Opportunities in Trinidad and Tobago … and beyond

by Jessica Loomis

Here at Stillwater, we are fortunate to have associates with decades of hands-on, real-world experience from all over the world. One of our newest associates, Auby Legall, has expertise in oil and gas commercial project management, international joint venture management, and crude oil marketing and transportation. He’s taken global assignments in Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Former Soviet Union, and North America working in upstream international business development, and now he lives in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidad and Tobago, as it turns out, is an interesting place to be right now because Petrotrin, the island nation’s state-owned oil company, is currently undergoing its second refinery upgrade with hopes to improve the quality of its refined products being exported to regional and international markets. The refinery, established in 1993 when state-owned refineries Trintopec and Trintoc merged, has faced challenges and management roadblocks throughout the years, especially exacerbated by the 2008 drop in oil prices. Although prices have recovered over the past decade, Trinidad’s government is still working to improve Petrotrin’s management and optimize refinery operations. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil recently discovered oil off the shore of nearby Guyana and is hoping to develop this off-shore oil field.

Trinidad is familiar to three more of our associates as well. In 2002, Stillwater Associate Leigh Noda was working with a company which was seeking to build and operate gas-to-liquid (GTL) facilities that converted natural gas into, primarily, diesel fuel. They found themselves with a client who wanted to build a Fischer-Tropsch plant to convert natural gas into diesel, and Leigh was tasked with looking for places and opportunities to build such a plant for his client. In 2006, a plant location was identified in Trinidad and Tobago when the company received a letter of intent from Petrotrin for a joint venture project on the grounds of their refinery. The idea was to take pieces of old methanol plants and convert them for use in the Fischer-Tropsch plant. Leigh evaluated markets and technologies, performed business and financial development, and developed project and implementation plans for the new project. He also developed new business opportunities for the venture in Mexico, the Philippines, the U.S., Canada, and Bolivia. When the project grew to need an engineering manager, (now) Stillwater Associate Sid White stepped in to fill that role; then, when it became apparent that there was a need for a technically skilled person to monitor lab testing, (now) Stillwater Associate Kimberly Barrett was brought on board. Over 5-years with project, Leigh, Sid, and Kim took more than 50 trips to Trinidad and Tobago for two weeks each time.

Experience like this sets Stillwater apart. Our diverse expertise cuts through noise and solves problems. Our unique perspective and clear vision create paths forward for our clients that create competitive advantage. We have valuable expertise around “upstream” markets, contracts, and production agreements and extensive, on-the-ground experience in “downstream” markets and refinery operations. Let us know how we can help resolve your transportation energy challenges in the U.S., Trinidad, and beyond.