Company undertaking gas-to-energy project to hire up to 2,000 Guyanese – Guyana Chronicle

–Chairman of LNDCH4 says, as Guyanese delegation tours company’s facility in the US

WITH the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of the gas-to-energy project in Guyana, more than 30 Guyanese, who are part of the delegation for the Offshore Technology Conference 2023 (OTC), conducted a tour of a facility owned and operated by US-consortium, Lindsayca/CH4 (LNDCH4), in Houston.

According to a release from the local team, during the visit, the Guyana delegation along with representatives of the US Embassy in Guyana, had the opportunity to meet the senior leadership of LNDCH4 which included Hector Fuentes, the President of Lindsayca and Nelson Drake, the Chairman of LNDCH4.

They were also provided with an overview of the project which included insights into other projects done worldwide, the timeline of the project in Guyana, and the available opportunities.

Drake said: “Although we are a US-consortium, our aim is to use as much local content as possible in Guyana. In addition to engaging services from businesses in Guyana, we also aim to hire approximately 1,500 – 2,000 people in-country.”

Founder of the Guyana Oil & Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), Manniram Prashad said that he is pleased to see the approach that LNDCH4 has taken in sensitising the business community, engaging in such an informative and transparent manner, and outlining the various opportunities that will be available for Guyanese businesses.

“We feel confident that this project will be transformational for Guyana,” he said.

Nayteram Ramnarine, the Economist of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), said: “This trip provided valuable insight into the timelines and processes involved in developing the gas-to-energy plant in our country. As an economist for the PSC, I am committed to ensuring that all businesses within our organisation are fully prepared to capitalise on the opportunities that will arise from this project.”

Additionally, Kathy Smith, the Executive Secretary of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI), said: “The presentation given highlighted the phases of the project towards production of reliable and cost-effective source of energy for power generation, thereby reducing electricity costs and improving energy security.

Also important is job and local partnership opportunities that will spur economic growth, particularly in the West Coast Demerara region.”

The government has awarded a US$759 million contract to LINDSAYCA/CH4 for the construction of the integrated Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) Plant and the 300-megawatt (MW) combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant located at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

Authorities had decided to construct the two plants together, as it was determined there will be substantial savings from combining the two facilities.

The partnership is expected to bring significant investment and expertise to the project, helping to ensure its success and the realisation of its full potential benefits for Guyana.

As part of this project, there will be the construction of a 300-megawatt (MW) power plant being at the old Wales Sugar Estate, which will generate 250 megawatts (MW) of power to approximately 220,000 households that are connected to the grid.

A 200km pipeline will transport gas from the Liza Phase One and Liza Phase Two Floating, Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek Block to the natural gas power plant that is being constructed at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

The first step in the project is the extraction of natural gas from offshore fields using drilling and production facilities. The natural gas will then be processed to remove impurities and prepare it for transportation to shore.

The processed natural gas will be transported to shore through pipelines or other transportation systems, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers.

Natural gas will be used to generate electricity at onshore power plants. The electricity generated will be distributed to the national grid and used to power homes, businesses, and other consumers.

In addition to power generation, natural gas can also be used for other purposes, such as industrial and commercial applications, transportation, and as a feedstock for the production of chemicals and other products.

The sale of natural gas and the production of electricity will generate significant revenue for Guyana, contributing to the country’s economic growth and helping to support social and infrastructural development programmes.