Refinery restart on agenda as Moonilal heads to Guyana

Senior Political Reporter

Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal will continue pitching the restart of the Petrotrin refinery at the Guyana Energy Conference, which begins tomorrow, and has assured that the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) remains engaged with the Government on all refinery-related matters.

Moonilal confirmed this to the T&T Guardian ahead of his trip to Guyana, where he will participate in the week-long conference. A five-member delegation will accompany him.

Speaking ahead of yesterday’s Maha Shivaratri observances, Moonilal addressed queries about his conference agenda, the refinery restart and the OWTU’s involvement.

“We’re extremely excited to participate in the Guyana meetings. We’ve been in touch with the authorities there, including their energy leadership and the Office of the President,” he said.

“We expect to raise several matters of mutual concern, including development of T&T’s energy sector and Guyana’s energy sector, and the extent to which we can support Guyana’s downstream initiatives and other related matters concerning technical and strategic support for their new projects.”

“Yes, T&T’s refinery will be on the agenda. It’s a priority for Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar and our administration. We intend raising that matter with the authorities in Guyana and with the major oil and gas companies attending this conference. We expect meetings with the highest leadership of ExxonMobil, Chevron, TotalEnergies and Guyana’s Natural Resources Ministry.”

Regarding progress on the refinery, Moonilal said the ministry is compiling documents to send to Indian Oil Corporation, which has expressed strong interest in Trinidad and Tobago.

“We made a commitment to share important information and we expect that arrangement with Indian Oil will continue,” he said.

On reported interest by Reliance Industries, one of Asia’s largest refiners, Moonilal noted recent reports of the company’s significant involvement in Venezuelan oil. With its intention to operate in the region and T&T’s goal of becoming the Caribbean’s energy hub, he said, “I’m sure Reliance will have a deepening interest in being here, in investments and in using T&T as a regional hub for wider hemispheric participation in the energy landscape.”

Addressing questions about whether the OWTU—currently carrying debts—is in a suitable financial position to invest in the refinery, Moonilal said, “We are involved with the OWTU; they are, of course, a partner in our administration and have worked with us tirelessly for our revolutionary change in April 2025.

“We are in touch with the leadership and, yes, they are working with us on all matters related to the refinery and other energy-sector projects. We intend to continue working with the labour movement to ensure there is optimal participation in change and in restarting the refinery,” he added.

OWTU president Ancil Roget did not respond to queries yesterday regarding the union’s specific role in the refinery restart or whether it intends to bid, partner with an entity or provide services. Senior OWTU officials said the union remains committed to being part of the restart process and that tangible efforts towards this are ongoing.

Seeking investment

in challenging areas

Looking ahead to the conference, Moonilal said, “We have a mandate to attract investment in T&T’s domestic resources, primarily work related to further drilling in the onshore sector involving Heritage. We’d also like to make a pitch for expanded development of deep and ultra-deep waters in our maritime space.”

“When we meet the oil majors in Guyana, we intend raising matters of investment in T&T regarding both onshore and offshore, and we’d like to raise with some of those companies the more difficult areas where we may not have been able to attract investment.”

Moonilal said he is optimistic about T&T’s engagement in Guyana and noted he has been in contact for several months with Guyana’s Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat. He added that Maha Shivaratri is “an auspicious time to set foot in Guyana to build energy partnerships for the next generation.”

He also pointed to US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) licences 49 and 50 as opening “a new gateway” for T&T’s energy development.

Praising the Prime Minister’s leadership on cross-border energy initiatives, Moonilal said, “When you look at the cross-border fields, the Dragon Field and ExxonMobil, we have a sense we’re on to something extremely significant that may eventually change T&T’s economic future.”