Platform construction is only one portion of the overall delivery of a major offshore gas development. Other opportunities for local content also exist in the drilling, installation and commissioning phases of the Angelin project and the Energy Chamber will continue to work with bpTT and other stakeholders to increase local content in the overall project.
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For further information please contact us at (868) 6-ENERGY ext. 22/33