UK firm offers to help strengthen Guyana’s National Oil Spill Response Plan

Feb 04, 2019 News

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By Kiana Wilburg

As Guyana continues its efforts to establish a robust National Oil Spill Response Plan, the UK-based Corena Group says it stands ready to assist the authorities to strengthen the document.
The Corena Group is one of the most respected firms involved in the business of oil spill response. It has handled over 100 oil spills with the infamous BP Deep Water Horizon Oil spill being one of them.
Corena’s Development Director, Thomas Field said that the company has experience dealing with oil spills that were caused by oil majors like ExxonMobil, Chevron, Tullow, Total and BP of course.
Thomas said, “We hope to be engaged in helping Guyana with its plan and we would be more than willing to explain what we can do to help.”

Additionally, Corena’s Vice President of Emergency Response, David Cook said that the company has an in-house department which specializes in helping governments and private agencies put together strong oil spill response plans. He said that training is also provided.
Just recently, the Corena Group signed a joint venture with GAICO Construction which will see them pooling their resources to boost Guyana’s oil spill readiness.
The agreement was signed between GAICO’s Managing Director, Komal Singh, and Corena’s Development Director, Thomas Field at GAICO’s New Market Street, Office.
In delivering brief remarks, Singh said that the venture represents a significant moment in the efforts of GAICO which hopes to develop international standards for oil response in Guyana.
Singh said that the partnership will enable the following services: oil spill, emergency and Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) response standby services; oil spill response accredited training and consultancy services; and hazardous and non-hazardous waste management services.
The Managing Director said, “You would recall that just over two years ago, GAICO launched an oil spill response services company in Guyana which adds on to our other civil and construction works… This was intended to see how we can assist in the local oil spill efforts.
“Since 2015, we have had a lot of discussion on how Guyana needs to be prepared for an oil spill and what we need to have in place. We recognized an opportunity for much needed services in this sector and at the same time, from a corporate social responsibility standpoint, we realized that we have to develop capacity on this.”
On this premise, the GAICO Managing Director said that the UK based Corena Group was contacted given their experience at a regional and international level on oil spill response.
Singh said, “Together, we will put our heads together to develop human and capital capacity on this matter.”
Expressing similar sentiments was Corena’s Thomas Field. He noted that the company has an enormous regional and international reach which stretches to over 18 countries. These include Mexico, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Venezuela and Panama.
Field noted that the Corena Group is an independent venture that draws on more than 35 years regional and international experience utilizing its extensive network to provide global services for and on behalf of its clients. He said that Corena is a leading emergency response, oil spill, HNS and hazardous waste service provider
Established in over 18 countries with ongoing projects and contracts in many more, Field shared that Corena use the world’s latest response and remediation technologies. He stressed that the Corena Group is all about conducting safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly operations, building on its Nordic traditions of green technology that have been developed over more than three decades to create Corena Group.
Field said, too, that the Corena Group enables companies operating across a range of industrial sectors to outsource their operations for emergency spill and other environmental response operations, as well as hazardous and non-hazardous waste management.
He said, “We are also very versed in dealing with the Caribbean. Our Vice President of Emergency Response, David Cook, has extensive knowledge and experience in working with the Caribbean and I think it is about time that we formalize the agreement with GAICO.”
In his brief remarks, Cook said that he looks forward to working in Guyana and strengthening relationships in elements of the different services Corena will provide. The joint venture documents were signed and exchanged.
During the question and answer period, Field noted that the Corena Group hopes to train about 15 of the GAICO employees who will be running the oil spill services for the partners.
As for Singh, he shared that GAICO will be inviting several industry stakeholders for training sessions. He said, too, that the group has an established relationship with the relevant industry regulators such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Civil Defense Commission (CDC).
Singh said, “We have been engaging them since our start up and we have a meeting scheduled within a few weeks to strengthen relationships, and develop capacity within those agencies.”

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