Trinidad eyes Guyana’s oil in move to restart its refinery

Jun 26, 2025 News

Trinidad and Tobago’s Energy Minister, Dr. Roodal Moonilal

Kaieteur News – Energy Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Roodal Moonilal, has announced that the twin-island republic is looking to Guyana as a potential crude supplier as part of plans to restart its mothballed refinery, which was shuttered in 2018.

Speaking during the debate on the Finance (Supplementary Appropriation) Bill in the Trinidad and Tobago Parliament on Monday, Dr. Moonilal said that technical groundwork is already underway to bring the refinery back online, including collaboration with the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) and international partners. “We are in discussions with government officials to ensure that we have some commonality there, so that we can source the important inputs for the refinery from Suriname, from Guyana and from elsewhere,” the minister told the House.

The minister outlined that restarting the refinery is not a simple task. He explained, “It is not simply going down there with a cigarette lighter and lighting up the flare. You know, is not a matter of taking the plug and plugging in and iron a shirt. Several things have to happen- technical, scientific, commercial, economic, contractual, at the same time.”

He also shared that a Refinery Restart Committee, comprised of technical experts, has been formed, and an assessment of the plant’s condition is underway. Once complete, Trinidad will seek a suitable partner through an open, transparent process to assist with the restart.

Further, the minister also criticised the ongoing cost of maintaining the idle refinery, pointing to $400,000 TT being spent monthly to keep the plant operational without producing any output. Trinidad’s refinery was closed in 2018 due to a sustained decline in local crude production, which led to costly feedstock imports and unsustainable refining expenses.

Now, with Guyana emerging as one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers, Trinidad is eyeing its Caribbean Community (CARICOM) sister neighbour as a strategic supplier. Oil production offshore Guyana’s Stabroek Block, operated by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), began in December 2019. Since then, production has grown to 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) from three sanctioned projects: Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2, and Payara. This output is set to increase with the imminent start-up of Yellowtail, the fourth development, later this year.

Exxon already has two other sanctioned projects under its belt, the Uaru and Whiptail. The company has already submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for its seventh project, Hammerhead, with production targeted for 2029. The company has also filed an application for an eighth development named Longtail. Notably, despite its oil wealth, Guyana currently has no domestic oil refinery. While the government remains open to the idea, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, back in 2024, stated that such a venture is not feasible at this time due to concerns around storage, logistics, and consistent crude supply. In 2022, the government invited proposals for a private-sector-led 30,000-barrel-per-day refinery near Crab Island in Berbice. Although the land and incentives would be provided by the state, Guyana has not committed any investment or ownership in the project.

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Guyana’s oil, refinery, Roodal Moonilal, Stabroek Block, Trinidad

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