UG engineering students tour Gas-to-Energy Project at Wales

Some 70 students from the University of Guyana’s (UG) Faculty of Engineering and Technology, along with several lecturers, visited the Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project site at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD), where they were briefed on the project’s development, current progress and its strategic importance to Guyana’s energy and industrial transformation. The students from the architecture, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering programmes were accompanied by the Head of the GtE Task Force, Winston Brassington.

Speaking during the visit, Presidential Advisor on Tertiary Education Reform Dr Kofi Dalrymple emphasised the importance of exposing students to major national development projects and cutting-edge engineering works taking place in Guyana. “This is a transformational project that promises to revolutionise the industrial sectors of Guyana. What students saw here was inspiring and brings world-class engineering right here to Guyana, giving them opportunities never before available in the country,” he added.

The visit forms part of a broader effort to connect students with real-world engineering and development projects, strengthen industry engagement, and prepare graduates to contribute meaningfully to Guyana’s expanding industrial and infrastructure sectors. Project Manager of Linsayca, Luis Pirela, highlighted the broader national and regional significance of the initiative and the opportunities it creates for students and future professionals. “Guyana is one of the hottest places in the world right now when it comes to development, and this project will make a huge impact on the country and the wider region. Many of the world’s top engineering firms and manufacturers are here.”

The students were exposed to various aspects of the project, including large-scale civil infrastructure development, energy systems, construction operations, industrial engineering applications, and the integration of modern technologies within a rapidly developing economy. Throughout the tour, students engaged the project team with numerous technical questions about the engineering systems, construction processes, operations, and future expansion potential of the facility.

Project representatives took time to address the students’ enquiries in detail while also discussing opportunities for graduates to become involved in major national development projects such as the GtE initiative. Senior Petroleum Coordinator at the Natural Resources Ministry, Bobby Gossai Jr; Assistant Dean and Architecture Lecturer Shion Norton; Lecturer Anirude Khelawan; and a specialist electrical engineer and Head of the Petroleum & Geological Engineering Department, Miss Klass, were present during the tour.