ROWLEY MET PROMAN OFFICIALS IN T&T

PRIME MINISTER Dr. Keith Rowley travelled 7,500 kilometres to sit with officials of Proman  whom he had met in Trinidad and Tobago a few weeks earlier. 

Rowley and other government officials met top Proman figures during the local energy conference in early June at a city hotel.  

The Prime Minister delivered a lengthy address at the conference, during which he announced energy policies. 

At a previous energy conference, Proman had pledged to continue to invest across the value chain in T&T to remain competitive. 

Proman’s top executive David Cassidy raised concerns then about a shortfall in the supply of natural gas.  

Rowley last week journeyed to Zurich, Switzerland for a meeting with the top brass of the energy giant, including Cassidy. 

But Proman has a different story on T&T from that now being promoted by Rowley. 

While Rowley has said that Proman plans US $1.1 billion investments in its 14 T&T plants over the next decade, that is not much corporate news for the parent company. 

Spending on safety, reliability, and greenhouse gas reduction initiatives are routine matters for the multinational with worldwide plants and 17,000 workers. 

The planned investments are so commonplace that they are not a significant development for the integrated downstream natural gas conglomerate. 

Proman has been using gas feedstock in T&T for the past 30 years to make methanol, fertiliser, urea, and other products. 

The company utilises its skilled staff and contractors on plant operations, upgrades, construction, and engineering works. 

The profitable company boasts of its strong safety and environmental culture. 

The organisation (it got its name from the merger of PROject and MANagement) was formed in 1984 and is an international player in gas-derived products, with operations in the United States, Oman and Mexico. 

The conglomerate has touted its innovativeness and sustainability. 

After the meeting in Zurich, the Prime Minister’s office announced the “planned investments of US $1.1 billion over the next 10 years for major plant maintenance turnarounds in Point Lisas.” 

Scheduled plant developments were discussed, and heralded by Rowley as significant. 

The PM’s office said that Proman would work with the Government “to pursue other energy transition initiatives.” 

Rowley and his team travelled the next day to Dusseldorf, Germany for discussions on “opportunities for further development” in T&T, according to the PM’s office. 

National Gas Company has an agreement with Proman for the supply of natural gas to the Point Lisas plants. 

 Gas supply problems have hampered production by several firms and led to the shutdown of some operations in recent years.