A FIVE-member team is attending the first Global Workshop on Oil Spill Response Planning in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A., which began yesterday and concludes today.The team comprises persons from the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), a press release from the Natural Resources Ministry said.

The workshop which builds on conversations from the October 2015 International Regulators Forum in Washington, D.C., is being hosted by the Energy Governance and Capacity Initiative (EGCI).

The EGCI is a U.S. Department of State-led interagency effort that provides a range of technical and capacity-building assistance to the governments of select countries to help them establish the capacity to manage their oil and gas sector resources responsibly.

As a recipient of the initiative, Guyana is participating in the global workshop which allows it the opportunity to tap into the U.S. Government’s considerable expertise and capabilities in oil spill response planning in order to provide assistance that is tailored to the specific needs of Guyana, the release explained.

While in New Orleans, the team will have the opportunity to discuss commonalities and differences in disaster preparedness, oil spill response planning and environmental monitoring, assessment and reporting, especially as it affects offshore production operations and spillage among the United States and the participating EGCI countries.
Participants will also be able to network and explore opportunities for long-term working relationships with sector experts.

The workshop is both valuable and timely and will help Guyana to gain expertise as it advances its efforts to develop a robust framework for its emerging oil and gas sector, the Natural Resources Ministry added.