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The crude oil tanker Skipper recently seized by the US off the coast of Venezuela. - APTHE Venezuelan government has immediately terminated all energy ties with Trinidad and Tobago, after accusing government of knowing about the US military's interception of an oil tanker reportedly headed to Cuba from Venezuela on December 10.
Venezuela announced the cancellation in a statement on December 15, which was shared on the Facebook page of Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal have dismissed the statement, reiterating that TT has nothing to fear with respect to its energy security.
However, former prime minister and ex-energy minister Stuart Young expressed concern about what this decision meant for the energy sector and for TT.
In its statement, the Venezuelan government said, "Today, in light of this extremely serious act that seeks to brazenly steal Venezuela’s oil, the Venezuelan government has decided to immediately terminate any contract, agreement, or negotiation for the supply of natural gas to that country."
The Venezuelan government recalled, "In view of this escalation of hostilities and serious aggressions, President Nicolás Maduro previously proceeded to denounce the Framework Agreement on Energy Cooperation signed with TT."
This happened on October 27.
The Venezuelan government condemned the US seizure of the tanker which was transporting "this strategic product (oil) of Venezuela."
The Venezuelan government said, " This act of piracy constitutes a serious violation of international law and a blatant transgression of the principles of free navigation and trade."
The Venezuelan government repeated its claim that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has revealed a hostile agenda towards Venezuela since the UNC won the April 28 general election.
That agenda, the Venezuelan government continued, includes "the installation of US military radars to besiege vessels transporting Venezuelan oil."
The Venezuelan government repeated, "This official has turned the territory of TT into a US aircraft carrier to attack Venezuela, in an unequivocal act of vassalage."
The Venezuelan government said, "Venezuela demands respect! And it will not allow any colonial entity and its vassals to attack the sacred sovereignty of the country and its right to development."
The Venezuelan government added, "Venezuela will always prevail.
PM: Direct complaints to Trump
In a Whatsapp response, Persad-Bissessar dismissed the statement as false propaganda.
"They should direct their complaints to President Trump as it is the US military that has seized the sanctioned oil tanker. In the meantime we continue to have peaceful relations with the Venezuelan people."
She repeated, "We have never depended on Venezuela for natural gas supplies. We have adequate reserves within our territory. We are aggressively working to reduce bureaucratic barriers to speed up approvals for energy companies."
Persad-Bissessar claimed, "The real issue is bureaucracy is hindering our exploration and production."
She also claimed Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles and former foreign and caricom affairs minister Dr Amery Browne's "hatred of the American government and American people is shameful. "
Persad-Bissessar repeated her allegations of the PNM being connected to drug cartels which Beckles has denied and denounced.
"However, if the PNM wants to protect drug traffickers and human traffickers, that's on them. I welcome the assistance of the US to protect our citizens.
Moonilal supported Persad-Bissessar's statement that Venezuela should direct its complaints to Trump "as it is the US military that has seized the sanctioned oil tanker."
Moonilal also repeated her previous statements that TT maintains peaceful and paternal relations with the Venezuelan people.
He repeated Persad-Bissessar's view about the statement and views in October that TT is not dependent on Venezuela for natural gas supplies and has adequate supplies within its jurisdiction.
Moonilal also agreed with Persad-Bissessar about bureaucracy hinding energy exploration and production.
He described the Venezuelan government's statement as "an act of hypocrisy as well since the government of Venezuela continues to engage with the USA."
Moonilal said, "Today, it is Chevron who is exporting heavy crude oil in the US Gulf Coast."
He repeated the statement is propaganda and he condemned it.
"We will continue to work with our partners in the region and elsewhere, so that we will collaborate and build and rebuild our energy industry after the collapse of the last ten years under the PNM administration."
Young worried about energy sector
In a Whatsapp comment, Young said, " We are not in a good place as a country and this is yet another serious cause of concern. I am very concerned about these latest developments and in particular what the implications may be for TT’s energy sector."
He added, " The obvious question that arises is, does this mean a cancellation of the de-unitisation agreement for Loran-Manatee and consequentially the development of Manatee by Shell?"
He added this development, coupled with "the closure of Nutrien and the worrying fact that NGC (National Gas Company) has not negotiated any new gas sales contracts with downstreamers and it is clear the government is out of its depth and destroying our energy sector.”
In 2019, the governments of TT and Venezuela reached an agreement allowing each country to independently develop its share of the Loran-Manatee field. The PNM was in office at that time.
Manatee is expected to start production in 2027 and is expected to produce 104,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day at peak.
In October, Moonilal said, notwithstanding pronouncements by Venezuelan officials, the Manatee gas project is “safe and will proceed.”
Moonilal said, “There are some infrastructure developments related to that project that are ongoing. Those projects continue and we will continue to speak with Shell and other stakeholders concerning an expansion in gas production from Manatee.”
He reiterated previous statements by Persad-Bissessar.
“We are not dependent on Venezuelan gas. We have a robust plan for oil and gas exploration, production and development onshore with Heritage in particular and offshore projects with several multinationals.”
In a debate on a private motion about TT-Venezuela relations and the ongoing US-Venezuela tensions in the Caribbean, Moonilal previously said, "In place now we have absolutely no commercial relations with Venezuela as it relates to gas. We do not produce anything at this point. We have plans, we have projects and cross-border fields but we are not losing a dollar at this moment “
In October, the Venezuelan National Assembly declared Persad-Bissessar persona non grata because of her support for the US military deployment in the Southern Caribbean. Persad-Bissessar has said she is unfazed by this and reasserted her support for the US in the fight against drug trafficking. Venezuela has insisted that regime change is the USA's real motive.
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