By Prior Beharry
THE governments of Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela have signed off on the licence to get natural gas from the Dragon gas field in Venezuelan waters.
This was agreed to after almost a year of negotiations between the two countries following a licence being granted by OFAC on January 24, 2023. But that licence had stated that no cash payments were to be made to Venezuela with Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley saying that was like pushing a boulder up a hill. However, this condition was later changed.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Dr Rowley said, “We have secured the licence to the Dragon gas field!
“Yes, in the spirit of good neighbourliness, the dragon can dance.
“Congratulations to the people of Venezuela and the people of Trinidad and Tobago, a door to a new commercial frontier has been opened for the benefit of all our people.”
Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young also posted, “Historic moment as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has granted the licence for the Dragon Gas Field to NGC and Shell to develop and produce gas for export to Trinidad and Tobago.
“This is a huge win for the people of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. I am humbled and privileged to have played a key role in making this a reality.”
The Dragon gas field holds up to 4.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and is located in Venezuelan waters.
