Caption: Minister of Energy Dr Roodal Moonilal. Photo: T&T Parliament

MINISTER of Energy and Energy Resources Dr Roodal Moonilal says the government is maintaining an open-door policy with the petrochemical sector including Nutrien.

In October, Nutrien announced a controlled shutdown of its Point Lisas plant due to a lack of natural gas supply.

The minister confirmed that they have been in touch with Nutrien over the past weeks.

He said, “We are quite prepared to discuss at an appropriate time future investment and future projects involving Nutrien and others in the downstream sector.”

Mention was also made of the Revitalization Blueprint Programme recently outlined by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The Revitalization plan was developed to promote innovation, investments and strategic partnerships in the energy hub.

Moonilal said, “We are for business and a key area, a key focus of that master plan is, the energy sector and the energy hub, and we will be open for business, not only for Nutrien for all other players that wish to discuss their investment portfolio with us.”

He also announced that BP Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT) has completed its subsea Cypre drilling project months ahead of schedule.

Moonilal said, “At peak production, this would deliver 45,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and more or less 250 million standard cubic feet of gas per day which is, more or less, at peak production, a ten per cent addition to our national gas output.”