TT, Atlantic can compete

ATLANTIC and TT can compete with other major energy players around the world. Outgoing Atlantic CEO Nigel Darlow expressed this confidence at the company’s 10th CEO Awards at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain on Saturday night. Darlow has been CEO since 2011 and returned to the United Kingdom at the end of this month.

Observing there has been “a lot of comment about LNG (liquefied natural gas) “at the moment,” Darlow declared Atlantic is, “a world class operation.” The company, he continued, “can compete with new emerging facilities worldwide.” He said many people, “do not realise that TT can compete and beat most other countries in terms of LNG, including the US and Australia.”

Darlow told his audience, which included Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon and National Security Minister Edmund Dillon,, “that strong position is something we must protect.” Incoming CEO, Dr. Philip Mshelbila agreed with Darlow that Atlantic is “a vibrant successful company that has a very bright future.”Mshelbila was appointed CEO on June 1. His previous roles included managing director of Shell Nigeria Gas Ltd and general manager gas, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Nigeria.

Mshelbila praised TT for having the foresight over the last 20 years to partner with midstream and downstream natural gas players. “Many other resource rich countries have not done this and are simply focused on the upstream,” he observed. Mshelbila identified climate change, air quality and rising global population as some of the challenges the world will face in the next 20 years.

However in the midst of all these challenges, he said, “oil and gas will remain relevant in the high intensity energy usage and in petrochemicals.” Mshelbila said it is important for TT to embrace the opportunities which arise and to remain “a world class player” in the energy arena.