Proman Group completes participation at Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference with clear message for collaboration

Proman Group completes participation at this year’s Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference with a clear message: collaboration is essential to maintaining industry competitiveness.

This week, Proman Group participated in the Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference, with an appeal for delegates to make a concerted effort to collaborate across the whole value chain to maintain competitiveness in the local energy industry. Proman has continually reinvested in Trinidad and Tobago for over thirty years, and this year took to the stage to deliver an industry outlook across Upstream and Downstream, and propose a future-looking, sustainable path to ensure this country’s energy and petrochemicals sector continues to thrive.

The conference heard from David Cassidy, Chief Executive of the Group, Dennis Patrick, CEO of leading methanol producer Methanol Holdings (Trinidad) Limited (MHTL), and Joel “Monty” Pemberton, CEO of Trinidad and Tobago’s upstream newest operating company DeNovo Energy. Both MHTL and DeNovo are members of the Proman Group family of companies.

David Cassidy, Chief Executive of Proman Group addressed industry challenges, particularly gas supply shortages, and emphasised the importance of collaboration, balance and flexibility to restore competitiveness long-term. He said:

“We need to work together as upstream, midstream, the Government and as downstream, together with our contractors, to find a new model. For Trinidad and Tobago to sustainably compete globally, all stakeholders must work together to ensure that there is security in the natural gas supply, and that the maximum benefits are received from each molecule that is produced and processed.”

Proman has been a committed player in Trinidad and Tobago for over three decades, and today operates 14 of the 23 petrochemical facilities on the Point Lisas Industrial Estate. Paying tribute to the quality of the local human resource and the depth of knowledge, accumulated through decades of hydrocarbon production, that has enabled the Proman Group to flourish in this country, David said, “I am proud to say that over 98% of our employees here in Trinidad are locally trained and educated. What’s more, the world-class skills and experience that we have grown here have been successfully deployed to our projects around the world.”

Addressing the theme of “Revolutionizing Education and Skills Development to Secure the Future of the Energy Industry”, David emphasised the need to continue to nurture Trinidad and Tobago’s talent pool for the future benefit of this country, saying:

“Our subsidiary IPSL runs one of the best graduate schemes in the country. It provides robust, thorough training, setting employees up for a fruitful career not just within IPSL, but within the wider petrochemical and project management industries. We invest in these people because they are the future leaders for our business – and for Trinidad and Tobago.”

Dennis Patrick, CEO of Methanol Holdings (Trinidad) Limited (MHTL) provided MHTL’s view on the Downstream Energy Outlook, noting that Trinidad and Tobago’s downstream sector has grown so significantly over the last three decades that the country is now a major production hub in the global gas-based petrochemical business. However, he warned that challenges to the sector have threatened to erode its competitiveness, and called for a deeper understanding of the economic value provided by the Downstream petrochemical sector to the country.

He added, “The policy for the gas sector must have the goal of optimizing the whole value chain, with a focus on sustaining the competitiveness of the sector so that we maximize the national benefits from this natural resource.”

Joel Pemberton, CEO of DeNovo Energy addressed DeNovo’s proven model of swiftly monetising stranded gas reserves and the opportunities for collaboration between big businesses and local upstream producers. He said, “DeNovo is proof that our energy future can be Trinbagonian led, focused and powered, with global collaboration… Our local focus, lower-cost base, and nimble delivery structure, allow us to safely develop smaller reserve pools that may not be economically feasible for multinationals to go after.” He added, “More independents alongside the majors are good for our country, and will result in increased activity and production.”

The Proman Group was pleased to have been a Gold sponsor for the event, and to have hosted the popular Media and Delegates Lounge for the first time.

David Cassidy, Chief Executive, with Dr. The Hon. Prime Minister Keith Rowley and Sen. The Hon. Energy Minister Franklin Khan in the Proman Lounge for Media and Delegates.