Moonilal: Safety culture must lead Trinidad and Tobago’s energy comeback

Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal says TT’s energy revival must be built on discipline and safety, not production figures alone – insisting that economic growth “means nothing if it endangers lives or the environment.”

“Effective Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) policies are not merely a legal requirement, but a critical foundation for protecting workers, communities and the environment, while at the same time ensuring operational efficiency and sustainability,” Moonilal said in his feature address to Amcham’s 29th HSSE conference on November 11.

Moonilal’s call comes as the ministry pushes to translate recent signs of energy production stabilisation into durable investor confidence.

He said the ministry plans annual HSSE workshops for energy companies, will revisit national oil-spill contingency arrangements and is considering engaging an HSSE consulting firm to assess domestic practices and recommend improvements.

The minister also pointed to past audits and recent incident trends to make the business case for reform.

The ministry’s 2016 facilities audit, conducted by DNV GL (now DNV), flagged wide variation in asset-integrity management across the sector; at that time auditors warned many operators continued running safety-critical equipment beyond optimal life-cycles.

Moonilal said almost a decade had passed since that sector-wide evaluation and argued a fresh, targeted review is overdue.

Government statistics referenced in Moonilal’s speech show a fall in significant incidents from 58 in 2016 to 24 in 2024, with 20 incidents reported so far this year — statistics he used to indicate progress but also the need for further improvement.

In total, he said, there were 305 reported incidents over the period under review, including 44 fires or explosions that resulted in eight fatalities.

Business implications in such situations are immediate. Safety shortfalls can halt plants, trigger costly remediation, and raise insurance and financing costs — factors that investors and lenders increasingly weigh when considering projects.

International financiers and major operators now routinely require demonstrable HSSE credentials and asset-integrity programmes as part of project due diligence.

Independent industry reports show that stronger HSSE regimes reduce downtime and protect export-earning capacity, a crucial point for a gas-dependent economy.

Moonilal linked HSSE action to concrete policy steps.

He said the ministry will press energy companies for emission-reduction timetables, require demonstration of containment capabilities for deepwater drilling operators, and work to implement national and international oil-spill conventions into domestic law.

“It is imperative to promptly revise and implement the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan,” he said.

The minister singled out household-level risks as well.

After a string of LPG cylinder explosions in recent months that resulted in multiple injuries, fatalities, and extensive property damage, he ordered an urgent review of LPG safety standards and directed NP and other agencies to reassess distribution, testing and refurbishment procedures.

Moonilal also highlighted technologies, including automatic shut-offs, leak detectors and blast-proof cylinder designs, that regulators should encourage to reduce residential risks.

Several high-profile LPG incidents have been reported this year, including the death of a 28-year-old Penal man in October after a home cylinder explosion and large blaze incidents that left families homeless; NP has issued statements and pledged co-operation with investigators. Moonilal used these cases to stress that safety lapses carry both human and economic costs and must be addressed with urgency.

Upgrading national standards, implementing tighter inspections, and ensuring operator compliance will entail budgetary and technical support — areas the ministry acknowledged need strengthening.

Moonilal proposed annual workshops and the possible engagement of external HSSE consultants to accelerate change.

“Our industry’s licence to operate depends on our commitment to protecting people and the environment,” he said. “Safety is good business — it protects lives, assets and the national brand.”

Moonilal’s core message was that a lasting recovery in the energy sector relies not only on hydrocarbon output, but equally on robust safety systems and regulatory trust.