Roger Bissessar

Managing Director RGR Énergie Consultants Ltd

 

How was RGR Énergie formed?

The last ten (10) years in the energy sector have been defined by volatility, transience, uncertainty and structural change. I started my career in 1994 as a Process Engineer at Process Plant Services Ltd, Point Lisas. During my twenty-five (25) year journey, I was involved in start-up and commissioning of Methanol and Ammonia plants at PPSL and IPSL, and offshore platforms, pipelines and new onshore oil processing facilities at bpTT. 

When the Deep Water Horizon incident occurred in 2010, it significantly impacted BP and all the companies with which they did business. As a ripple effect of cost management and restructuring of the company, in 2015, bpTT offered a VSEP to its employees.

At that time, I was a Commissioning Engineer at bpTT. With twenty-one (21) years of experience in Commissioning, Start-Up and Project Execution, I found myself at a crossroads in my career. I had to make a decision whether to stay on at the firm or to use the opportunity to move on.

After much introspection on potential trends and opportunities in the sector, I consulted with my family and decided to take up the VSEP offer and form my own company. This signaled the birth of RGR Énergie Consultants Ltd.

Opportunities for Growth

From my observations of the local energy sector, I recognised a trend that companies were veering away from long term employment to short term, contract employment. Many companies were downsizing. This meant that there was a wealth of skilled and experienced professionals who were unemployed and looking for work. And companies still needed to get work done. RGR Énergie therefore focused on providing specialized professionals for niche services, on a short term or contract basis.

RGR Énergie works with clients to assess their specific needs and to provide the technical resources to support those needs.

At one of our strategic reviews, we identified three (3) core areas that require specialist support. These were:

  • Enhanced Oil Recovery

  • Renewable Energy

  • Agro-Processing.

Through networking with the Energy Chamber and the Energy Institute, we were able to test and prove the viability of these areas.

At the SPE Conference in Trinidad in 2016, we were fortunate to meet Mr Eric Delamaide, General Manager, IFP Technologies Canada, and an expert and pioneer in polymer flooding in heavy oil. After a few months of follow-up discussions and evaluation of our team, RGR Énergie entered into an agreement with IFP Technologies Canada / EOR Alliance to be their Trinidad and Tobago representative.

The EOR Alliance is a partnership between IFP Energies Nouvelles, BeicipFranlab and Solvay. They are Global Leaders in Enhanced Oil Recovery, successfully executing EOR projects in over twenty (20) countries.

Opportunities for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) In Trinidad and Tobago

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) has been utilized in Trinidad and Tobago for over fifty (50) years. Most projects so far have focused on thermal, gas injection and the more conventional waterfloods. In spite of that, recovery factors are still relatively low and the country’s oil production has been declining for some time.

Surprisingly, given the progress and advances in chemical EOR over the last ten (10) years, these processes have not been used in Trinidad.

Trinidad is noted for having “heavily faulted” reservoirs, with each reservoir having its own unique properties. The optimum EOR method for a reservoir will be based on the specific characteristics of that reservoir. Some EOR methods can be combined for enhanced production. For example, if a reservoir can be waterflooded or steam flooded, it can be polymer flooded to increase oil recovery. Also, foams can be used to enhance steam and gas injection applications to increase oil recovery

The application of new EOR technology, particularly polymer flooding, is one strategic area where RGR Énergie can provide technical support to local operators, to increase oil recovery factors and to optimize production.

RGR Énergie Consultants Ltd is committed to providing Technical resources, Training and specialized personnel required to safely support project execution in Enhanced Oil Recovery.