Touchstone Exploration Inc. | Suite 4100, 350 7th Ave SW, Calgary, T2P 3N9 Canada

Touchstone off to ‘great start’ after natural gas find

Canadian oil and gas drilling company Touchstone Exploration says it has made a great start to the year with the discovery of natural gas in the Cascadura-2 field. Touchstone said the well was supposed to be drilled to a depth of 8,300 feet,

but drilling was suspended at 7,132 feet “to preserve the substantial pay section observed in the well after high-pressure gas zones were encountered.”

Drilling samples indicated over 525 feet of sands in the targeted Herrera formation. Casing is being installed on the well for future production and it expects to test the well directly into the Cascadura natural gas facility in the third quarter of 2024.

President and CEO Paul Baay said, “The encouraging Cascadura2 delineation well drilling results represent a great start to 2024. Cascadura2 has proved up the concept of highly productive sands extending significantly to the east of our initial Cascadura discovery.”

The well was proving to be economically viable, as it was drilled for under US$6 million, which he said “further enhances the economics of this prolific hydrocarbon fairway. With this new data point we can design a multi-year drilling program to fully develop the structure. This well has not defined the easternmost edge of the structure, which warrants further delineation through future drilling.”

Touchstone reported an average net sales volume of 8,504 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) for the fourth quarter of 2023, with the Cascadura field contributing average net sales volumes of 6,854 boepd. Touchstone recorded average net sales volumes of 3,981 boepd for 2023, consisting of 35 per cent crude oil and liquids and 65 per cent natural gas volumes.

Last September, Cascadura solar-powered natural gas and liquids facility delivered its first gas production. On September 6, 2023, the company began producing natural gas and associated liquids and announced it intended to increase gross aggregate natural gas production from its Cascadura-1ST1 and Cascadura Deep-1 wells.

The facility operates as a self-contained system. It captures all natural gas from the separators and liquids storage tanks and recycles it back into the system to increase sales volumes. It sustains its own power requirements through on-site solar systems and natural gas generators and is entirely independent of the TT power grid.

 

 

Touchstone finds natural gas in Cascadura field

2024, 02/09

Canadian oil and gas company Touchstone Exploration has discovered natural gas in the Cascadura-2 field. Touchstone said the well was expected to be drilled to a depth of 8,300 feet, but drilling was suspended at 7,132 feet to preserve the substantial pay section observed in the well after high-pressure gas zones were encountered.

“While we planned to drill the well to a total depth of 8,300 feet, the gas sands encountered proved difficult to manage, and we ceased drilling to preserve the substantial pay section observed in the well. Drilling samples and open hole wiring logs indicated over 525 feet of sands in the targeted Herrera formation with hydrocarbon shows observed in samples and at the surface throughout the primary intervals,.”

The top of the key Herrera formation was detected at a measured depth of 6,186 feet, with sand and shows observed throughout the section to the total depth of the well.

“Based on these encouraging results, we are currently installing casing for future production. We expect to test the well directly into the Cascadura natural gas facility in the third quarter of 2024,.”

The flow line procurement has commenced to tie in future production from the Cascadura C surface location to the Cascadura natural gas processing facility. Drilling at its CO-1 block is scheduled to commence before the end of February, with two wells to be drilled from a single surface location.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul Baay, said the Cascadura-2 delineation well drilling results represent a great start to 2024.

“Cascadura2 has proved up the concept of highly productive sands extending significantly to the east of our initial Cascadura discovery. We estimate that the well was drilled for under US$6 million on a gross basis, which further enhances the economics of this prolific hydrocarbon fairway. With this new data point, we can design a multi-year drilling program to fully develop the structure. This well has not defined the eastern edge of the structure, which warrants further delineation through future drilling.”

Touchstone reported average net sales volume of 8,504 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) for the fourth quarter of 2023, with the Cascadura field contributing average net sales volumes of 6,854 boepd.

The company recorded average net sales volumes of 3,981 boepd for 2023, consisting of 35 per cent crude oil and liquids and 65 per cent natural gas volumes.

Touchstone has an 80 per cent operating working interest in the Cascadura field, which is located on the Ortoire block onshore, and Heritage Petroleum Company holds the remaining 20 per cent working interest.

The company has a 100 percent working interest in the CO-1 block via a sublicense agreement with Heritage.

Heritage: Engineering studies on pipelines near Massahood Junction

As part of its ongoing asset integrity programme, Heritage Petroleum Company Ltd, is conducting engineering studies on pipelines near Massahood Junction which form part of its century-old extensive pipeline network. Studies include the consideration of various alternatives to repair or replace the existing lines or to re-route the lines away from structures which were erected on the existing pipeline right of way.

In the coming weeks, Heritage will continue discussions with key stakeholders in the community as it reaches its final engineered solution.

After at least four oil leaks at Massahood Junction last year, residents of Avocat Village in Fyzabad again demand compensation and relocation of the pipelines. Nadeem Ali preferred to wait on the outcome of the studies before commenting, after the statement about the possibility of relocating or replacing the pipelines.

“We have sent letters about compensation and have not received anything . Only when they make a formal decision and test it out we would comment. That was a generic statement they made. We want compensation and for the company to relocate the lines. Almost every six months, there are spills. The last time, it happened twice in a week. It has happened four times in the year.”

Another resident who asked to remain unnamed said, “We do not have a clue what is going on as yet. We have been calling for the lines to be relocated away from the houses but no one listens.”

In May last year, people from several households were evacuated after a 16-inch trunk oil pipeline ruptured. By November, there was a minor leak. The line was isolated and later repaired.

 

 

 

Methanol plant closure signals slump

Contrary to the optimism of Government, Opposition MP David Lee believes that the energy sector is still in trouble, following the Methanex decision last September to idle its Atlas Methanol Plant .

“Reducing this country’s methanol production by at least one million tonnes per year, threatening national revenue, is confirmation that our energy sector is still in trouble and collapsing despite all the ‘old talk’ by the Government that they have stabilised the energy sector.”

The move, “by the world’s largest producer and supplier of methanol to shut down one of the region’s largest plants which provides millions in revenue, forex (foreign exchange), and employment for TT is not just a massive blow for our economy but is a dilemma that has been totally manufactured by this Government’s persistent failure to address the gas shortage for the last eight years.”

Evoking the nightmare of resources lavished on defunct Train 1 and the aftermath of the bloodbath at NGC Board, he contended that government continued to use the “Dragon Gas coming” plaster for all the country’s gas-shortage problems.

“The reality is, had they placed equal emphasis on aggressively incentivising the production of gas and creating an attractive environment to produce gas within our border in the last eight years, we would have had enough gas to keep plants such as Atlas in operation.

“The shut-down of Atlas means that the government’s feeble excuse that their new pricing negotiations protected our revenue streams despite a fall in gas supply will be proven totally false as this country will lose out on millions of tax revenue during a time of high global prices as we reduce our sale of methanol to the international market by at least one million tonnes per year.”

The claim of Energy Minister Stuart Young one month ago at the TT Energy Conference that the National Gas Company (NGC) has been meeting its mandate, is skewed.

“Not when major down streamers like Methanex have to face the dilemma of shutting down viable plants. There can be no stability, security, or sustainability in the energy sector when we lose productive capacity, when we witness the shut-down of major plants, and even worse, experience a loss of revenue contribution to the national economy.”

Lee noted that in the past, government had blamed closures on plants being outdated and inefficient but, Atlas was one of the most modern, productive, and efficient plants.

“It has simply become a victim of a government that has failed to stimulate gas production throughout its entire tenure.“As a concerned nation we have to ask, is this a sign of more plant closures, more loss of revenue, and an even greater contraction of the energy sector to come?”

 

 

 

Downstream energy awaits Dragon

Opposition MP David Lee demands answers from the government on the status of the Dragon Gas deal which is expected to provide additional supplies to keep the downstream sector afloat, which he claims to be on the brink of collapse due to an insufficient gas supply, Citing ambiguity over the licences with the US that expire in April,

Lee said, “We call on the Government to stop giving the people of this nation false comfort by saying our licence with the US goes until 2025 and tell us if they have received any assurances that we will go beyond 2025 which is the key to get Dragon off the ground.”

On February 18, Lee urged clarification on the 30-year Dragon deal agreement in light of a decision by Methanex to shut down its Atlas Methanol Plant at Point Lisas. Over the years, the Government has been using the “Dragon Gas plaster” for every gas shortage problem, but the situation has now become dire.

“This week we received confirmation of catastrophic and financially crippling news for the national economy when the largest methanol producer in the world announced that it would shut down one of the largest methanol plants in the region, the Atlas plant based here in Point Lisas.”

This decision is “confirmation that the downstream sector under Energy Minister Stuart Young and this Government has all but collapsed. This is confirmation that our energy sector is still in trouble and collapsing despite all the talk’ by the Government that they have stabilised the energy sector.”

Lee questioned the ramifications the closure would have for TT, pointing to the national revenue, tax revenue and even further significant reduction in foreign exchange, as methanol production will be reduced by at least one million tonnes per year. Government has been trying to hoodwink the population into espousing the narrative that only old and inefficient plants, such as Yara, have shut down.

“Atlas is no old plant. It is a modern effective plant that has become a victim of a government that has failed to stimulate gas production throughout its entire tenure. Atlas is shutting down as there is a gas shortage because this Government failed on deepwater bid rounds for over seven years only offering one last year. Atlas is shutting down as there is a gas shortage because this government has failed year after year to offer proper incentives for upstream companies to invest in exploration.”

Natural gas production dropped from 3.5 billion standard cubic feet to 2.6 billion standard cubic feet. Given this situation, he surmised,

“There can be no stability, security, or sustainability in the energy sector when we lose productive capacity when we witness the shutdown of a major plant and loss of revenue contribution to the national economy.

 

 

NGC

Anthony Wilson
2024,  02/08

In December 2023, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Energy Minister Stuart Young updated media on the two major achievements of the Government in the energy sector last year.

On December 8, they provided information and answered questions on the restructuring of Atlantic LNG.

On December 22, they addressed the agreement giving the greenlight to Shell and state-owned National Gas Company of T&T (NGC) to develop the Dragon gas field. The Prime Minister answered the writer thus:

Q: We started exporting LNG from this country in 1999 with 10 per cent in Train I and later acquired an 11.1 per cent stake in Train IV. Twenty-four years later, my understanding is that T&T’s percentage stake in Trains II, III and IV is 10 per cent. After more than 100 years in the energy industry and 24 years in LNG, why did we not seek a greater percentage of Atlantic than 10 per cent?

A: That is a very useful question because I ask myself that and I came to the conclusion that it had to do with confidence. At the time we were going into the business, we probably did not have the confidence that it would be so successful (to encourage us to take) a bigger share. Because a bigger share means a bigger risk and we were quite content to accept the proceeds from the other investors’ shareholding, but our risk level … because these are very risky businesses.

I told you earlier on how much negative (publicity) there was with respect to the coming into being of Train I. There was a strong view that Train I was going to be a bad idea and, of course, it could fail. And therefore if that environment existed where we were putting our feet in the water for the first time, the risk of 10 per cent—those were huge amounts of dollars as well—we preferred to spend our money on the pipeline.

Do you remember the 54-inch pipeline? That was a huge expense for the people of Trinidad and Tobago. That was less risky and had the prospect of earning as against spending our money as shareholder in a plant that may not be successful.

However, my view, in going down the road with you philosophically, is that other people with deeper pockets saw a brighter future when Trains II and III came along and they offered very quickly to take up all the risk and the people of Trinidad and Tobago did not push back on that.

And then of course, things were going so well with Atlantic, on their part, and they were so eager that there was talk about a Train X or Train V. And the Train V conversation only died when we started to be pulled back to reality that we may not have the sizes of the fields of gas to support five trains.

But by that time, we had become a little more confident, so we took 11 per cent in Train IV. So we evolved.
from 10 per cent in Train I, to not fighting for any shareholding in Trains II and III and then 11 per cent in Train IV.
But then we come back to 10 per cent in Trains II, III and IV.

 

Q. Would you not agree with me, that the 24-year history of our engagement in LNG has derisked the investment in LNG?

A. Ten per cent of three trains as against 11 per cent of Train IV. Do the maths on that. We are a whole lot better off with a 10 per cent stake in the unified business. What we ended up with is 10 per cent of the whole business as against 11 per cent of one third of the business.
Prime Minister Rowley then invited Energy Minister Stuart Young to answer the question.

Mr Young said: “Work out the pro rata (ownership). Pro rata of 10 per cent in Train I and 11 per cent in Train IV is about 5.4 per cent across all four trains. Train I engineering-wise remains because, to use simple language, you are tacking on Trains II, III and IV to it. So we got an increased shareholding from 5.4 per cent, which is what we owned with (our shareholdings of) 10 and 11 per cent, to 10 per cent. An uplift to 10 per cent at no cost to the people of Trinidad and Tobago and that is important.

You also continue to have risk because as you carry forward a shareholding, not only will you have capital contributions that will inevitably come up that mean cash contributions, you also have to bring gas because you now carry a capacity as well and I can’t go any further than that. But as you can envisage, shareholding sounds nice, but it comes with certain things.

“The people of Trinidad and Tobago got an uplift from about 5.4 per cent to 10 per cent at no additional cost. You go and price three trains, with a fourth, Train I, as a complex, even 20 years later, that is billions and billions of dollars of an increased shareholding.”

In his responses to the questions, the Prime Minister clearly attributed the reasons for NGC (read the Government of T&T) only taking a 10 per cent stake in Train I back in the 20th century to a lack of confidence, negative publicity surrounding the prospects of the LNG project and a decision for the natural gas aggregator, distributor and middle man to invest in the less risky pipeline from offshore to the LNG facility in Point Fortin.

In my view, Dr Rowley was less clear on why the NGC (Government) concluded that 10 per cent of a restructured Atlantic LNG was a sufficient investment in the restructured company, when it has been a successful and profitable project since its inception. Added to this track record of profits is the fact that there is a strong likelihood that a restructured Atlantic LNG will report enhanced profitability in the future, given the change in the benchmarking from the low-priced US Henry Hub to the higher priced Asian, European and Brent-discount benchmarks.

Higher profits at Atlantic LNG are also likely because the debt used to finance Trains I, II and III was paid off.

Comment- Amid record crime, cronyism, corruption, nepotism, scandals and appalling waste of resources, relentless pursuit of energy nationalisation recklessly sacrificed critical funding of health, sanitation, roads, water, safety, security, schools, job creation, transport, fire services, environment, small business, rural, oil-producing, fishing and farming communities and prevention of landslides and flooding.

Such laxity led to chaos and dereliction as a wrecked zombie barge on Tobago, reefs, leaked pollution across the Caribbean Sea during state-funded Carnival revelry, enjoying priority over marine resources, environments, tourism, fisheries, education, wildlife and health.

An obscene proposal to raise salaries of overpaid leaders sparked moral outrage from the Opposition, unions and other citizens reeling from property tax and cost of living.

Having lost $240 million on Train 1, NGC is ripe for privatization to create wealth and boost revenue for urgent needs of a beleaguered populace, relinquishing its role as a cash cow for a proflicate regime to serve citizens.

 

 

 

NGC Exploration and Production Ltd – Dragon special purpose company

2024, 02/08

Following recent statements in the public domain, the National Gas Company of T&T Ltd (NGC) seeks to clarify any misunderstanding concerning its participation in the development of the Dragon Field and its corporate structure.

“The development of the Dragon Field is a complex, cross-border exploration and production arrangement, which involved the close collaboration between the governments of the Republic of T&T and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela along with international energy partner, Shell, and NGC.

This collaboration culminated in the issuance of the Dragon Field Exploration and Production License to NGC and Shell on December 21, 2023 for the export of 100 per cent of the natural gas from the Dragon field to T&T. In accordance with Venezuelan hydrocarbon law, the licence was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Venezuela on January 29, 2024.”

NGC Licensee, NGC Exploration and Production Ltd, is a fully owned subsidiary of NGC and is the corporate vehicle in which NGC investment in the Dragon Field is currently held.

“It is standard, global practice for integrated energy companies such as NGC, with operations across the energy value chain, to manage and hold such investments through a subsidiary company. Such a structure not only protects NGC from any potential liabilities but also ringfences the particular investment.

“Indeed, this is the structure utilised by NGC over the last ten years or more for all its investments across the energy value chain including several of its current upstream participating interest investments in T&T,” Further details of NGC, operating structure and its subsidiaries, are available on its website: www.ngc.co.tt

NGC said it appreciates the potential long-term impact the Dragon field agreement will have on the “economic fortunes” of this country and that it understands that the details and arrangements will be of interest to many.
NGC said it looks forward to shifting focus to the critical next steps in the project including but not limited to the following activities:

— Updating reservoir studies on the gas reserves in the license area;
— Performing conceptual engineering and basic engineering to facilitate submission of a minimum development programme to the government of Venezuela for approval

The company will continue to provide updates as development progresses and encourages the public to refer to such updates for further information on the project.

Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal challenged the Government to reveal details of the agreement between T&T and Venezuela for the Dragon field gas deal. He told a United National Congress (UNC) media briefing that he obtained a copy of the agreement between the governments of Venezuela and T&T, gazetted in Venezuela on January 29. NGC says there is nothing unusual about its involvement in the Dragon gas deal between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.

MP Moonilal found a company called NGC Exploration & Production Ltd (NGCE&PL) listed by the Venezuelan government in their gazette, along with Shell Venezuela SA, as the companies involved in the 30-year licence to explore and exploit the hydrocarbon resources in the Dragon field. Moonilal said NGCE&PL was a secret company formed to help the Government with the Dragon gas deal. Energy Minister Stuart Young denied there were secrets in the deal, although the Government had made no mention of NGCE&PL before.

Young said use of a company was the normal and accepted course of business in the energy sector. The company said NGCE&PL was fully owned by NGC and “is the corporate vehicle in which NGC investment in the Dragon Field is currently held. “

“They (Government) have been caught with their proverbial pants down on the Dragon field matter and it is an ugly sight indeed.”

Last December, TT secured a 30-year licence to develop the Dragon field in Venezuela’s territorial waters. Moonilal quoted from a copy of the Venezuelan gazette, dated January 29, to support his argument.

“When the day comes when we depend on Venezuela for accountability and transparency… Our democracy itself has collapsed. Our public institutions have collapsed when we depend on Venezuela for accountability.”

He reminded the media that Venezuela is facing the renewal of some sanctions by the US because its supreme court upheld a ban on opposition candidate Maria Machado contesting presidential elections scheduled for this year.

“This is a country that does that, but now we have to depend on them for accountability.”

Referring to the gazette, Moonilal said the Dragon gas deal is published there. He scoffed at previous statements by the Prime Minister and Energy Minister Stuart Young that details of the deal could not be made public.

“I have in my hand this document of about 35 pages, which is the deal. This is the Dragon deal which Keith Rowley and Stuart Young refuse to tell the people of Trinidad and Tobago. Well in Caracas, you need to find out what happening in Maracas.”

The summary of the gazette lists NGC (National Gas Company) Exploration and Production Ltd (NGCE&PL) and Shell Venezuela SA are the companies involved in the 30-year licence to explore and exploit the hydrocarbon resources in the Dragon field.

Moonilal said NGCE&PL is a company “duly incorporated under the laws of TT and registered in Point Lisas. No one in TT knows of a company named NGCE&PL.”

NGC is a company involved in the distribution, marketing and selling of natural gas.

Moonilal said, “NGC is not a production and exploration company.”

He asked where NGCE&PL came from and claimed Government was keeping this company a secret. Moonilal says NGC president Loquan is one of the directors of the NGC Exploration and Production Ltd (NGCE&PL), which Moonilal says was set up to facilitate the Dragon gas deal with Venezuela. –

“Why must we ask Venezuela for their gazette (to find this out)? Why the dishonesty? Today, we are told of a ghost company. It may not be a ghost but we’ve never heard about it called the NGCE&PL.”

Checks by the UNC of the companies’ registrar showed this company was incorporated on November 9, 2023. Its directors are outgoing NGC president Mark Loquan and Joseph Khan. Loquan will demit office in August. The company’s address is Orinoco Drive, Pt Lisas Industrial Estate, Couva. NGC has the same address.

Moonilal claimed Government “is going about in secret registering companies that the Venezuelans tell us about.”

He asked why the Government hid this. Moonilal said Article 20 of the agreement states that should oil or natural gas be discovered in Dragon, “before anything is done, there is a condition for the payment of a bonus (to the Venezuelan government.” He added this bonus must be paid in US currency.

“We are being told that the bonus, called a signature fee, is US$65 million.”

Moonilal claimed no natural gas could be exported from Dragon to TT unless this bonus was paid.

“Where is that coming from?”

Moonilal reminded the media that last month in the Senate, its vice-president Nigel De Freitas had to break a 15-15 tie in the Government’s favour in a vote on a private motion that asked for details about the Dragon deal.

On that occasion, the nine Independent senators voted with the Opposition’s six in support of the motion filed by Opposition Senator Wade Mark.

He said Young was the only government speaker in that debate and never raised the matters he did. “This is the last year of their government. They know it. So what is happening in this last year is that they’re borrowing money to thief.”

Earlier in the briefing, Oropouche West MP Davendranath Tancoo dismissed a statement by Dr Rowley at a news conference on February 2 that the UNC was claiming the cost to build the pipeline from Dragon to the Hibiscus platform was US$100 million. Tancoo claimed that Young quoted that figure after a meeting with Venezuelan government officials in Caracas last year.

Separate exploration and production company not new
Former energy minister and economist Kevin Ramnarine agreed that NGCE&PL may be a special-purpose company for the exploitation of the Dragon field and there were many benefits to taking that approach.

“It allows the liability of the project to be ring-fenced within the confines of the subsidiary. It is par for the course in the energy sector. That is how business is done internationally,”

National Energy Ltd, TTNGL Ltd, LABIDCO and NGC Green Ltd are part of NGC group of companies with over 15 subsidiaries and more than ten associated companies.

One of the first exploration and production projects undertaken by NGC was acquisition of the assets of France-based global company Total in 2013 when Ramnarine was minister of energy. Ramnarine said the acquisition was different from forming a company as NGC acquired the assets from a company already existing and operating.

Ramnarine commends Venezuela’s transparency

Ramnarine said the world is moving more toward transparency with details on deals such as the Dragon deal shared in the public space.   He commended the Venezuelan Government for publishing details of the Dragon deal and the licence in its government’s Gazette on January 29.

“It is not something that is done in TT. Those things are secret documents. All governments, including the government that I was a part of, have been tight-fisted and closed with information. You will never see a copy of a production-sharing contract between a multinational company and a ministry of energy. That may have served a purpose for that time but the world is trending toward transparency.”

Venezuela was not the only country to divulge information. Ramnarine noted that Guyana also publicised its production-sharing agreement with Exxon. Ramnarine said it was a wake-up call to TT and may be a sign that it is time for a conversation about transparency in energy arrangements.

“Maybe we don’t have to put the entire thing out but at least a fact sheet that is agreed upon by both parties so the public is aware of what decisions are being taken on their behalf.”

 

 

 

 

Dragon deal secure

2024, 02/03

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley indicated that during his recent trip to the US. the United States confirmed that Trinidad and Tobago will not be directly affected by the upcoming reimposition of US sanctions on Venezuela’s energy sector.

Reporting to media on his mission he said “So I’m sorry to announce to those who love to say ‘the Dragon (project) dead,’ that T&T is alive and well and has a Government that looks out for the interest of all the people, especially our children. I’m concerned about our children who are in school today and deserve in the next few years to have at least what we had from our country – that’s my legacy.”

He noted that T&T has a two-year OFAC License from the US to pursue the Dragon Field venture with Venezuela.

His delegation’s discussions in the US included talks with US National Security Council senior director (Western Hemisphere) Juan Gonzales, who represents USA in all dealings with Venezuela.

The US announced reimposition of sanctions on Venezuela’s energy sector, halting certain licences from April, after opponents to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro were barred from running against him in Venezuela’s elections.

Rowley said because the Government has seen US sanctions on Venezuela and T&T’s Cabinet was aware of its ramifications, “It’s why we’ve engaged this issue (Dragon Field) in the way we have. When the US government issued its general Licence 44 – a global general licence to all and sundry – that didn’t limit Government’s enthusiasm to proceed on the path we’d started on. From day one, we didn’t put our argument or expectation under general Licence 44, which expires April 18. Those who rely on that license to do business with Venezuela, that expiry is their problem. We never relied on that, otherwise we’d have been in that situation.”

Government sought, through the US’ Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), to get a “carveout” and the two-year OFAC license was obtained.

“So we are not – and we got that confirmation from this meeting with Washington – we’re not directly affected by the April 18 activity,” he assured.

The OFAC license expires October 2025.
“And with respect to operation of the Dragon field, we have an exploration and production license for 30 years on that field – the outcome of the Government’s work in a very, very difficult situation.”

He said Venezuela featured prominently in the US discussions and they had their view and T&T has its own – that with respect to Venezuela, it has to be a partnership among the three countries.

First gas won’t be tomorrow or 2025
Rowley said first gas from Dragon Field won’t be seen until an assessment of the field is done – the very next thing “going on” – then drilling to be announced and information on the pipeline.

“It’s not going to be tomorrow or next year. But when it does, by having what we’ve done now – the documentation that’s in place – that triggers approval of the investment to be spent in the works.”

He said with the restructuring of LNG, documentation to use the Dragon field and Manatee, “We’ve unlocked billion of dollars in investment in T&T, but the actual molecule doesn’t appear for a few months – more like 36 months.”

Energy Minister Stuart Young goes to Caracas again next week. Rowley also goes to Caracas sometime ahead.

Rowley also trashed as “mischief” Opposition claims that the Dragon Field pipeline to the Hibiscus Feld will cost $100 million.

“We’ve not yet established the pipeline’s cost …When the real figure comes out, I guarantee it’s not going to be anywhere near $100 million. None of us in Government or any of the companies ever mentioned a figure for the pipeline, as we’ve not yet got to that stage. The Opposition knows very well $100 million isn’t anywhere near the pipeline’s cost. They jump ahead and put that lie out there and when the real figure comes out, there’ll be all kinds of conspiracy theories between both figures.”

Derisking pace receded
Government also had renewed meetings with senior US Democrats, including Congresswoman Maxine Waters, whom they met on the crisis on derisking correspondent banking.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said while the (derisking) issue hasn’t disappeared and is still a threat, “Conditions have evolved considerably in our favour, where the pressure is a little off. The pace at which we were being derisked and debanked has receded.”

Out of the talks with the Exim Bank will come additional resource possibilities for T&T’s economic development. The US Trade Representative also is very eager to encourage T&T’s business sector to take more advantage of the Caribbean Basin Initiative, which has certain opportunities which the US indicated T&T’s private sector largely isn’t taking advantage of.

Government also received commitment for funding for sustainable energy for construction of a 113MG of solar power plant, and intends more of that.

 

 

 

 

TT Energy Conference 2024

Heritage CEO: ‘Innovation will see Trinidad and Tobago continue to lead’

Riza Khan, vice president of operations, ICT Ltd, right, engineers Kavir Ramdass and Gabrielle D’ Andrade with the inspection robotic equipment used in the energy sector. R. JACOB

At a workshop and panel discussion, students and young engineers were told that prospects in the increasingly dynamic oil, gas and wider energy sectors are not under threat. In fact, TT can lead in the pivotal field of CCUS (carbon capture, utilisation and storage).

James Shipka, chief operations officer at Touchstone Exploration, painted TT as an energy industry leader for the past hundred years and one with significant potential, thanks to its foundation and rich human resource capacity.

“Whether it’s supplying pitch, oil, natural gas, and LNG, we’ve always been there to provide these services, to provide the technology and the people and the expertise to do it. You’re the next step in that journey. (We’ve) led in onshore development, shallow-water development, deepwater development, and we’ll continue to do that. And although we talk a lot about the products and the services we offer, the biggest thing that we’re going to export in the world in the future is you.”

Shipka said the contributions of engineers and geoscientists are often overlooked and undervalued because “we often talk about, today, the energy transition as though it’s moving away from where we are.”

He said, however, energy transition doesn’t mean neglecting existing industries and areas of expertise.

“It’s not moving away from your education, your experience, or your abilities; it’s including them.”

Erik Keskula, CEO at Heritage Petroleum, said it was an exciting time to be in the industry.

“The energy sector always has and always will be very dynamic. And while that volatility in prices that we often talk about creates some uncertainty, it also creates tremendous opportunities for you.”

Such volatility encourages innovation one can use for a competitive advantage, Keskula said, noting that companies are increasingly required to embrace fast-paced innovation and data science heading into the next five years. Additionally, the advances in robotic process automation, machine learning, artificial intelligence and how these mechanisms have swiftly matured,

“are a lesson in how fast and how much our work can change in just a very, very short time.”

Diversification in the industry will see the creation of opportunities beyond oil and gas projects. Keskula said TT can be a leader in CCUS, something he is personally invested in as a member of a national steering committee.

“There will be projects that will be renewables, biofuels, and we’ll all be adjusting our businesses as we drive towards net zero. The traditional roles in oil and gas will still be needed, though. We need to find ways to get more oil and gas out of existing reservoirs and continue to find new resources.”

The ability to collaborate and a willingness to learn are fundamental qualities for those pursuing a career in energy.

“We spend so much of our time trying to personally achieve…and I think that’s an important part of life, to strive to do our best; always try to improve and learn. But we must excel in a team environment in oil and gas. The energy industry is highly integrated, and there are many interdependencies. So those who do the best today don’t just worry about their own performance and raise their own performance: they raise the performance of everyone around them by working together on a common goal.”

Keskula said despite negative headlines and criticisms of the oil and gas sector, “I believe it’s a great place to be. It’s been a great career for me, and especially now – the opportunities are endless.”

 

Anthony Vieira, drone technical operator, showcased the latest drone equipment used in the energy sector.

 

 

 

 

Tobago Oil Spill 

On February 7th, Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) first spotted the spill off the coast of Studley Park, Tobago.

The Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) says the anomaly measured 48 nautical miles (approximately 88 kilometers) in length and 0.13 nautical miles (approximately 248 meters) in width.

First responders and volunteers have been trying to contain the spill, which is emerging from a vessel that had capsized.

Photos posted by TEMA on Instagram show progress cleaning up Tobago’s beaches.

According to TEMA, approximately one-third of the 15 kilometers of shoreline on Tobago’s Atlantic Ocean has been cleaned and the spill is increasingly under control.

THE ORIGIN OF THE VESSEL

On February 14th 2024, the TTCG confirmed that two vessels were involved in the incident: an unpowered and officially unidentified wrecked barge which is the source of the spill, and the Solo Creed, a tug boat from Panama. Both boats were destined for Guyana.

Bellingcat, the investigative journalism group, did some work in identifying the unidentified wrecked barge. Evidence suggests that the barge is the Gulfstream, a 60 year old vessel last seen at the ASTINAVE shipyard in Amuay, Venezuela in February 2022. Bellingcat speculates that this barge may be part of a “ghost fleet”, used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela. Please note that these details have not been confirmed by official sources.

PREVIOUS POSTS

The aftermath of an oil spill in Tobago (09/02/24) https://www.reddit.com/r/TrinidadandTobago/s/0muGzF1hir

Tobago was never ready for this https://www.reddit.com/r/TrinidadandTobago/s/sqUzgcQmV4

Massive oil spill hits beaches of popular Caribbean tourist destination https://www.reddit.com/r/TrinidadandTobago/s/w2PGmUW27O

LOCAL COVERAGE

TEMA, https://www.instagram.com/temaeoc

Trinidad and Tobago Weather Center, https://ttweathercenter.com

Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Ministry of National Security, https://www.facebook.com/mns.tnt

INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE

Reuters:  Tides move oil spill away from Tobago to the Caribbean, neighbors in alert

Al Jazeera : Mystery shipwreck causes disastrous oil spill off Trinidad and Tobago

The Independent : Massive oil spill hits beaches of popular Caribbean tourist destination

CNN:   Examining the details around the Trinidad and Tobago oil spill

The Maritime Executive:   Mysterious Capsized Cargo Ship Causes Oil Spill Emergency in Tobago

CBC:   Trinidad and Tobago oil spill from mystery ship causes ‘national emergency’

BBC:   Trinidad and Tobago hit by mystery ship oil spill

 

 

Stormy seas stop sealing of leaking barge

21 Feb Day 15

Rough seas around the Gulfstream prevent AMBIPAR plugging the capsized barge, leaking fuel some 200 metres off the coast of the Cove Eco-Industrial Park, Tobago, since February 7.

During a media tour of the areas affected by the oil spill, on February 20 AMBIPAR Commander Sargao Lombaa said:

“The area has very strong currents, very strong winds, as the locals working will attest.

The divers will know every swell and all this information they have passed on to us.

It is a very challenging area due to the sea conditions. That is why it is going to impact the whole operation.”

Ambipar seamen are working alongside Tiger Tanks personnel to stop the leak. Ambipar, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, works in several sectors to provide services and products related to environmental management. Lombaa said his team has been working 12-hour shifts six days a week.

“Our role here is basically to look for the containment and extraction of the oil that is coming from the ship.”

Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) prepared a decontamination area for the team as well as facilities for the extraction equipment – Frac tanks, booms and skimmers.

Compared to similar exercises he has worked on over the years, Lombaa said, “It is difficult to say. It is a good question. Every job is special and has special conditions. Sometimes the conditions are more challenging. I think that this is going to be a very special activity.”

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said although the leak was being contained,

“The flow continues from the vessel. The booms are able to trap the fuel in a particular zone, keep it within the zone so they can extract it.

(But) in terms of what is coming out from the vessel, we have not been able to plug the leak on the vessel as yet because we have had some challenges getting the schematics for the ship. But we seem to be getting to that point now, and once we get to that point, then we will be able to determine how to move thereafter.”

Lombaa said his team had the blueprints of the vessel, received information from its original owners (the former operators) and from Ameri-King operators who have been working on the boat.

“Using this information, we will try to understand what is going to be the next step of the operation.”

The tour began at the Scarborough waterfront, where most of the clean-up had been completed. The media were taken to an area behind Scarborough Secondary School where a clean-up was proceeding apace.

At the Signal Hill River exit point there was still a heavy concentration of the fuel. At Petit Trou Beach, Lambeau, a triage facility was set up for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.

Among those touring the polluted areas were Kirk Jean-Baptiste, training and education specialist, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management, and representatives from Serpentine, Kaizen and the Coast Guard.

 

 

 

Initial IMA test results of leak in Tobago
Diesel, not oil, leaking from sunken barge

2024, 02/21 Day 15

Beach benches in Lambeau are covered in diesel, from the overturned barge off the Cove,
Work continues on the capsized barge leaking diesel,. THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine helped the Serpentarian Team cleaning a baby caiman , while on a media tour of areas polluted by the fuel spill.

Diesel has been identified as the oily substance leaking from the Gulfstream barge and blanketing 15 kilometres of Tobago’s shoreline since February 7, when the vessel ran aground at Cove, Tobago.

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said that the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) had identified the fuel after testing samples first taken when the substance first washed onto Tobago’s shores The IMA is expected to take a more concentrated sample from the vessel to confirm this finding. He said the diesel type could help trace it to its origin.

After a tour with media of affected areas, Augustine said, “It is heavy. It is not a refined product. Notwithstanding, they (IMA) are coming back to do additional taps, and that is why the remote-operated vehicle (ROV) is working today. We could locate the best place to do the tap. Even the last sample they received had some elements of seawater in it.”

The barge ran aground near the coast of Cove on February 7 and within hours, oily deposits coated the shoreline from Canoe Bay to the Port of Scarborough.

In the first 24 hours, the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and dive officials launched search and rescue operations for potential survivors. Divers confirmed there was nothing to suggest there was life onboard.

However, they visually identified Gulfstream as the name engraved near the vessel’s bow.
The disaster was upgraded from a Tier One to Tier Two level by the third day as efforts to contain and clean-up the spill increased. Within days, the affected area in Scarborough had mostly been restored, while efforts to complete clean-up throughout Lambeau Village are expected to end in the coming days.

Up to yesterday, Augustine said the island was still at a Tier Two level but the THA may need international help. In the first week of the oil spill, Augustine repeatedly said the THA and TEMA were “putting things in place” to announce a Tier Three emergency.

Yesterday, however, he said he didn’t want to announce a Tier Three level prematurely.
“Given the conversations we have had with the Ministry of Energy , we can expect some further development later down this week because we are approaching a space whereby we would need to call on international resources.”

Senior commander Sargao Lomban, of Ambipar Response, a global environmental response and incident management organisation based in Brazil, , said his team managed to access the blueprint of the vessel, so the operations moved from containing the diesel to making a second attempt to cap the spill.

Duty manager Andy Nevin, of Oil Spill Response Limited, another international company, said the fume levels were not hazardous at this time.

“The oil we have at this moment is very heavy and crude. We have been doing gas testing up and down the coast all the time, everyday. It isn’t dangerous at the moment. The workers on this area about a week ago, there were signs where we can smell the oil, so we just want to get the oil out of this area so it can be safe for the children.”

The Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries announced an international partnership between T&T Salvage LLC and QT Environmental Inc, who are licensed oil spill removal organisations with specialists. The team and equipment from Subsea Specialist Ltd, T&T Salvage LLC, and QT Environmental Inc were expected in Tobago yesterday and will remain on the island until Friday. The international team includes a salvage master overseeing the hydrographic survey, while a commercial dive crew will assess and plug leaks using surface-supplied air.

Based on the survey findings, the salvage team will co-ordinate with local and international organisations in Tobago to implement a layered surface fuel recovery programme.

Additionally, underwater, non-floating oil detection systems will be employed to maximise the identification and recovery of all fuel leaked from the vessel.

The Ministry enlisted Subsea Specialist Ltd, an ROV contractor, to conduct ROV works around the vessel. With T&T Salvage LLC and QT Environmental Inc’s strong working partnership and extensive global experience in salvage, wreck removal, and spill response, the spill should be capped and the fuel contained soon.

 

 

 

Spill removal specialists brief MEEI

2024, 02/21 Day 15

Minister of Energy, Stuart Young and Minister of Planning, Pennelope Beckles met Henry Kevin Teichman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), T&T Salvage LLC; and Clinton Paul Williams, Director of Emergency Response Services, T&T Marine Salvage, Inc.
Teichman provided a highlevel briefing on the execution of response efforts targeted at the overturned vessel and hydrocarbon discharge off the southern coast of Cove, Tobago.

After briefing Minister Young, Permanent Secretary Penelope Bradshaw Niles and the T&T Salvage team left for Tobago to begin work on the first phase of their response and to collaborate with teams currently on the ground.

The response team comprising a salvage master, naval architect and ADCI divers with experience in low to zero visibility diving and sonar technology will visit Tobago to execute the required emergency response. Dive gear, hydrographic survey equipment and NOFI Current Busters are being flown from the USA and Europe to Tobago.

Young emphasized that the effective recovery of the hydrocarbons and restoration of the coastline is paramount and the technical staff at the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries will assist in facilitating operations.

 

 

 

Oil spill near Trinidad and Tobago is now flowing to other regions prompting concerns

15 February 2024

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Tobago spill disaster

2024. 02/10 Day 4

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine saw the overturned barge which caused the oil spill at sea in Scarborough.

Workers cleaned oil-soaked debris along the coastline in Scarborough, Tobago, on Thursday 8th Feb.

Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says he may declare the oil spill on the island a tier three disaster by today. Giving an update on the clean-up response yesterday afternoon, Augustine said his team was preparing to officially classify the severity of the incident at a higher level.

“Yes, we are going to move to a Tier Three level. We just need to get some things cleared tomorrow (today) and then that announcement will be made, but all indications are we are heading in that direction. At this point, we are open to the assistance of anywhere.”

At tier three, President Christine Kangaloo will be able to declare the incident a national emergency.

In such a scenario, the ODPM, through the Ministries of National Security, Foreign Affairs and Finance, will co-ordinate the acquisition of regional and international aid.

The United Nations has offered assistance to THA officials while clean-up volunteers increased to 1,000.

Today, specialist divers will attempt to isolate the leak from the overturned vessel which led to the oil spill.

The current is also pushing the vessel to shore and the THA fears it may cause more damage to the reef and eventually reach closer to the shoreline.

“So, while we are using booms, they will try to plug the leak and they are being sent by the Maritime Division. When they are through with that, then they will send other specialists to do the wrecking of the vessel. They will determine the best way to remove the vessel from the site because it cannot stay in that location.”

15 kilometres of coastline had been affected by the spill’s deposit. The spill started 16 kilometres off Tobago’s coastline and large corals were broken off on the reef where the vessel initially overturned.

The THA decided to cancel the Junior Parade of the Carnival Bands in Scarborough.
However, a cruise ship expected in on Sunday with 3,000 tourists will be allowed to dock and visitors will be cautioned about the spill.

Augustine said the THA was concerned about the mounting costs associated with the oil spill response.   He said they already had an invoice for $1 million, which covers the expenses for oil absorbent booms, skimmers, and other equipment service providers have requested to be put on a retainer. However, he clarified the invoice has not yet been signed off on and he is reviewing its details. A significant portion of the expenses will be determined after the crisis has been addressed. He assured the public that expenses will not be astronomical.

 

 

Energy Minister: -Heritage to assist

Following a visit to Tobago with Works Minister Rohan Sinanan,  Energy Minister Stuart Young, said a team had been dispatched to Tobago for technical support.

 “We continue to offer our assistance and whatever assistance can be provided. I’ve also given the green light for Heritage Petroleum to provide assistance. We have been consistently communicating with TEMA (Tobago Emergency Management Agency). TEMA and the THA have indicated that they are dealing with the matter and have the lead…The ministry team has been working closely with the THA and team today.”

He said the ministry is on standby to provide any further assistance necessary.
Sinanan told media he will return to the island next week for another in-person assessment and discussions with the THA.

The Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association said none of its members had been affected.

“More than anything else, we understand that this can have a major social and economic impact for Tobago and the tourism industry. As an association, we are standing by to provide as much assistance as we can possibly provide.”

Oil samples in IMA hands

Geographic Information System specialist Dayreon Mitchel told media that oil samples from the vessel, whose origin is still unknown, were sent to Trinidad and the results should be returned to Tobago soon.

“The IMA (Institute of Marine Affairs) would have received the samples that we would have collected, and the testing would be conducted during the course of next week. They will be continuously testing it, and they will be giving us a report by the end of that week.”

Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles-Robinson, said she was deeply concerned about the oil spill and its impact on Tobago’s natural resources. Her main concern is the damage that may have been done to ecosystems such as Cove Reef and Flying Reef, as well as other sensitive areas in Kilgwyn Bay, Canoe Bay, Petit Trou Lagoon, Rockley Bay, Little Rockley Bay and Topaz Beach.

The oil is starting to blanket one of the island’s largest and most protected mangrove sites behind the Magdelena Hotel. Beckles-Robinson said the EMA and IMA had supported the preliminary assessment along the coastline, and that samples were collected by the IMA for analysis.

 

 

 

PM to tour Tobago spill area

2024, 02/11 Day 5

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley will lead a team of ministers to tour areas affected by the oil spill in Tobago after a vessel overturned near the cove on Wednesday morning. Dr Rowley will host a press conference around noon at the Central Administrative Services Tobago in Scarborough.

The spill has not been contained by booms around the leaking vessel yesterday afternoon laid by the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and the T&T Coast Guard. Lead diver Alvin Douglas said that the specialist divers from the Institute of Marine Affairs found it impossible to plug the spill.

He said, “The spill has not been contained. What is happening is, from the professional commercial divers’ point of view, the vessel is in a peculiar area. It cannot be entirely contained. The boat keeps bobbing up and down. We did our best to contain as much as we can. With regard to plugging it, that may not be possible.”

He said the boat must be removed as quickly as possible.
Simultaneously, clean-up efforts have reached their peak as volunteers were out as early as 6 am to assist with removing oil deposits from the shoreline and roadways.

Part of the mangrove behind Magdalena Grand Beach and Gulf Resort has been blanketed in oil as the substance settled between the roots and low branches.

Fishermen from Lambeau and Plymouth have been asked to ground their vessels to prevent damage. President of the All-Tobago Fisherfolk Association Curtis Douglas said the Tobago House of Assembly has not acted as quickly as they should have to contain the spill.

“So far, I have told a couple of fishermen to ground their boats because we don’t know what happened. We know for a fact it’s an oil spill, and what the fishermen have been saying is that the oil has been going up in their engine and clogging the propeller.”

For PNM Senator Laurance Hislop, this situation is heartbreaking. “This is hurting me as a Tobagonian. I can see the significant damage that has taken place along the coastline, and I know the fishermen are going to be hurting from this. We know there are activities to get this under control, so whatever I have the ability to do, I will do.”

The number of volunteers has increased with other agencies, including the Hunters Search and Rescue team in Trinidad recruiting additional help.

 

 

 

Tobago Chamber: Coast Guard grounded in spill disaster

11 feb

Cleanup efforts are underway at Scarborough after an oil spill from a vessel near Canoe Bay

Day 5 .President of Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Curtis Williams believes the TT Coast Guard should have been in a position to respond more readily to the oil spill which severely polluted the shorelines of several coastal villages and poses a threat to the island economy.

Around 7.20 am on February 7, a 300 ft-long vessel – Gulfstream – was found overturned and leaking an oily substance some 200 metres off the coast of the Cove Eco Industrial Park. A massive clean-up exercise, involving various groups and agencies, has since been launched to contain and eradicate the spill.

Chamber members were disturbed by the extent of the spill but lamented that “Tobago was not in a position of readiness in terms of the Coast Guard, the national organisation being able to assist at a moment’s notice. We’ve seen that a private vessel had to come out there and lend assistance to TEMA (Tobago Emergency Management Agency) and other agencies, private divers. We not seeing the Coast Guard being able to respond in any timely manner and get certain things done. So we were moved by that delay in response because this falls under national security in terms of the response of the services of the Coast Guard.”

Chamber members were taken aback by this.

“We further learnt that the Coast Guard was lacking resources in Tobago. No vessels, no vehicles. They don’t even have a flagpole to fly the Coast Guard flag down at their base and it has been months that they have been crying for a flagpole to the Ministry of National Security and no help at all. These things are alarming and someone needs to bring these to the attention of the minister (of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds) and let him understand what is happening here in Tobago with the Coast Guard. They don’t even have a flagpole to fly the national flag… So I think it is something that should be looked at and talked about.”

He echoed THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine’s view that the spill was a national disaster, saying Tobago needed the support of the national community to rehabilitate the island. Augustine said experts from the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd are guiding them in the discussion. Minister of Energy Stuart Young and Minister of Works Rohan Sinanan visited Tobago briefly on February 9 to get a first-hand account of the damage caused by the spill and to see what assistance was needed.

“Because the State needs to assist in fixing this,” Augustine said. Teams from state-owned Heritage Petroleum were also dispatched to assist on February 9.

Representatives from the Ministry of Energy were also expected to tour the affected coastline. On February 7 Augustine told media the role of the Coast Guard in Tobago has been the focus of much debate over the years. He added more will be said on the issue at a later date. Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association president Alpha Lorde, said the spill has far-reaching implications for both the environment and economy.

“But largely it will become an economic issue not just for the tourism stakeholders but anybody whose livelihood depends on the water. There are a lot of fisherfolk who will be affected and their economic loss also cannot go unnoticed.”

Many people were surprised by the magnitude of the spill.

“It is definitely not some small simple issue.”

He is grateful, though, that none of the popular beaches, particularly in the western part of the island, have been affected or closed.

“But again we still have to look at the environmental impact largely and that is to be assessed. I think the important thing now is getting the clean up as quickly as possible and I think all of the agencies have to work together on that.”

Members are willing to volunteer their time and resources if called upon.

“We are encouraging people to help. It is our island, our business.”

On February 9, a post on Facebook urged Community Emergency Response Team volunteers to participate in the clean-up exercise.

 

 

 

PM weighing foreign aid if spill worsens

2024.  02/12 DAY 6

Heritage Petroleum contractors conducted clean-up operations at the site of the spill at Rockley Bay, THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley held a joint media conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, Scarborough.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says while the spill isn’t completely under control, it remains manageable and the situation should improve with additional resources. After he toured affected areas, Rowley told media the disaster remains at a tier two level and officials are doing all in their power to identify the owners of the vessel and minimise the impact.

The vessel, identified as Gulfstream, capsized along the coast off the Cove last Wednesday, leaving miles of coastline along the west of the island covered in fuel leaking from its hull.

Rowley admitted the authorities still do not know what the vessel contains.
“What we do know, it appears to be broken having made contact here and is leaking some kind of hydrocarbon that is fouling the water and the coastline. That vessel could have come to us from any kind of operation, especially if the operation is illicit.”

He said the clean-up team is still in the containment stage. As the Tobago House of Assembly awaits the test results from samples taken earlier this week, Rowley stressed it was important to move from the containment phase to the emptying of the vessel to prevent continuous spill into the waters.

“This phase will remain as long as the vessel is there and is a threat with the contents that can foul our environment. But then we would want to move from that stage to emptying the vessel.”

He admitted the country may need to seek international assistance if the situation becomes out of control.

“We will have to move relatively quickly to determining what we do next, which is to bring the vessel to a position where it does not pose a threat at the national level. We may require help because once we start talking about salvaging, which is to get the vessel in a situation where we can control what goes on, we have to have outside help.”

He was happy the spill started in an isolated area, preventing more extensive damage. However, he couldn’t say if there was a set deadline to have the vessel removed and the situation under complete control.

“Had it been a little further west, in the Crown Point area, much of that spill may easily have gone into the marine park andthe river Nylon Pool. That too would have been a major disaster. So we thank God for small mercies.”

While the origin, ownership and contents of the barge remain a mystery, the team is doing their best to prevent the situation from worsening.

“We are doing all that is possible to answer these questions from mobilising the contingency plan. Everything that needs to be done has been, to this point, done and is being done and will be done to ameliorate and minimise and eventually eliminate the threat.

What we have to do now is what is required to bring some control to the situation, cleaning the beaches was good. But if stuff is being poured out on a continuous basis, that is just speeding up in bird cleaning and restoration can only seriously begin after we have brought the situation under control.

Right now, the situation is not under control. But it appears to be under sufficient control that we think that we can manage.”

Lamenting the financial constraints and the unplanned nature of the incident, he said there is a need to improve the country’s fleet capabilities, announcing plans for major vessel refurbishments and the establishment of a new Coast Guard facility in Tobago, possibly at Charlotteville.

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said the divers had not been able to cap the leak. As a result, the team is working to find a way to extract all the oil from the vessel.

Minister of Energy Stuart Young, and Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, were present during the tour.

The Institute of Marine Affairs said it does not have specialist industrial or commercial divers on staff. This meant it could not have, nor was it asked to have its divers plug the spill on the capsized vessel .The institute is a marine research organisation of which, for this event, its work is primarily to conduct research, conservation, restoration and rehabilitation where possible.

 

 

IMA probes ecological impact of spill

12 Feb Day 6

Spill spread to Petit Trou lagoon

On Saturday the Institute of Marine Affairs sent a team to conduct initial ecological assessments of mangroves, beaches and other areas affected by the fuel spill in Tobago.

On February 7, an abandoned vessel, Gulf Stream, capsized nearshore Cove Bay on the Atlantic coast. The barge has since been leaking fuel into the Galleons Passage, leaving environmental stakeholders concerned about the impact. The tourism blow is being weighed as several beaches have been deemed off-limits by the Tobago House of Assembly, while clean-up operations are ongoing. Economically, the fishing industry is affected.

The IMA team analysed data from satellite imagery product providers such as The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to track movement of the spill over distance and time, as well as mined years of rich historical data amassed by IMA for monitoring Tobago’s marine and coastal environments.

From this, preliminary priority sites were determined for: where IMA technicians should collect oil samples; those most vulnerable or susceptible areas (based on both ecological and socio-economic value) impacted by the hazard; as well as areas for restoration and rehabilitation.

At one such site, the team observed oily slick entering the sheltered lagoon in Petit Trou, inundating the sensitive mangrove ecosystem. This once thriving stand began exhibiting dieback prior to the spill incident and is now extremely vulnerable.

The team, led by IMA Director Dr Ava Maxam, met Chief Secretary, Farley Augustine,  Allan Stewart, head of the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA); Marc Rudder, Chief Technical Officer at the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries (MEEI); Gillian Stanislaus, Environmental Programme Officer II at the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) in Tobago and other members of the response team, comprising officials from Heritage Petroleum Company Ltd, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and others, to report initial findings and advise on how cleanup activities should proceed given that some of the affected areas are ecologically sensitive, such as the nesting grounds of the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle.

On Sunday, the IMA collected samples for oil fingerprinting, to determine if there is a link between affected areas and effluent emanating from the source at the overturned vessel.

This is in addition to samples received on February 8 from Coast Guard. Along with oil fingerprinting, samples will be continuously processed for dissolved and dispersed petroleum hydrocarbons (DDPH) to determine the concentration of hydrocarbons in the water column over time, until results indicate a return to pre-incident levels. Monitoring will form part of IMA’s plan to recover and restore the affected sites.

 

 

 

Oil leak offshore causes national emergency

Merco Press February 12 Day 6

An oil leak from an unflagged overturned ship named Gulfstream off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago led Prime Minister Keith Rowley to declare Sunday a national emergency because the situation along 15 km of coastline in Tobago is “not under control.” The mystery vessel capsized Wednesday off the coast of the Cove Eco-Industrial Park in southern Tobago, and currents dragged the boat shoreward.

“Cleanup and restoration can only begin as soon as we get the situation under control, right now the situation is not under control,” the head of government of the petrostate of 1.4 million people told media.. Containment barriers were extended for 15 kilometers to allow vessels to reach the port of Scarborough. In this scenario, a cruise ship with 3,000 people docked on Sunday.

Hundreds of volunteers have been working since Thursday to contain the advance of the thick slick, polluting the delicate marine ecosystem and causing losses to tourism. The environmental management agency identified damage to the reef and beaches of the Atlantic coast, on the eve of the Carnival holiday, crucial for the island which lives off tourism. Rresorts and hotels such as state-owned Magdalena Grand, are affected. Due to the oil stain, authorities asked tourists not to bathe in contaminated areas. The leak damaged a reef and Atlantic beaches, and residents of the village of Lambeau were advised to wear masks or temporarily relocate.

The Gulfstream’s crew did not make emergency calls and remains unaccounted for, ”We have not yet been able to identify the vessel by name, there may be some identifying features (…) even with the use of remotely operated vehicles we have not been successful in identifying a registration number,” said Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Clerk Farley Augustine.  Divers were unable to plug the leak from the 100-meter vessel. State-owned Heritage Petroleum provided assistance and volunteers in beach cleanup.

“That ship we don’t know who it belongs to. We have no idea where it came from and we don’t know everything on it either,” said Rowley, who did not rule out that the vessel had been used in “illicit” operations. “We are not sure whether it is a cargo ship, an oil tanker, or a barge because only the keel of the ship is visible and its physical identifying features are in the water, where we cannot penetrate at the moment.”

Divers spotted the name “Gulfstream” on the craft and identified a length of cable, possibly indicating it was being towed. The Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) reported that there were no signs of life on the Gulfstream, whose cargo was initially believed to consist of sand and timber

 

 

 

Vessel capsizes in Tobago resulting in spill

The Editorial Team safety4sea

February 12, 2024

The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and Kaizen Environmental Services Limited have successfully deployed the boom in the vicinity of the vessel Gulfstream in the waters off the coast of the Cove Eco-Industrial Business Park. – THA/Facebook

Since February 7th, 2024, the Tobago Emergency Management Agency has been responding to an incident of an overturned vessel and a resulting oil spill near Cove Eco Industrial and Business Park in Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) is actively investigating the incident, even though no distress calls were received from the vessel. TEMA, in collaboration with the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), conducted a Preliminary Assessment, revealing that fuel from the overturned vessel reached the shore.

Samples have been collected for fingerprinting, and the Institute of Marine Affairs will determine its origin. TEMA is working with the EMA, TTCG, Department of the Environment, Department of Marine Resources and Fisheries, Ministry of Energy, Woodside Energy, and other stakeholders.. Clean-up and containment efforts have been taking place . The Coast Guard and Kaizen Environmental Services Limited successfully deployed the boom in the vicinity of the vessel Gulfstream off the coast of the Cove Eco-Industrial Business Park. Continuous clean-up operations are underway on the surrounding beaches.

Suspected oil deposits off the coast of Roxborough and Belle Garden are under investigation. For safety reasons, fisherfolk and beachgoers are advised to avoid the area from Rockly Bay to Canoe Bay.

The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) is actively investigating the incident, even though no distress calls were received from the vessel. TEMA, in collaboration with the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), conducted a Preliminary Assessment, revealing that oil from the overturned vessel has reached the shoreline. Samples have been collected for fingerprinting, and the Institute of Marine Affairs will determine the oil’s origin.

TEMA is working with various stakeholders, including the EMA, TTCG, Department of the Environment, Department of Marine Resources and Fisheries, Ministry of Energy, Woodside Energy, and other organizations.

Clean-up and containment efforts have been taking place in the last few days. The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and Kaizen Environmental Services Limited have successfully deployed the boom in the vicinity of the vessel Gulfstream in the waters off the coast of the Cove Eco-Industrial Business Park. Meanwhile, continuous clean-up operations are underway on the surrounding beaches.

map showing the oil spill in TobagoCredit: Office of the Chief Secretary – THA
Suspected oil deposits off the coast of Roxborough and Belle Garden are also under investigation. For safety reasons, fisherfolk and beachgoers are strongly advised to avoid the area extending from Rockly Bay to Canoe Bay.

 

 

 

 

 

Tobago IDs Tug and Barge in Oil Spill as Search for Tug Continues

Tobago identified the tug and barge involved in the oil emergency as the slick spreads

Day 8 FEB 14, 2024 BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

Officials in Tobago identified a tug believed to have been moving the barge that later capsized causing the national emergency and still growing oil disaster onshore and in the Caribbean Sea. The information is similar to an independent investigation that determined it was an articulated tug and barge system that foundered with the barge coming to rest upside down lodged on a reef offshore at the southwestern end of the island.

The Ministry of National Security reports that its Coast Guard reviewed video footage, satellite images, and other material, as well as working with multiple agencies and others including the Guyana Coast Guard. As a result, they identified the tug which is missing at this point as well as revised their earlier reports to say the capsized vessel is an unpowered fuel barge that was being taken to Guyana.

They believe the tug Solo Creed (registered in Tanzania) operating out of Panama was towing the barge named Gulfstream. The tug had departed Panama in January and made a stop in Aruba and according to the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard satellite images showed the tug towing an object approaching the area around Tobago on February 4. They were able to track the vessel into the country’s territorial waters, but eventually lost radar contact with both vessels. The oil slick and capsized vessel were first spotted on February 7.

The Equasis database lists the owners of the tug as unknown. They show the vessel as being built in 1976 but list it under a former name of Margie V. The tug was reported sold in the summer of 2023. TankerTrackers.com has been successful in finding satellite images of the two together and identifies the tug under the alternate name of Ranger, using the same IMO ID number of 7505994.

Equasis lists the owner and manager from 2013 as Crowley Puerto Rico Services Inc.

The authorities in Guyana confirmed that the tug and barge did not arrive as anticipated. Officials in Tobago continue to work with the various agencies and international authorities to locate the tug and its owners.

They are reporting that the identity of the tug was further confirmed through consultations with the authorities in Panama and Aruba. The Dutch authorities in Aruba were able to provide images of the tug towing the barge which was used to confirm the identity of both vessels. They are saying that there are “distinctive markings” on the capsized barge to confirm its identity.

Images of the ongoing clean-up over the past few days in Tobago (Courtesy of TEMA)

The announcement came hours after the website Bellingcat which represents independent researchers released an extensive analysis identifying the barge. They pointed out unique elements such as “pigeonhole ladders on the side of the hull,” which they noted are only found on this type of unpowered barge. They concluded it was a 60,000 bbl double-hulled barge, although noted that because of the lack of detailed registrations for barges, it is difficult to track.

The authorities also released new images showing progress with the onshore cleanup while reporting that the satellite images from today, February 14, showed the slick spreading. Winds up to 14 knots and currents are driving the slick but also keeping it offshore. They estimated the slick measures 78 nautical miles and has traveled up to 63 nautical miles including nearly 20 miles outside the Trinidad and Tobago EEZ.

In addition to receiving help from volunteers, companies operating in the country are contributing resources. BP is reported to have provided equipment including remotely operated vehicles to help in the cleanup. Booms also continue to be deployed in an attempt to prevent the oil from reaching shore.

 

 

 

Tobago Oil Slick In Grenada Waters

DAY 8 FEBRUARY 14, 2024

The latest satellite imagery by Copernicus Sentinel-1A detected possible oil moving out of Trinidad and Tobago’s marine area into Grenada’s southernmost marine area of responsibility.

Sentinel-1 data captured on 5:37 AM February 14th, 2024 showing the possible oil slick extending west of Tobago into Grenada’s marine area of responsibility.

Based on data analyzed by TTWC and the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), a silverlike slick emanating from the wreck, now identified as a barge called Gulfstream, with streaks of a thick black substance. The anomaly measured 78 nautical miles, approximately 144 kilometers in length and extended from the west to northwest of Tobago into the Caribbean Sea. Why we’re currently using “oil-like substance” instead of oil

The oily fuel has been spilling into the ocean since overnight February 6th into February 7th, initially covering the windward coastline of Tobago, closest to where the barge was stuck on Cove Reef. On February 11th, 2024, the slick travelled up to 88 kilometers west and northwest of Tobago.

As of February 14th, high-resolution satellite imagery has detected the possible oil slick travelling approximately 63 nautical miles, or 118 kilometers, west-northwest, which has now reached 30 kilometers out of Trinidad and Tobago’s Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ), in which T&T has exclusive rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind.

The possible oil slick has moved into the southernmost area of Grenada’s Economic Exclusive Zone by approximately 30 kilometers. According to TEMA, winds measured 14 knots from the east during the satellite image, guiding the potential drift path of the possible oil slick.

Based on the current trajectory of the possible oil slick due to prevailing winds and ocean currents, the coastline of Grenada is not under any threat. At this time, no oil/oil-like substance has made it on Tobago’s west or northern coastlines.Sentinel-1 data captured on 5:37 AM February 14th, 2024 showing the possible oil slick extending west of Tobago into Grenada’s marine area of responsibility.

TEMA added that the high confidence level is attributed to the known suspected point source variations in slick thickness were noted, and a thin oil-like substance was present in the imagery drone surveillance and ground truthing were also conducted to increase the confidence level advanced aerial truthing is to be done by the T&T Air Guard. On February 14th, 2024, one week after the Tobago Oil Spill began, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard made headway in learning new information about the vessel’s origins.

 

 

Identifying the Mystery Vessel at the Site of Tobago National Emergency Spill

February 14, 2024 Day 8

[ N.B. The images corresponding to this item are to be found on the Bellingcat Dicord server  ]

On February 7th, 2024, a mystery vessel began leaking oil and ran aground on a reef off the coast of Tobago, one of the two main islands of Trinidad and Tobago.

The resulting spill coated beaches, wildlife, and over 80 kilometres of the Caribbean Sea, leading the government to proclaim a “national emergency”. Over a week later, the vessel remains unidentified by authorities. Dive teams and an autonomous submersible found a name for the vessel — the “Gulfstream” — but have been unable to locate an International Maritime Organization (IMO) registration number that would conclusively identify it.

Research by Bellingcat, including volunteers in our Discord community, suggests an explanation: the mystery vessel is an unpowered barge, part of a so-called articulated tug and barge system that did not have a registration number to begin with.

After this story was published, on February 14, Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of National Security announced that it had determined two vessels were “involved in the oil spill incident.” One of the vessels was a tugboat named Solo Creed bound for Guyana from Panama. It identified the other vessel, a barge it did not name, as the one leaking “black, oily deposits” off the Tobago coast. This article is about identifying the latter.

At 7:20am local time on the 7th, the wrecked vessel leaking oil was called into the Tobago Emergency Management Authority. A few hours later, an image taken by the Sentinel-2 satellite captured the vessel and an oil slick over 10 kilometres long to the northeast that subsequently ran aground on the shallow coral reef directly off of Tobago Sentinel-2 imagery from February 7th, 2024, shown with different zooms and colour processing.

A photo posted by user “Wussy” on ShipSpotting.com reveals something interesting about the submerged vessel: the presence of “pigeonhole” ladders on the side of the hull. These are clearly visible near the left-hand side of the vessel and also barely visible on the right edge of the photo. An image posted on ShipSpotting.com, appended by Bellingcat, shows pigeonhole ladders on the side of the vessel’s hull. Image copyright 2024 ShipSpotting.com user “Wussy.”

These pigeonholes are an unusual feature because they are typically not present on self-powered ships, but instead used on unpowered barges, which may be uncrewed and require exterior access from the water. Because un-powered barges are regulated differently than self-powered vessels, open source information about them is spottier.

However, Bellingcat did identify one barge named the Gulfstream, associated with a tug boat named Marlin, on the website TugboatInformation.com. According to the site, “[The Marlin] was married to a 449(ft) 60,000 bbl double-hulled barge; the Gulfstream.” The tug and the barge operated as part of an “articulated tug and barge system,” or ATB.

The tug is coupled to the rear of the barge in a special notch in the hull. This can be seen in this image by user Hans Rosenkranz from FleetMon.com. Note also in this image, that while the Marlin tug has been painted with an IMO registration number, the barge itself only carries the name “Gulfstream” and text that reads “Philadelphia.”

Tugboatinformation.com includes several other images of the vessel. Two were taken in 2009 and show the vessel operating heavily laden and low in the water. A third image on Tugboat Information, undated and uncredited, shows the vessel’s bow with more of its hull exposed. Bellingcat identified the image as another photograph taken in 2008 by Rosenkranz, and obtained a higher resolution copy. In these images, it is possible to match the position of both sets of pigeonholes (red and green), as well as rubbing strakes (outlined in orange), to the capsized vessel in Tobago. The number of pigeonholes between the two visible strakes on the capsized vessel matches the number between the lower two strakes on the Gulfstream barge. Additionally, a series of five sacrificial anodes (purple) can be seen along the bow of the Gulfstream. These would have been replaced many times between 2008 and 2024, but are still positioned in very similar locations.

Top: image posted on Tugboat Information, copyright 2008 Hans Rosenkranz. Bottom: image copyright ShipSpotting.com user Wussy, 2024. The bottom image has been flipped horizontally for clarity.

Clues are available from dive footage screened during a press conference by the Tobago House of Assembly, which shows a structure on the reef bottom (the footage begins 16:07 into the video). This structure, possibly misidentified as “the ship’s mast,” bears a resemblance to the lighting towers on the deck of the Gulfstream barge

Left: Image from video released by the Tobago House of Assembly. Right: Image posted on ShipSpotting, copyright 2009 by user JP Byrd.

While photos from 2008 and 2009 show the Marlin/Gulfstream ATB system operating in the United States, records on vessel ownership tracking database Equasis show that the Marlin was sold in 2012 and purchased by San Martin Group Ltd, a Panamanian company. In 2014, AIS data shows that the vessel began regularly visiting petroleum ports in Venezuela and the Caribbean.

Equasis records only show the sale of the Marlin, because un-powered barges are not registered in the same way, as mentioned earlier. However, after the sale date, the vessels were also captured by imagery available on Google Earth, which clearly shows that the tug Marlin is still operating with its “married” barge Gulfstream, as in this image from a petroleum port in Maracaibo, Venezuela on July 28th, 2015.

Google Earth image of the port of Maracaibo, Venezuela on July 28th, 2015.

Bellingcat followed the Marlin/Gulfstream using AIS data and satellite imagery until October 17th, 2020, when it transmitted its last AIS position at the ASTINAVE shipyard in Amuay, Venezuela. Satellite imagery shows that the barge remained at ASTINAVE for some time. On February 18, 2021, ASTINAVE posted an image on Instagram showing the tug Marlin and the stern of the Gulfstream, with the caption “Posicionamiento de embarcacion en acople de trabajo,” or “Positioning of the vessel under coupling mode.” On March 23, 2021, Equasis records show that the owners of the Marlin, San Martin Group Ltd, sold the Marlin to another Panamanian company, Star Goods Petroleum S.A, which was registered in 2014. The Gulfstream itself does not appear in Equasis. For over a year, the Gulfstream remained at the ASTINAVE shipyard, according to imagery from Planet Labs PBC and Google Earth. It was last seen in Planet imagery on February 22, 2022, where it is shown floating just offshore from the drydock. The Gulfstream has not been visible at ASTINAVE after this date. The Marlin has not transmitted an AIS message since.

There are few reasons why a vessel would not transmit AIS signals. One common reason is to obscure the origin and destination of the cargo it is transporting, though there is no conclusive evidence as to why signals from the Marlin ceased. Ships in so-called “ghost fleets” are sometimes used to transport sanctioned oil from Iran and Venezuela.

In 2022, the Financial Times reported that the number of ships that have gone dark to operate in ghost fleets has tripled since 2019. Operating under the radar, these vessels are frequently poorly maintained — Reuters reported last year that more than half of Venezuela’s state-owned fleet of oil tankers are “so run down that they should be immediately repaired or taken out of service.” The typical lifespan of a tanker is 30 years. As of 2014, the Marlin and the Gulfstream have been in service for 50 and 48 years, respectively.

The Gulfstream barge has a unique shape, but it is not visible in images of the Tobago site. To evaluate the plausibility of the Gulfstream being the wrecked vessel, Bellingcat used ship-spotting photos and satellite imagery to build a to-scale 3D model of the Gulfstream barge. As the bottom of the vessel is not visible in available ship-spotting imagery, this model is approximate, using diagrams of other articulated-tug-and-barge systems available online.

Left: 3D illustration of how the Gulfstream could be sitting in the water. 3D graphic by Alison Malouf. Right: Aerial image released by the Office of the Chief Secretary of Tobago. Left: 3D model of the Gulfstream by Alison Malouf and Thomas Bordeaux. Right: Aerial image released by the Office of the Chief Secretary of Tobago.

Based on how the vessel sits on the reef, with its bow and starboard side sticking farther out of the water than the more deeply submerged stern, it seems plausible that this is the same vessel and that the tug-boat coupling is hidden beneath the water surface. A to-scale comparison with high-res Planet SkySat imagery shows that the size and shape is an almost exact match.

Star Goods Petroleum S.A. does not have an online presence and its Panamanian registration documents contain no contact information. Bellingcat was able to locate the LinkedIn page of the company’s Executive Vice President. He did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

On Monday, February 12th, a Sentinel-2 image showed an oil slick snaking northwest from the crash site, in which it appeared to be still actively leaking. This oil extends for at least 40 kilometres into the Caribbean Sea, showing the ongoing extent of the spill.

In a Tuesday X post, one Tobagonian shared aerial imagery of a beach in Scarborough, Tobago. Covered in thick black oil a few days previously, clean-up work by local volunteers had removed much of the visible oil, the beginning of an arduous remediation process from this environmental disaster.

This story has been updated to include an announcement by the Trinidad and Tobago government on vessels involved in the oil spill and additional information on the Marlin and Gulfstream’s ownership history.

Additional research by members of Bellingcat’s Discord community, including Lotte van der Waal, Thomas Bordeaux and Ethan Doyle. 3D modelling by Alison Malouf.

Bellingcat is a non-profit and our work is dependent on the kind support of individual donors.

[ N.B. The images corresponding to this item are to be found on the Bellingcat Dicord server  ]

 

 

 

Tug and barge responsible for Tobago disaster

February 16, 2024 Day 10 Insurance Marine News,

Using the power of Discord group members and its own research team, Netherlands-based non-profit Bellingcat apparently has established that the vessel that sank off Tobago and spilled a significant amount of oil was a barge, being towed as part of an articulated tug-and-barge coupling. The tug and the barge operated as part of an “articulated tug and barge system,” or ATB. The tug is coupled to the rear of the barge in a special notch in the hull.

The tug has disappeared. The name of the tug is also a matter of some speculation.

The local coast guard and Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of National Security confirmed that “after reviewing much material”, the sunken vessel was an unpowered fuel barge. It also said that it was being towed to Guyana by a Tanzania-registered, 1976-built tug called Solo Creed.

However, the tug is named elsewhere (by Marine Traffic) as the Ranger (7505994). To add to the confusion, Equasis, also referring to a 538 gt 1976-built tug, attributes that IMO number to a vessel named the Margie V. Equasis lists the vessel as sold in June 2023 (to unknown interests), with the flag unknown since September 2023. It would appear that these are all likely to be the same vessel, once owned and operated in the US and called the Marlin (see below).

The T&T authorities identified the second vessel as the one leaking “black, oily deposits” off the Tobago coast. This second vessel looked certain to have been the barge in the ATB system. Its name according to Bellingcat, is Gulfstream – also 48 years old. The tug and barge are owned by Panamanian interests and have a history of moving Venezuelan oil.

Back in its relatively younger days, the tug (then called the Marlin) operated in the US, but in 2012 Bellingcat said that it was bought by Panama-based San Martin Group Ltd. AIS data from 2014 showed that the vessel then began regular visits to petroleum ports in Venezuela and the Caribbean.

Equasis lists the owner and manager from 2013 as Crowley Puerto Rico Services Inc.

Equasis records only show the sale of the Marlin, because un-powered barges are not registered in the same way. However, after the sale date, the vessels were also captured by imagery available on Google Earth, which clearly shows that the tug Marlin was still operating with its “married” barge Gulfstream.

The Marlin/Gulfstream stopped transmitting an AIS on October 17th 2020, when it transmitted its last AIS position at the ASTINAVE shipyard in Amuay, Venezuela. Satellite imagery showed that the barge remained at ASTINAVE for some time, said Bellingcat. On March 23rd 2021, Equasis records show that the owners of the Marlin, San Martin Group Ltd, sold the Marlin to another Panamanian company, Star Goods Petroleum SA. For over a year the Gulfstream remained at the ASTINAVE shipyard. It was last seen in Planet imagery on February 22nd 2022, where it is shown floating just offshore from the drydock.

Since then, the trail of both tug and couple barge has gone dark. Star Goods Petroleum SA does not have an online presence. Its Panamanian registration documents contain no contact information. Bellingcat located the LinkedIn page of the company’s Executive Vice President, but he did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

 

 

 

Two vessels in Trinidad oil spill

Port of Spain (AFP) – At least two vessels, a barge and a tugboat, were involved in the accident last week that sparked a massive, ongoing oil spill in Trinidad and Tobago

14/02/2024 Day 8

A photo released by Trinidad authorities shows oil leaking from the barge on February 10, 2024 © Handout / Tobago House Assembly/AFP

Authorities had been scrambling to figure out what happened after a mystery vessel — now understood to be the barge — capsized on February 7, after having made no emergency calls and with no sign of crew, and no clear sign of ownership. Divers had previously spotted the name “Gulfstream” on the side of the leaking barge.

The Coast Guard has “confirmed that the barge was being towed by a tug, the Solo Creed, from Panama.” Investigations by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard revealed that the vessels “appear to have been bound for Guyana,” according to the Ministry of National Security.

“However, the Guyanese authorities have confirmed that neither vessel arrived as anticipated. At this state, it is not known whether any lives have been lost in the incident. Satellite imagery had shown the Solo Creed tugging an object on February 4. We have been working very closely with the Guyana Coast Guard in this critical matter and we appreciate their full-scale support,” said Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds.

Hundreds of volunteers have been toiling since Thursday to halt the spread of the fuel and the governmentasked for even more to lend a hand. The leak has damaged a reef and Atlantic beaches and residents of the village of Lambeau have been advised to wear masks or temporarily relocate. At the height of carnival, the spill threatens the tourist business that is crucial to the economy.

 

 

 

 

MASSIVE OIL SPILL NEAR TT

BLAMED ON BARGE BEING TUGGED

CBS 15 feb Day 9

A preliminary investigation into a mushrooming oil spill in waters near Trinidad and Tobago found that an overturned and abandoned barge blamed for the disaster was being tugged to nearby Guyana. Officials are trying to determine the owner of the vessel after last week’s spill coated beaches along Tobago’s southern coast and forced at least two schools to close over health concerns.

Foreign maritime security investigators are helping with the ongoing probe . Prime Minister Keith Rowley said the country was grappling with a national emergency. Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, with help from regional agencies and satellite images, determined that the barge and a tug boat were traveling from Panama to Guyana, the National Security Ministry said.

It was not clear if anybody was aboard the barge when it overturned and apparently began to sink off Tobago’s coast. They are still searching for the tug boat and its owner. The mystery ship made no emergency calls, with no sign of crew and no clear indication of ownership. The spill has angered many residents and Farley Augustine, chief secretary of Tobago’s House of Assembly, demanded that the owner of the barge step forward and pay for the cleanup.

“We have a lot of questions, and now is the best time to have those questions answered. We need to know the quantity and the material you were transporting, so we know what we have been dealing with, what we have been walking in, what we have been swimming in, what we have been trying to clean up from our shores,” Augustine said. National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said the investigation is continuing. “We look forward to a swift and successful resolution.”

 

 

 

Oil spill near Trinidad and Tobago flowing to other regions prompting concerns

15 feb Day 9 The Independent

The massive oil spill that blackened Tobago’s beaches is now flowing to other regions, the country’s emergency team warned, putting nearby countries on alert. For a week, emergency teams were working round the clock to clean up the 12km (7.46miles) spill off the coast of Tobago, which prompted a “national emergency”.

Keith Rowley, the prime minister , said on Tuesday the situation was “not under control” and the cleanup was expected to take longer. While it was still unclear how much oil was left, the island’s emergency management agency (TEMA) said some leftover oil was now flowing in the opposite direction away from Tobago shores.

Satellite images and models suggest that waves might have taken some of the spill into the Caribbean Sea past northern Venezuela, Reuters reported. This increases the risk that the oil impacts other beaches in Trinidad and Tobago with coral reefs, and even other countries’ coasts, TEMA’s director Allan Stewart told Reuters.

“The satellite showed that some of it was moving into the Caribbean Sea, as well as some of the modeling,” Mr Stewart said, adding that an upcoming flight by Trinidad‘s Air Guard is expected to confirm the finding. Cleanup operation continues after spill triggers national emergency in Trinidad and Tobago

Venezuela’s foreign affairs ministry said on Wednesday that the country was monitoring the spill and has initiated meetings with the Trinidad government to coordinate action.

Meanwhile, some mystery began to clear on the origins of the spill. Mr Rowley earlier said the government had “no idea where it [vessel] came from and we also don’t know all that it contains.”

On Wednesday, the National Security Ministry said in a release that at least two vessels allegedly bound for Guyana – a tugboat and a barge – were involved in an incident that led to the spill.

“The barge was being towed by a tug, the Solo Creed from Panama,” the ministry said, adding that it remains unknown whether any lives were lost in the incident.

Authorities in Panama, Aruba and Guyana have been contacted by Trinidad and regional group Caricom to gather information as part of the investigation. The tugboat and the barge were identified in satellite pictures taken three days before the incident in the Caribbean Sea, reviewed by TankerTrackers.com. According to the monitoring service, the vessels were heading to St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The oil was initially spotted around four miles north of the barge near the town of Scarborough. So far, approximately one-third of the 15km of shoreline on Tobago’s Atlantic Ocean has been cleaned and the spill is increasingly under control. Environmental officials said the spill damaged a reef and Atlantic beaches, a dire sign for the islands’ environment and its tourism industry during the Carnival .

 

 

Oil Tankers In Tobago Assist Oil Spill Clean-Up

Day 9 Feb 15, 2024

Oil tankers arrived in Tobago to clean-up the oil spill. The Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) says the tankers from Oil Mop Environmental Services will assist with the suction of the oil at Scarborough, Lambeau, and other affected areas.

Meanwhile, Minister of of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds says the investigations into the spill in Tobago are well under control and being managed in a sensible and professional manner.

On Wednesday, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard said according to Satellite imagery, the barge, earlier identified as the Gulf Stream, was being towed by the Solo Creed from Panama to Guyana on February 4th.