Guyanese-led Oil Company ready to develop country’s weak local content
The industrial and educational capacity needed to ensure Guyanese take a leading role in managing the country’s nascent oil and gas sector is woefully deficient.
In spite of calls from revered institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for an accelerated process, the sloth continues. But even in the face of several challenges, one Guyanese is determined to change this state of affairs by taking an active role in developing local content in Guyana. Just more than a year ago, Sheldon Davis partnered with Century Tamara Energy Services (CTES), a Nigerian oil and gas firm with more than 30 years experience. Together, they have established an office here that sees a large employment of locals. According to Davis, his partnership with the Nigerian firm has enabled him to provide an array of capacity building exercises for his fellow brothers and sisters. Davis said that taking an active role in the development of local content here is of importance to him, especially when one considers the recent call by the government for support from regional and international partners to build the capacity of policy makers, officers, technicians, private sector professionals and all stakeholders on the issues and challenges surrounding this emerging sector. Davis said, “With this CTES partnership, we are more than equipped and ready to answer Government’s call for experienced partners. Just to give you some insight into what we do, CTES provides Supply Chain Management services, Operations and Maintenance programmes, Marine Services, Ports/ Terminal Development and Management services, and even training to the South American Hydrocarbon market.”
The Country Manager continued, “CTES prides itself as the only one that will do whatever it takes to get the oil/gas to the market that needs it while ensuring full domestic participation and contribution to economic and national growth. In the maritime services sector, CTES offers a suite of services. These include Port Management; Chartering and Management of Offshore Support Vessels, Platform Support Vessels, Utility Vessels, and Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessels; Mooring and Installation, Bunkering Services and Tank Farm Operations.” Further to this, he said that CTES brings along with it, more than a decade of knowledge and experience from its strategic partner, Century Group, which happens to be sub-Sahara’s largest indigenous oil and gas service provider in the operations and maintenance of both onshore/offshore facilities. CTES also offers a range of other services, which include Operations and Maintenance of FPSO’s onshore/swamparea flow stations; Manpower and Crew services; Community Liaison and Storage and Evacuation Solutions.
With the blessings of the government, Davis noted that CTES would be ready and committed to training and certifying qualified Guyanese for oil and gas positions, which include but are not limited to: Production engineers, technicians, production chemist, maintenance engineers, welders, fitters, oilers, maintenance planners, engine room operators, materials co-coordinators, deck supervisors, Health Safety and Environment (HSE) personnel etc.
(Kaieteur News)