EMC teams up with US firm to offer environmental, health and safety packages for oil sector

Jul 08, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – In response to President, Irfaan Ali’s call for local companies to up their game to become more competitive in the multibillion-dollar oil and gas industry, Environmental Management Consultants Inc. (EMC), one of Guyana’s premier environmental consultancy companies, has teamed up with a leading American firm to expand its services and marketability.

Shyam Nokta, EMC’s Managing Director.

Its new partner is Acorn International, LLC, a US-based international firm with experience in environmental and social risk and logistics management. Together the two companies will offer an integrated package of environmental health, safety and social services for offshore exploration and production activities in Guyana.
Recognising the significance of continued hydrocarbon discoveries and the onset of significant development opportunities in Guyana, EMC said this strategic partnership will allow Acorn International to complement and support its multi-faceted team by bringing extensive oil and gas experience and expertise, particularly in environmental and social risk management.
Among the integrated services to be offered by the partnership are: Environmental and Social Impact Assessments and Management Plans, Environmental and Social Investigations and Comprehensive Baseline Studies, Community Engagement/“Prior Consultation” Programs, Drilling Fluids, Cuttings and Oil Spill Dispersion Modeling, Supporting Environmental and Related Approvals, Maintaining Compliance Registers, Environmental and Social Screening and Risk Profile, Oil Spill Contingency, Emergency Response, Waste Management, and Monitoring Plans, Project Finance Support, and Project Management and Supervision.
Following the announcement, Shyam Nokta, EMC’s Managing Director and Environment Management Specialist, said he is pleased to be working with Acorn International while adding, “Acorn brings to the partnership significant global experience in the oil and gas sector, having worked with many of the leading oil and gas companies.”
Through this partnership, Nokta said EMC and Acorn can take on wider work scopes in oil and gas while supporting EMC’s growth and expansion as part of meaningful local content.
Nokta further noted that the two companies have combined several decades of experience in working to ensure that the environmental and social challenges associated with major projects are proactively, transparently, and effectively managed.
He said too that they have collaborated successfully in providing support to oil and gas companies, developers, and investors with interests in Guyana since 2016.
During his brief remarks, President of Acorn International, Dean Slocum, said, “We are excited and honoured to be working in partnership with EMC to deliver world-class social and environmental performance services to industry, investors, and the Government in Guyana. While we have worked extensively on resource development programmes in over 70 countries, we know that managing the critical social and environmental challenges of new extractive activities requires local knowledge and local solutions.”
He further noted that EMC has an exceptionally strong understanding of how these issues can impact Guyana and a sound ability to reliably and professionally deliver local interpretation and results. “Consistent with our commitment to building local content capacity, we look forward to continuing to work with Shyam and his team to strengthen an already-robust and increasingly respected business to support Guyana’s sustainable development,” Solcum concluded.