— University of Trinidad and Tobago petroleum expert

UNIVERSITY of Guyana (UG) Faculty of Technology students along with other stakeholders including lecturers of the university on Wednesday participated in a two hour professional engagement seminar titled “an overview of the Liza Field Development Phase 1” facilitated by petroleum expert Lugard Layne.

The discourse which was held in the boardroom of the Faculty of Technology saw Layne, a senior instructor on petroleum engineering at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, examining Phase 1 of the Liza Field development.

In his presentation, the Guyanese lecturer who now resides in Trinidad said the government of Guyana needs to start its discourse on gas market utilisation now.
He stressed the need for a gas market utilisation plan while adding that the natural gas industry can have significant benefits to Guyana.

“Right now it is not in ExxonMobil’s interest to discuss gas utilisation but as a country we should be planning for when that day arises. I am saying that in terms of developing a gas market, the government of Guyana ought to be planning, not tomorrow, not next year; but those set of plans should be going right now. That is one of my concerns; I am not hearing a discourse on the gas market,” he said.

In terms of the development of the gas market, Layne said it is not wise to reinvent the wheel. As such, he suggested a partnership which would allow the government to get initial counts on, aid in the marketing of the gas, how to negotiate the contracts and how to set up the infrastructure.

“Don’t wait until ExxonMobil comes to tell you what they want to do with the gas and then you now trying to come up with a plan. You need to be strategising before they come to you; not after they come to you.”

It should be noted that Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson has repeatedly made it clear that his government will not be rushed into any arrangement with respect to natural gas.

The government had contracted Energy Narrative to conduct a study on the utilisation of natural gas for electricity generation. Guyana Chronicle understands that other companies are also exploring the prospect of utilising natural gas to meet the country’s energy needs.

Wednesday’s discourse is part of a series of talks being facilitated by Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Ivelaw Griffith.