Ex-minister sorry for Angelin flub

She said TOFCO has the experience and the expertise to successfully construct offshore platforms, with the recently launched Juniper platform being the most recent example.

She said Angelin is a smaller platform, weighing in at 1,800 tonnes deck and jacket, compared to Juniper which weighed 5,100 tonnes, deck only.

According to Ollivierre, 750 persons were employed on the Juniper platform, 98% being nationals of Trinidad and Tobago, including 450 persons from La Brea and environs.

BPTT on Wednesday announced that because of “compressed project timelines” and other competitive factors it was no longer possible to fabricate the platform in this country, stressing that it remained fully committed to maximising local content in all its operations.

The statement said this decision was necessary to maintain the project schedule and achieve the objective of delivering first gas by early 2019.

It said this was a priority to ensure that gas supply volumes can be maintained in 2019 and beyond.

Ollivierre said the fabrication of platforms represent a major cost component in offshore oil and gas exploration and retaining this expenditure “in country” would have translated to a significant contribution to local content.

She added, “When one considers that these expenses are recovered by the company prior to payment of taxes, then you get a better understanding of the magnitude of loss to the local economy when the bulk of the capital expenditure is allowed to leave our shores.” The La Brea MP said the ramifications of this decision go much further than the 150 -175 jobs that will not be coming to La Brea.

She appealed to residents to avoid protest action, saying this would be undesirable as this has played a part in discouraging investment in the community.

Meanwhile, President of the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago (AMCHAM), Ravi Suryadevara said it was not surprising that BPTT has decided not to fabricate the Angelin Platform in Trinidad and Tobago.

He said that having lost the project, this country must now take a look at how it attracts investment, which he said was an extension of the conversation with the ArcelorMittal Steel plant at Point Lisas, which was shut down and is now in liquidation, and the whole debate over gas curtailment.