Heritage signs new E&P license in its offshore acreage

Heritage signs new E&P license in its offshore acreage

Heritage Petroleum Company Limited announces the successful completion of negotiations with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for a new Exploration & Production license in its offshore acreage.

Total and Apache make 4th discovery in Suriname

Total and Apache make 4th discovery in Suriname

Total and Apache Corporation have made a new significant oil and gas discovery at the Keskesi East-1 well, in Block 58 off the coast of Suriname. This follows previous discoveries at Maka Central, Sapakara West and Kwaskwasi.

Petrobras signs contract for sale of wind farm Mangue Seco 1

Petrobras signs contract for sale of wind farm Mangue Seco 1

Petrobras, in continuation of the communiqué released on 05/04/2020, informs that it signed with V2I Transmissão de Energia Elétrica SA, with Vinci Infraestrutura Gestora de Recursos Ltda. As manager, a contract for the sale of its entire stake in 49% in the company Eólica Mangue Seco 1 - Geradora e Comercializadora de Energia Elétrica SA (“Eólica Mangue Seco 1”), owner of a wind power generation park.

NGC, Touchstone in gas supply partnership

NGC, Touchstone in gas supply partnership

The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) signed a natural gas supply agreement with Primera Oil and Gas Limited, a subsidiary of Canadian energy exploration company Touchstone Exploration on Friday 18th December 2020. Primera, acting on behalf of its Joint Venture partner Heritage Petroleum Company Limited, will supply gas from the Ortoire Block, initially from the Coho-1 field.

RBC Trust commits USD 10m to MPC Capital’s Caribbean renewables platform

RBC Trust commits USD 10m to MPC Capital’s Caribbean renewables platform

MPC Capital AG (Deutsche Borse Scale, ISINDE000A1TNWJ4) has announced that RBC Trust (Trinidad and Tobago) Limited, a subsidiary of RBC Financial Caribbean Limited, has committed USD 10 million into its Caribbean listed feeder-vehicle to further grow the portfolio of renewable energy assets.

Proman Stena Bulk to promote a greener shipping future with additional methanol-ready vessel

Proman Stena Bulk to promote a greener shipping future with additional methanol-ready vessel

Proman Stena Bulk has finalised an agreement to build an additional vessel under its joint venture partnership. The methanol-powered Stena Prosperous will join the Stena ProPatria and the Stena ProMare in the Proman Stena fleet in Q2 2022. Each vessel will use 12,500 tonnes per annum of methanol as a marine fuel, significantly reducing emissions in their normal commercial operations compared to conventional marine fuels.

Rystad: Hydrogen opens a prolific service industry as coming project spending bakes a $400b pie

Rystad: Hydrogen opens a prolific service industry as coming project spending bakes a $400b pie

A wave of green and blue hydrogen projects that are poised to be developed in coming years could unlock about $400 billion worth of spending for the service industry between 2020 and 2035, a Rystad Energy industry analysis reveals. The figure excludes separate carbon capture and storage (CCS) development contracts, which could reach almost $35 billion for Europe alone.

Nutrien launches carbon programme to drive sustainability

Nutrien launches carbon programme to drive sustainability

Nutrien announced the launch of the agricultural industry’s most comprehensive carbon programme, providing end-to-end support for growers to drive improved sustainability and boost profitability. As the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services to growers, Nutrien is uniquely positioned to create the only programme at scale. It is ready to partner directly with growers to plan, plant and track sustainable farming practices and improve carbon performance.

Let’s dance

Let’s dance

Political winds have shifted.

Populists are on defence. Liberals everywhere overwhelmingly see climate change as a central issue. The US will rejoin the Paris climate accord and climate plans will stress the need for the complete and rapid decarbonisation of the global economy. It will take trillions of dollars in spending to get it done and Trinidad and Tobago is super-positioned to take advantage of the spend. Carbon pricing, no longer viewed as politically toxic, is primed for the aggressive and costly climate plans under consideration. Welldesigned carbon pricing systems will save money rather than cost taxpayers.

Understanding the relationship between wages and immigrant Venezuelan workers in TT

Understanding the relationship between wages and immigrant Venezuelan workers in TT

There are many estimates of the number of Venezuelans in Trinidad and Tobago. The government of TT registered some 16,523 Venezuelan by June 2019 in an attempt to start to formalize the process by which these immigrants participate in our labour market. In 2020 though, R4V put the number of Venezuelans in T&T at 33,400.

Carbon markets and carbon pricing: an explainer

Carbon markets and carbon pricing: an explainer

The need for addressing the climate crisis through the transition to decarbonised economies is gaining precedence throughout the world. Several countries have set ‘carbon neutral’, ‘net zero’, or ‘net negative’ targets and the number of private enterprises doing the same is also on the rise. The timeline and scope (types of gases) covered varies by country; for example Sweden has committed to greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045, while China is focusing on becoming primarily carbon dioxide neutral by 2060. The consensus by scientists, however, is that in order to meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 2˚C or lower, the global community needs to increase climate ambition reach net zero emissions by no later than 2050. Carbon neutral or net zero implies that any emission of the type(s) of greenhouse gas covered by the policy is matched or netted off by an appropriate mix of direct emissions reductions, emissions avoidance, and emissions removal and sequestration.

Macroeconomic impacts of carbon pricing: Case of energy subsidies phase out and the introduction of a carbon price in Tunisia

Macroeconomic impacts of carbon pricing: Case of energy subsidies phase out and the introduction of a carbon price in Tunisia

As a coastal country experiencing vulnerability from climate change with environmental degradation due to an increase in average temperatures, a reduction in precipitation, a rise in sea level, water scarcity and desertification, Tunisia is no stranger to the threat that climate change can, and already poses to its people and economy. Indeed, the national constitution, passed in 2014, recognizes the threat of climate change, promising its citizens the right to a healthy and balanced environment.

From Strength to Strength – A Reflection on eight years of TTEITI Involvement

From Strength to Strength – A Reflection on eight years of TTEITI Involvement

December 2020 marks for me just short of eight years of membership on the Multi-stakeholder Group (MSG) Steering Committee (SC) of the Trinidad and Tobago Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (TTEITI) as the representative for the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce (TTCIC). It also signals the end of my journey in this capacity as I move on from the committee in 2021, to pursue other personal and professional goals.

Integrating local content

Integrating local content

Local content has emerged as a key priority for many resource-rich developing countries, including Trinidad and Tobago. Its role in deepening and widening linkages and sustainably boosting value between the energy sector and other productive sectors of the Trinidad and Tobago economy has been a topic of continuing discussion.

Trinidad and Tobago’s energy future is here

Trinidad and Tobago’s energy future is here

When I moved to Trinidad and Tobago two years ago, I needed to buy a car. I’ve always lived in different countries across Europe and never had to drive, but in Trinidad, for first time in my life, I had to reconsider. Even though I’ve had a valid drivers’ licence since I was 18 years old, I have never had to use it as I could take a bike, walk or travel by public transportation. Now I find myself having to reconsider how I move around and the dramatic impact this change would have on my personal life.

Innovation by design

Innovation by design

Innovation can be defined as the invention or changing of some idea, product or method. However, Peter Senge asserts that it is only when invention can be replicated reliably on a meaningful scale and at a practical cost can it be considered an innovation. As such, innovation flows from invention where utility, feasibility, entrepreneurship and leadership converge. At a national level, innovation involves the entire ecosystem with drivers being culture, institutions and government policy. These drivers impact each other systemically at the industry, business and individual levels which determine national competitiveness. This article examines these drivers locally in the context of the National Development Strategy (NDS) Vision 2030, along with further suggestions for improving innovation.

Suriname shallow water bid round

Suriname shallow water bid round

In 2020, Suriname has had significant oil discoveries by Apache and its partners in the deepwaters offshore. The three major finds this year put Suriname as the location for the 2nd largest discoveries in 2020 - second only to Russia.