Govt partners with CNOOC to offer more petroleum engineering scholarships to local students

…next batch of students being sought to study oil related courses in China

The Government of Guyana is partnering with CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, ExxonMobil Guyana’s joint venture partner in the Stabroek Block, to offer more scholarships for Guyanese to qualify themselves in China for the oil and gas sector.
According to a notice, the Natural Resources Ministry in conjunction with CNOOC, invited applications from locals to join the next batch of students pursuing Geoscience and Petroleum Engineering scholarships.
It was explained that applicants must be between 18 and 25 years old and hold a valid Guyanese passport. Additionally, it was explained that applicants who possess Chinese Language Certification (HSK3 or HSK4) would be an advantage.
“To qualify, students must have CSEC or CAPE (including Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry) with Grade 1 or 2, or a Diploma in Science with at least a 3.0 GPA. The qualifications must have been obtained within the last three years,” the notice stated, adding that they must send a detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) and cover letter to [email protected] by March 28, 2025.
Guyana has made strides when it comes to locals equipping themselves to work in the oil and gas sector. It was recently revealed that more than 1,100 companies are registered with the Local Content Secretariat, meaning they are in possession of a Local Content Certificate to confirm they are a Guyanese company and are eligible to supply oil and gas operations. Additionally, more than 6,500 Guyanese have been employed in the oil and gas sector.

CNOOC, for its part, has been partnering with the Natural Resources Ministry to fund scholarships covering education, transportation, and living expenses to promising Guyanese students to study in China. This is in a move aimed at stimulating talent within Guyana’s petroleum sector.
It had been reported last year that under the current program, 10 scholarships will be awarded over three years. Upon graduation, the first batch of scholarship recipients were expected to work with either the Ministry of Natural Resources or China Petroleum Guyana Limited (CPGL) for five years, ensuring their newly acquired skills benefit the nation.
CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25% interest in the Stabroek Block, while ExxonMobil affiliate ExxonMobil Guyana Limited is operator, and holds 45% interest and Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30% interest.
Meanwhile, the government of Guyana has also been collaborating with other oil companies and contractors to train Guyanese in the oil sector. These efforts include the Guyana Technical Training College (GTTC), where US$13 million was invested in the facility simulator dubbed FacTor, a fully functional plant that mirrors the operation of real offshore platforms using water and air and is designed to accommodate a batch of 24 students.
The first phase of the state-of-the-art facility was commissioned on February 9, 2024– an initiative largely led by SBM Offshore Guyana, Stabroek block partners ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC, and the Government of Guyana.
The first batch of 24 graduates from the Guyana Technical Training College (GTTC) have meanwhile already found employment on board the Liza Unity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, with a number of other upcoming graduates from Government sponsored programmes expected to find employment in the oil and gas sector.