A leading United States-based manufacturer of offshore drilling and production equipment has planned to construct a state-of-the-art tubular fabrication, maintenance and storage facility in Georgetown, although the start of the project has been delayed by current COVID-19 restrictions.
The firm, Dril-Quip Inc., is partnering with TRINPET Guyana, with which it has entered into a License and Services Agreement that includes the construction of the facility,
“Because of COVID, everything is on hold at the moment … but it will go ahead after,” Nerissa Moore, a representative of Dril-Quip Inc. told Sunday Stabroek.
In a statement, the company said the new facility will supply services and support to the already thriving local oil and gas industry, as well as create jobs and provide growth opportunities for many Guyanese citizens.
“The future is bright for Guyana and our goal is to utilize our technologies and Oil Country Tubular Goods expertise to further support the growth of the local workforce through jobs, training, supply chains, local skilled trade, social projects and career progression opportunities,” Clifton Collier, Business Development Management for Dril-Quip, was quoted as saying in the statement.
“This is a great time for Guyana and Dril-Quip is excited to make a larger contribution in partnership with TRINPET Guyana,” he added
With the purchase of land on the East Bank of Demerara “about 80 percent complete,” construction is expected to commence as soon as current COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
Asked about the scope of employment opportunities for locals, Moore said that she could not yet give an estimate in relation to numbers but added that a factory would require many persons. “No, we don’t have that [estimated numbers] as yet but it would be a large amount because it is a factory,” she said.
The company has already been supplying ExxonMobil with offshore drilling equipment and Moore said that it anticipates to continue doing so.
According to its website, Dril-Quip is a leading manufacturer of highly engineered drilling and production equipment, which is particularly well suited for use in deep-water, harsh environments and severe service applications both onshore and offshore.
“The Company designs and manufactures subsea, surface and offshore rig equipment for use by oil and gas companies and drilling contractors in offshore areas throughout the world. Dril-Quip also provides technical advisory services, reconditioning services and running tools for use in connection with the installation and retrieval of its products,” it further states.
The company, headquartered in Houston, Texas, has operations in more than 20 countries, including Scotland, Singapore, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Indonesia, Norway, China and Trinidad.
Drill-Quip’s partner company TRINPET Guyana is a subsidiary of the Trinidad and Tobago-based TRINPET Inc. and Moore explained that the company here is “80% owned by Guyanese”.
