Massy Energy employee suffers burns in 'incident' at NiQuan plant

CALLS have been made by an Opposition MP for NiQuan Energy’s gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant to be shut down and for an investigation into its operations after an accident at the Pointe-a-Pierre facility left a worker nursing serious burns.

The injured worker is an employee of Massy Energy Engineered Solutions Ltd (MEES), who was assigned to NiQuan Energy Trinidad Ltd. Ramkissoon suffered burns in an incident at the plant on Thursday.

Newsday was told by UNC Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee that Ramkissoon has burns over 40 per cent of his body.

“I understand he went to investigate an incident and a particular gas was sprayed on him and that is how he got burned.”

Lee said the injured man is to be flown to a burns unit in Florida for medical treatment.

In a brief statement released through an advertising agency, NiQuan confirmed an incident took place on Thursday at its Pointe-a-Pierre plant, resulting in the injury of the MEES employee assigned to the company.

The release said the injured person was in stable condition and receiving medical attention. It said the Niquan board and executive team deeply regretted the incident and sent best wishes for the "fullest and speediest recovery" to the injured worker. NiQuan assured it was co-operating with MEES to investigate the incident and report to the relevant agencies.

There was no response to calls and messages sent to Energy Minister Stuart Young. Massy Group CEO Gervais Warner, who is in Ghana, thanked Newsday for questions sent via WhatsApp and promised to send a response by e-mail.

In a message similar to the one sent by NiQuan, MEES confirmed one of its employees was involved in an incident and was immediately treated at a health facility. MEES said its employee is currently receiving specialised medical care and support is being provided to him and to his family.

"MEES has complied with all statutory notification procedures, and we are in communication with the team at NiQuan as they investigate the incident."

An angry Lee said he was told that around 1 am on Thursday, there was a fire on the fractionation column of the plant, in the same area where there was an explosion in April 2021.

The plant was shut down and restarted in April 2022. Pointe-a-Pierre residents had expressed concerns about the plants reopening.

In response to questions from Lee in the Parliament last June, the Prime Minister said the Ministry of Energy gave NiQuan approval to reintroduce natural gas to the facility for the primary purpose of lighting the flare pilot burners and producing medium-pressure steam using the auxiliary boilers for cleaning lines after the shutdown of the facility on April 7, 2021

Lee, who is the UNC shadow minister for energy, has made repeated calls for the findings of a report into the initial explosion to be made public. The Energy Ministry, the Occupational Safety and Health Authority & Agency and other state agencies made inquiries after the explosion.

Lee expressed concerns again, on Saturday about the safety of state asset the former Petrotrin refinery, on which the plant is located, as well as that of residents of the surrounding communities.

“I keep asking as the MP for Pointe-a-Pierre, I have filed questions to the PM and the Minister of Energy to lay that report in Parliament, and they keep hiding from laying that report.

“I even asked for it to be brought to the energy committee of the JSC and they keep breaksing from bringing it. I do not know what they have to hide.

“No one can say up to now what was the cause of that explosion. The public must be informed, especially given the safety concerns of the people who live in that area. There are also a lot of labour issues on that plant.”

Apart from the 2021 incident, Lee said there have been too many small incidents at NiQuan, which warrants a proper investigation.

“NiQuan is on our state asset, not on its own private land. That is taxpayers' asset and if there is a blast, that could affect everything in that area. Niquan is getting subsidised gas from the state, but it has not shown any profitability for this country.

“There are too many safety issues at this plant and once again, I am asking the MOE and OSHA to shut down the plant while they do a proper investigation.”

In March 2021, the NiQuan plant opened and was hailed as the first of its kind in the western hemisphere. At a private ceremony, the Prime Minister said the project, once “plagued by delays and cost overrun,” would aid in TT's in post-pandemic economy recovery.

In a release then, Niquan said the plant has a 2,400-barrel capacity and produces “high-performance, low-emissions energy products GTL Paraffinic Diesel and GTL Naphtha from natural gas.”