Private Sector inks pacts with US companies for collaboration on O&G

On the sidelines of the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, several Private Sector entities have signed agreements with United States-based companies for collaboration in the oil and gas industry.
The OTC, which is being held from August 16 to 19, is the largest oil and gas sector trade show in the world. It provides opportunities for businesses to network and seek partners in pursuit of emerging opportunities.
Guyana has set up a booth at the conference, and among the Guyanese Delegation led by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo are several Private Sector bodies and companies with special interests in the petroleum industry.
One such entity is the Guyana Oil & Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), which signed off on two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on Tuesday at the Houston OTC.

The MoUs are underpinned in the spirit of mutual areas of collaboration in capacity building through education and training, and to promote strategic partnerships with local players in the energy sector in Guyana with international organisations, GOGEC said.
Manniram Prashad, President of GOGEC, signed the first agreement with Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station Turbomachinery Laboratory (TEES-TL) Director of Global and Corporate Partnerships, Greg Gammon. This was witnessed by Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharat and U.S. Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch.
The objective of this Memorandum of Understanding is to work in close collaboration with TEES-TL and its important role in research and workforce development within technical areas of Rotordynamics and Mechanical Systems, Thermal Fluids and Combustion, and Computational Modeling and Design.
The second MOU was signed with the University of Texas at Austin Petroleum Extension (PETEX) Cockrell School of Engineering. The underpinning objective of this strategic partnership is to offer sector-specific training courses and Executive Education in the Petroleum Sector through the Training Institute of GOGEC.
This, according to Prashad, will address the need for capacity building specifically for the oil and gas sector and companies operating within the full value chain.
Meanwhile, local constructing firm GAICO Construction Service on Wednesday inked a MoU with Myer Marine Services and Hargrove EPC.
The signing was done by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GAICO Construction Services, Komal Singh; President of Myer Marine Services, David Myer; and President of Hargrove Engineers + Constructors, Ralph Hargrove.
It was witnessed by Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd; Ambassador Lynch; CEO of Go-Invest Dr. Peter Ramsaroop; Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PAC), Paul Cheong; and Vice-President of the
Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Gerry Gouveia Jnr, and other company officials.

The objective of the Memorandum of Understanding is to foster a deeper teaming relationship, and to work in close collaboration towards the development of projects in Guyana. This strategic partnership will enable the transfer of skills and technology for the development of the Guyanese workforce in the growing oil and gas sector.
Myer Marine Services has grown very quickly from its founding in 2013 to become a premier steel fabrication, machining, and field services company. Led by David Myer and sons Brandon Myer and Bradley Myer, Myer Marine Services offers the full range of services, from initial design all the way to installation of the finished product.
Hargrove Engineers + Contractors has innovated sound solutions for the process, manufacturing, and energy industries since 1995. Hargrove serves clients in long-term support relationships in multiple modes of service: onsite support arrangements, plant-level small projects and consulting roles, and larger capital projects.
GAICO Construction has expanded and realigned its operations to cater for the country’s newfound petroleum industry. Today, GAICO has jobs across the length and breadth of Guyana with over 100 employees. The company is integrally involved in the development of the country in the civil works sector, marine sector and, mostly recently, in the Oil and gas sector in the areas of oil spill response and waste management.
“GAICO is honoured to be partnering up once again with two major American- based companies. This MoU is the beginning of another big step for not only GAICO but also for Guyana, as we are all determined to growing the economy and bringing the professional skills needed utilising the Private Sector,” said Singh.
“We are thrilled to enter this partnership today with Hargrove and Gaico, and to become an active participant in the growth and development of Guyana. With our collective experience and broad areas of expertise, the capabilities of this team are endless, and unmatched in Guyana or abroad. We are looking forward to what the future holds for this team, and for Guyana,” the Myer Marine Services President added.
Further, Ralph Hargrove said his company “…is excited about the opportunity to partner with Gaico and Myer in order to meet the ambitious industrial and infrastructure plans in Guyana, while creating skilled employment opportunities for the Guyanese people.”
These collaborations were facilitated by the US Embassy in Georgetown and Go-Invest to advance Guyana’s development. (G8)