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INT’L ENERGY CONFERENCE AND EXPO GUYANA SPONSORS 3RD ANNUAL WOMEN AND GIRLS’ SUMMIT
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA, THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2023: The International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023 is pleased to sponsor the third annual Guyana Women and Girls’ Summit 2023. The event is being organized by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana with the event being hosted on Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Georgetown, Guyana from 09:00 hrs to 13:30 hrs.
Kurt Baboolall, Chief Executive Officer of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023 said, “This year, we are happy to support the Women and Girls’ Summit because it fits with our mission to establish a culture of learning and skill building. Let’s not just honour women and girls one day a year; instead, we should make a sustained endeavour on the part of the government and all societal groups. To ensure that women and girls in our society have access to the same chances as men, we must close any gaps and work for a better future for women and girls.”
The Guyana Women and Girls’ Summit 2023’s main objective is to bring together vulnerable groups of girls aged 14-18, women in entrepreneurship, women in executive leadership, women in the workforce, and women in policy development into a common environment to explore ideas and possibilities for the furtherance of the growth and advancement of our girls and women in all spheres of societal contribution.
At the recently concluded International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023, a panel discussion was held for ‘Women in Energy’ where discussions were had on how women are changing the landscape of how the energy sector is viewed and how their contributions have so far shaped the development of Guyana’s oil and gas industry.
The Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed the view that they are elated to welcome the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana to its lineup of sponsors as they believe this forges a partnership that will create more opportunities for its members to participate in the Oil, Gas, and Energy Sector.
The International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023 lauds the efforts by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana and looks forward to participating in future events to be held by the organization.
Oil & Gas
GO-NDE’s new “Learn and Earn” training program grants 24 Guyanese fast-track introduction to oil sector
The 24 qualified individuals, according to GO NDE, will receive health and safety training in addition to free training and licensing up to the level of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) ISO 9712 combination inspector.
The program has four phases; recruitment, non-destructive testing training, rope access training, and offshore training. The list of minimum requirements for suited applicants can be found here.
GO NDE said Phase two includes training in the several disciplines certified to the NDT ISO 9712 global standard.
The program then continues with an additional eight applicants from Phase two, completing Phases three and four which involve participating in more advanced technical training and mandatory offshore training; the Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET), Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) Initial Deployment Training, Tuberculosis QuantiFERON Testing, and OGUK/UKOOA Medical Screening.
“GO NDE Inc and Global Compliance Inc. intend to provide this program 100% Subsidized to the participants who will also receive a stipend whilst the program is ongoing. The program is geared towards providing opportunities to the Guyanese people, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, once all the pre-requisites are met,” the company said.
Oil & Gas
Canada/Guyana Chamber of Commerce signs MoU to propel Guyana’s energy sector
The International Energy Conference and Expo 2023 has generated a great deal of worthwhile interactions and partnership prospects, which the government expresses satisfaction with.
Canada/Guyana Chamber of Commerce (CGCC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Energy NL, which will serve as a platform to better engage business interests between the energy company and the wider Guyanese business community. The signing took place on the sidelines of the conference. CGCC Chairman, Anand Beharry said the agreement now amplifies other engagements which were already established. “There is extensive business participation in the Guyana market by Newfoundland companies. With this agreement, we hope to accelerate those engagements,” Beharry stated. Energy NL was founded in 1977 to represent the supply and service sector of the energy industry. Today, the energy company represents over 460 member organisations worldwide which are involved in or benefit from, the energy industry of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The CEO emphasized her commitment to sharing Energy NL’s experience and knowledge with Guyana’s stakeholders by comparing this change to that of Guyana.
“I am pleased on behalf of Energy NL to enter into this Memorandum of Understanding with the Canada- Guyana Chamber of Commerce, so that we can both take advantage of our shared experiences, our know-how and the desire to succeed for the mutual benefit of our membership. The opportunity here in Guyana is inspiring, I am thrilled to finally be here to see it and experience it. I look forward to helping Energy NL and our members to play a role in Guyana’s success,” she noted.
Additionally, a number of financial institutions have endorsed the conference and the government’s objectives. Scotia Bank Guyana’s Seugobin Sugrim noted that the bank was excited to have invested in the activity to connect with customers and establish new relationships. Similarly, Vice President of the Caribbean Development Bank, Isaac Solomon noted that the theme “Harnessing Energy for Development” was highly appropriate for the conference given that energy is the driving force of the modern economy.
Chairman of the NewHayven Merchant Bank, Floyd Haynes said the bank was created to bridge the capital gap of where Guyana is and where it needs to be. “If you look at where Guyana is, and where the leaders want to take the country, it is clear that there is a finances gap. Some of those monies will come from traditional institutions like Scotia bank, multilateral lending institutions like CDB, but a lot of it will be capital that will come from banks like The New Hayven Merchant Bank,” he said.
Oil & Gas
The International Energy Conference and Expo hailed as key player in Guyana’s development of its oil and gas resources
As the 2023 International Energy Conference and Expo came to a close, the government hailed the occasion as a huge success, with the Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh noting that it provided a platform for local, regional, and foreign businesses and investors to network and even form partnerships in the Energy Field. He indicated that not only did the event bring together Heads of Government, policymakers, academics, and industry professionals but also businesses, entrepreneurs and investors, who were presented with the ideal opportunity to network and explore opportunities for development within the Energy Sector.
“The expo presented a fantastic opportunity to showcase the rapidly changing face of the Private Sector of Guyana because you had not only the traditional big names and the traditional big players who you would expect to be there but you saw a number of companies, some of which are completely new, some are local, some regional, some are international being able to convey here again to this audience and a much wider audience, what they are already doing in Guyana and with Guyana,” Dr Singh said.
“A lot of people clearly took advantage of the opportunity to introduce themselves to potential partners, potential clients and customers, and I would want also to characterize that as an extremely positive thing.
I know that many people met new counterparts for the first time, they were able to introduce themselves, talk about what they’re doing, explore possible opportunities for partnerships, and I think the conference, and in particular, the activities on the margins of the conference, whether it was the coffee breaks, or the receptions that were held in the evenings, or the privately arranged bilateral contacts that the people engaged in, I think that was also hugely successful stream of engagement,” he said.
The Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat also applauded the organizers behind the International Energy Conference and Expo, as he too dubbed it one of the biggest Energy Conferences in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Minister Bharrat said he was pleased to see local companies rising to the bar, and competing with and regional and international companies in the Energy Sector, and he was happy with the focus on clean and affordable energy.
“We have no issue with that, as a country we are fully committed to achieving that, we’re working towards achieving that. But the big question is, how are we going to truly finance that? Renewables, costs money; moving to net zero, costs money; cutting emission, costs money. So, how are we going to truly achieve that? If we’re going to sit by and wait on help to come our way, we might be waiting for a long time. So, it speaks towards Guyana as a country sustainably and responsibly exploring and developing its natural resources, at the same time, we are maintaining our environmental credentials,” the Natural Resources Minister said.
Referencing to the need for a balance and efficient energy mix, Minister Bharrat also stated that developing countries such as Guyana should be at the forefront of the supply chain.
“We strongly believe that fossil will not disappear completely. They will still remain even if it’s a small demand for fossil, it will still be there, the need for it will still be there. But the big question, is who will be able to supply it?… We are saying that small developing countries like Guyana, like Suriname, like Trinidad, like the African countries…who have made new discoveries, that we should be able or we should be allowed to supply that small demand that remain,” Minister Bharrat said.
Overall the Conference and Expo saw close to 1,000 delegates in attendance and more than 200 exhibitors on show.
Oil & Gas
International Energy Conference and Expo hails Scotiabank Guyana for coming on board this year
The International Energy Conference and Expo is hailing the exemplary contribution from Scotiabank Guyana as the lone financial institution to sponsor the Conference and Expo this year. Scotiabank Guyana came on board the event as a silver sponsor.
Kurt Baboolall, Chief Executive Officer of the IECEG 2023 said “The aforementioned is fully aligned with our secretariat’s and government’s vision, as such, we are happy that Scotiabank chose to participate at this year’s Conference and Expo. Their participation is evidence of their continuous contribution to Guyana’s economy and support of driving the energy conversation forward. The Secretariat looks forward to their long-term support and applauds their decision to be the first Bank in Guyana to take a significant position sponsor.”
The Bank has operated in Guyana for over 55 years and has four branches strategically placed throughout the country. Scotiabank continues to offer a complete range of retail and commercial banking services, including electronic cash management and merchant services. The Bank also offers business banking services to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Ambica Bissessar – Country Manager (Ag.), Scotiabank Guyana indicated “We were pleased to be a part of this year’s Conference and Expo. It was a great opportunity for us to connect with customers face-to-face, and establish new relationships with the business community. We remain committed to providing the highest level of customer service here in Guyana and are actively working on introducing some enhanced products and services, including a new and improved user experience on Scotia Online Banking.”
Scotiabank Guyana joined a range of other local companies that have signed on for the second edition of the Conference and Expo which included ExxonMobil Guyana, GTT Business Solutions, Hess Corporation, CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, and Digicel Business.
The Conference and Expo was able to garner support from the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-INVEST) and the Government of Guyana. The event attracted over 30 sponsors, almost 200 exhibitors and saw over 1000 attendees to the Conference and Expo daily.
Oil & Gas
IECEG 2023 Day 4, Investing in the future work force
On February 17, 2023, the International Energy Conference Guyana 2023 came to a close. The morning session featured speeches from various representatives, including those from SBM Offshore, ExxonMobil Guyana, Halliburton Caribbean Geo Market, Spherex Analytics, the University of Guyana, and the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Recurring themes of: economic transformation, recruitment and training, and opportunities for youth were introduced to the audience of young professionals and students in attendance. Highlights from the speeches are summarized below.
Bobby Gossai Jr. from the Ministry of Natural Resources discussed the employment of young people in the growing oil and gas industry. He highlighted the gap between current supply and growing demand for qualified skills at a technical level. Mr. Gossai shared some of the efforts being made by institutions in the country to offer training to young people interested in entering the industry. He further emphasized the importance government has placed on investing in people and infrastructure to drive development and improvements.
Continuing the theme of people and infrastructure investment, Joel Bhagwandin from Spherex Analytics explained the concept of ‘brain drain’ and the need to offer more opportunities for educated people in the country to enable local Guyanese to play an active role in how the energy sector evolves.
ExxonMobil Guyana representative Leonard (Ryan) Hoppie talked about the support his organization is offering young people in the country, particularly those in STEM fields and with persons with disabilities. ExxonMobil has also created programs to provide mentorship and internship for young people, opening doors that were previously inaccessible. Hoppie encouraged young people to take advantage of these opportunities to play an active role in the growth transformation in the region.
Grace Hutson from Halliburton, spoke on the role of students in the conversation on energy and shared details about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. She offered guidance to young adults with ambitions to enter the oil and gas sector, emphasizing the importance of being proactive to gain exposure and experience through networking.
Finally, Norwell Hinds analyzed the conference theme “Harnessing Energy for Development” and discussed the various ways the University of Guyana has adapted to cater to the needs of the growing oil and gas sector through courses and research. He highlighted the potential need for roughly 200,000 professionals across various industries in this thriving sector.
Overall, the final session of the International Energy Conference Guyana 2023 helped clarify a path for local involvement that engages and maximizes youth potential in a manner that sees the oil and gas boom directly powered by the next generation.
Oil & Gas
GYSBI is a Gold Sponsor of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023
The International Energy Conference and Expo 2023 welcomed Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI) onboard as a gold sponsor of the event, February 14–17, 2023.
Kurt Baboollal, Chief Executive Officer of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023 said, “I’d like to extend a warm welcome to GYSBI as a new gold sponsor of the conference and expo. As a Guyanese company, GYSBI is demonstrating leadership in Guyana’s energy industry and will be displaying its extensive service offerings to the Guyanese public at the expo. They have grown and expanded quite largely over the past years, and we are excited to see all that has been taking place.”
GYSBI was formed in 2017 to provide shore base services to ExxonMobil following the discovery of oil. Throughout the past five years, GYSBI has continuously expanded to cater to the needs of the industry. It now serves as the preferred onshore support hub for oil and gas operators in Guyana, providing services ranging from vessel management, waste management, and warehousing solutions to construction and supply chain management.
With immediate water access and four berths, its main port consists of 30 acres of developed land, while its 140-acre industrial estate has been developed to suit a myriad of needs.
Today, the company boasts more than 710 employees, maintaining a minimum of 95 percent Guyanese workers and is a leading developer of local content here in Guyana.
Gomatie Gangadin, Public Relations Manager of GYSBI said, “We are indeed proud to be associated with the International Energy Conference and Expo as it provides the ideal platform, not only to educate and inform everyone of what’s taking place offshore Guyana and within the Oil and Gas Industry, but also the opportunity for local businesses like ourselves, to let industry leaders know how we are supporting these efforts, what services we offer and what areas are available for cooperation and collaboration.”
The Conference and Expo was hosted under the theme ‘Harnessing Energy for Development’ and is expected to assemble Heads of State and Government, policymakers, academics, industry professionals, government officials and global energy thought leaders.
So far, the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023 has been able to garner support from the Government of Guyana. The event has been able to attract over 30 sponsors and close to 200 exhibitors.
Oil & Gas
Premier Insurance returned for the second edition of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana
Premier Insurance, the sole insurance company to sponsor the second edition of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023, returned as a Silver Sponsor as it leads the charge for energy insurance.
PREMIER Insurance Company Inc. (PREMIER) commenced operations on January 4, 2021, and has quickly established itself as one of the leading insurers in Guyana. Premier is gyA+ rated by CariCRIS and backed by the financial strength and experience of its CariA rated parent company, as well as A rated reinsurers.
For the second year, the company is leading the charge when it comes to supporting the energy sector in Guyana, as it provides unique insurance products to the oil and gas industry and a suite of customisable general insurance products, including fire, auto, commercial, liability, and bonds, with the company launching its PREMIER Signature Auto policy at the expo in February.
PREMIER’s local Managing Director, Anil Singh, said, “Our decision to come on-board this year reflects our commitment to continue helping in the development of Guyana. We took a step further by onboarding as a Silver Sponsor, which is a huge upgrade from our last year’s participation. Insurance plays an integral part in every contract execution within the oil industry, and we are happy to be here to lend our reach of international reinsurance support.”
Kurt Baboolall, Chief Executive Officer of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023 said, “We welcome PREMIER Insurance to the conference and expo; they were the first business of its kind to become a sponsor last year. We are happy to have them back for a second year and hope that they will continue to support us in the years to come.”
The Conference and Expo completed its second edition under the theme ‘Harnessing Energy for Development’ from February 14–17, 2023, with over 1000 delegates attending the Conference and over 200 exhibitors to showcasing their companies at the Expo.
Oil & Gas
Guyana is on a world stage; there is potential to promote and practise sustainable development (Day 3 of IECEG 2023)
The third day of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023 began with presentations from the Honourable, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Anthony Phillips, Prime Minister of Guyana; the Honourable Dr. Ashni K. Singh, Minister of Finance (Guyana); Professor Harrie Vrendenberg from the University of Calgary (virtual); Dr. Mahender Sharma, CEO of the Guyana Energy Agency; and Isaac Solomon, Vice President of the Caribbean Development Bank.
The Prime Minister of Guyana started with a recap of the week’s discussions before elaborating on the areas of growth that Guyana has seen in a socioeconomic and financial context for the past few years. He stated that the non-oil sector has increased by 11.5%, and that the oil revenue has increased Guyana’s GDP by 6.2%. The Prime Minister stated that the demand for energy on a national and global level will increase and double in forthcoming decades, and as such, Guyana needs to balance that demand through the use of flexible and reliable energy sources. He mentioned that there is a governmental goal to reduce the cost of electricity in Guyana by 50%, and this is being done through the employment of hydropower, solar and wind energy sources throughout the country. The Prime Minister then recapped most of the initiatives that have been taken to work towards a more sustainable Guyana.
Minister Ashni Singh offered a very thorough statistical recap of Guyana’s economic state, with a few comments on factors that would have impacted Guyana’s economic state, such as COVID19 and the Russian war on Ukraine. He stated that there is an overdependence on particular economic sectors, and thus is it of high importance for the country to continue achieving a strong non-oil economic growth. The Minister also proudly stated that over the past three years, the Guyanese economy has tripled in size. Guyana was also said to hold the third largest reserves in Latin America and the Caribbean. Minister Singh explained the function of the Natural Resource Fund (NRF); where all revenue earned from this sector can be deposited and only withdrawn in accordance with a transparent formula that is easy to interpret and free of political discretion or judgement.
Professor Harrie Vredenberg joined the conference virtually and shared his presentation on the topic of energy transition. He discussed areas such as climate change, the perspectives of environmental activists, and steps that a nation making an energy transition should consider. The professor concluded his presentation by discussing a documentary film that he has produced on energy transition in the Caribbean islands of Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago.
Dr. Sharma from the Guyana Energy Agency provided a summary of the completed projects that the agency has worked on and those that are currently in the works, specifically the ones located in Region 9. There is a goal to make that area a renewable energy hub.
Isaac Solomon of the Caribbean Development Bank spoke of sustainability and the “resilience” required to boost the economies of Caribbean countries who produce renewable energy. He mentioned that energy security is currently a top priority, and that the main focus on the CDB’s energy sector strategy is to support the increased scale and pace of the transition across all member countries.
The fourth day of the Conference will be focused on the Youth Engagement Forum.
Oil & Gas
Development of Guyanas natural and human resources will lead to a modern future
The first session during the morning on the second day of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023, featured presentations by the Honourable Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Vice President of Guyana, as well as the Honourable Vickram Bharrat, Minister of Natural Resources of Guyana.
Vice President Jagdeo shared a bit on the history of the Low Carbon Development Strategy project, investment deals that were made at the time of the project’s creation and other deals that have been made in recent times. He elaborated on the importance of Guyana’s indigenous communities and their role in the LCDS. The Vice President stated that this is “our contribution to the global fight against climate change but we are monetizing these resources and utilizing these resources for the development of our country”
Minister Vickram Bharrat voiced during his speech that Guyana has a thriving future on the horizon, but multiple steps still need to be taken before reaching to that point. He highlighted that there is an open policy for foreign investment in any sector of Guyana. Minister Bharrat mentioned that Guyana currently has the second highest growth rate in the non-oil economy, and the Government of Guyana is committed to growing this non-oil economy even further. A commitment to make sure every Guyanese benefits from the new revenue stream was also an important point that was shared. Despite being small, Minister Bharrat stated that the creation of an educated and skilled population is also vital for a developed Guyana. He concluded his speech by announcing that there are currently 14 offshore blocks that are up for auction.
VSH United (Guyana) Inc was established on May 2015 in Georgetown, Guyana. Specialises in safety products, logistic services, real estate. They are also the sole distributors for Ansell and HexAmour.
SBM Offshore has announced that it has completed the project financing of FPSO ONE GUYANA for a total of US$1.75 billion., 
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), operating under the Ministry of Tourism Industry and Commerce is a semi-autonomous governmental organization responsible for standards and quality in Guyana. There role is to:
