[UPDATED] OSHA shuts down NiQuan plant

THE Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) has called on NiQuan Energy Trinidad Ltd to halt operations after a worker was injured in a fire at its Pointe-a-Pierre plant and later died.

The company announced this on Wednesday.

Last Thursday, Massy Energy employee Allan Lane Ramkissoon was injured at the company's gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant during what it called an "accidental flash fire."

He had burns to around 40 per cent of his body, and further injuries when he jumped ten feet to escape the flames in the room where he was trapped.

However, the company said Ramkissoon died on Sunday at a specialist burns unit in Colombia.

In a release on Wednesday, OSHA said it issued a prohibition notice to NiQuan and that it will be investigating the incident. This means NiQuan cannot operate until OSHA gives clearance to do so.

It said OSHA received a report on the accident on Friday at 11.10 am and its inspectors responded immediately.

The investigation, it said, is being done "in the context of the duties and requirements of the OSHA Chapter 88:08 and to seek to determine the cause."

OSHA also sent condolences to Ramkissoon's family, adding that it "remains committed to fostering the protection of the safety and health of all persons in workplaces in TT and compliance with the OSH Act.

NiQuan, as well as the Energy Ministry have also launched investigations. Massy Energy confirmed to Newsday it is assisting with ongoing investigations.

The Energy Ministry said its investigation team consists of three engineers – petroleum, chemical and mechanical – and a petroleum inspector.

Ramkissoon's family have since made a public call for NiQuan to be truthful and honest with them.

His sister Ruth Lane Ramkissoon-Balgobin said, “We want to know what happened. We want to know how my brother died. We want to know who is responsible for this. Words cannot express how we are feeling right now but we need answers about my brother’s death.”

This is the second major incident at the plant since its March 2021 opening.

In April 2021, there was an explosion at this plant after its hydrocracker system failed during an attempted startup. The company told Newsday the incident was “a serious equipment failure.

“This resulted in the blowout of the DA-301 system, part of the product cleaning process, and caused a fire," it said then.

NiQuan, the Energy Ministry, the OSHA and the Environmental Management Authority then launched investigations into the blast.

The Prime Minister has since said that the report from these investigations cannot be made public since NiQuan is a "private legal entity."

NIQUAN'S HISTORY IN TT

In 2018, NiQuan paid Petrotrin US$10 million in cash for the plant, with US$25 million to be paid in preference shares.

Dr Rowley announced the opening of the plant on March 8, 2021 on his Facebook page, along with photos of him cutting a ribbon with officials.

He had said the project was once “plagued by delays and cost overrun” but that it eventually materialised into a victory. Construction initially began in 2007.

Rowley also added that the plant will aid in post-pandemic recovery.

The plant turns natural gas into high-quality energy products with low emissions. It began operations in December 2020 has a capacity of 2,400 barrels of GTL Paraffinic Diesel and GTL Naphtha.

It is the first of its kind in the western hemisphere.

Rowley said “…People may ask what is successful about a plant that started construction in 2007 and has only just now been completed in 2021...If the project was written off as a failed attempt, as was the case before this initiative, there was nothing to be had except permanent financial losses, finger-pointing and political grandstanding. Thankfully, there was another option.

“NiQuan’s investment represents the first major private investment in the downstream energy sector in recent times, despite difficulties in the global markets...This GTL plant is a prime example of the successful development of the country’s export potential of higher value-added products...”

He added that NiQuan led the way out of "what some called a junkyard" by using a good business plan, superb expertise, co-operation and determination.

In an exclusive interview with Newsday in NiQuan's CEO Ainsley Gill – also in March 2021 – he said he hoped the company could open a second plant in TT.

NiQuan's website said Gill is "an energy industry veteran and seasoned entrepreneur with more than 20 years’ experience in international government relations, financing, business development, information technology and management consulting."

He told Newsday he was thankful he and his team had a positive impact on TT.

“We’re encouraged to be part of the energy matrix… That in TT, we get to transport the cleanest fuels right here in our backyard.”

He added, “Being a son of the soil and being able to do it in Trinidad has its own personal appreciation.”

ENERGY MINISTER REACTS

Minister of Energy Stuart Young said the government was still awaiting initial reports into the circumstances surrounding Ramkissoon’s death.

Young, speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Energy’s office at The Waterfront, Tower D in Port of Spain on Wednesday, said he was still gathering information on what led to the accident.

He told reporters the ministry’s team was getting its first interaction with NiQuan on Thursday afternoon, and OSHA visited the site as part of its investigations.

“I don’t want to speculate, especially in an instance such as this. What we do know is some accident took place and it has led to the loss of life of one of our citizens and that is something that is very serious.”

He said after the 2021 explosion, the government issued a report that was finalised in March 2022. The details of the report, he said, are restricted from the public as the report may contain technical information and trade secrets that would leave the company exposed.

Young admitted that the government could not force NiQuan to reveal any reports on the incident to the public, but he said the government was seeking legal advice on revealing parts of their own investigations into this incident and the July 2021 explosion at the same plant.

“The executive summary sets out all the necessary information for the root cause of the explosion (in 2021), the various observations, the recommendations of what should be done etc.

Young said the company would have questions to answer coming out of last week’s fatal fire.

“NiQuan is now under a microscope without a doubt. They have questions to answer. We are all waiting to hear the outcome from the experts.

"I’ve assured the Ministry of Energy’s team that they have the support of the minister and the government to do their job.”

In November 2022, when the government gave approval for reintroduction of natural gas into the facility, Young assured that NiQuan had a facility emergency management plan which would cover both on-site and off-site facilities. He said the services included fire services, police, hospital services and EMA and ODPM assistance where necessary. The plans also catered for the impact of any incident on communities close to the plant.

The plant, Young said was undergoing a phased re-opening as the company dealt with the findings and recommendations of OSHA and the government who investigated and provided the 2021 report.

This story was originally published with the title "OSHA orders NiQuan to halt operations" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

THE Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) has called on NiQuan Energy Trinidad Ltd to halt operations after a worker was injured in a fire at its Pointe-a-Pierre plant and later died.

The company announced this on Wednesday.

Last Thursday, Massy Energy employee Allan Lane Ramkissoon was injured at the company's gas-to-liquids plant during what it called an "accidental flashfire."

He had burns to around 40 per cent of his body, and further injuries when he jumped ten feet to escape the flames in the room where he was trapped.

However, the company said Ramkissoon died on Sunday at a specialist burns unit in Colombia.

In a release on Wednesday, OSHA said it issued a prohibition notice to NiQuan and that it will be investigating the incident. This means NiQuan cannot operate until OSHA gives clearance to do so.

It said OSHA received a report on the accident on Friday at 11.10 am and its inspectors responded immediately.

The investigation, it said, is being done "in the context of the duties and requirements of the OSHA Chapter 88:08 and to seek to determine the cause."

OSHA also sent condolences to Ramkissoon's family, adding that it "remains committed to fostering the protection of the safety and health of all persons in workplaces in TT and compliance with the OSH Act.

NiQuan, as well as the Energy Ministry, have also launched investigations.

With additional reporting from Ryan Hamilton-Davis