Moonilal in second meeting with ExxonMobil officials

Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal has met twice with ExxonMobil officials as he continues to engage them on the progress of the recently awarded energy exploration block, TTUD-1.

A release from the ministry on September 19 said the meetings are in keeping with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s call for maintaining momentum in exploration and production after the block award.

During a meeting on September 3, TT operations manager at ExxonMobil, Dr Bram Willemsen, said the block’s operations for the next six months remain on track.

Among the operations identified were permit applications and geological and geophysical work required for conducting a seismic survey scheduled for 2026.

On September 9, Moonilal met with president of ExxonMobil TT Deepwater Ltd Paul Riley and Dr Gboyega Ayeni, senior business development advisor on exploration and new ventures .

That meeting provided further updates on the plans for conducting the necessary seismic surveys and opportunities for local content participation to support operations.

“The officials also indicated that ExxonMobil aims to share expertise and collaborate with the ministry to advance mutual objectives and support the regulatory processes and capacity for deep water operations,” the release said.

The release added that Moonilal welcomed the respective updates and shared Government’s vision for local participation, grounded in TT's decades of experience in the energy sector.

“The minister also emphasised the importance of the establishment of meaningful partnerships for the advancement of the regional energy sector. Both parties remain committed to the development of the block and maintaining open and constructive lines of communication,” the release said.