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Trinidad seeks US license for BP gas project shared with Venezuela

The federal government of Trinidad and Tobago has begun talks with the U.S. for a license that would permit the joint development of a natural gas project shared with Venezuela that also includes BP, Energy Minister Stuart Young said on Thursday.

The Manakin-Cocuina areas become part of the Plataforma Deltana enormous gas project on the Venezuela side of the maritime border, which stays idled. On Trinidad's side, BP runs the field, and is approaching a financial choice to develop it in keeping with U.S. sanctions versus Venezuela.

Venezuela's federal government and BP recently validated speak to revive the joint advancement of Manakin-Cocuina, which had remained suspended for several years upon imposition of U.S. sanctions in 2019. Venezuela stated it was considering granting a different long-term license for the task.

Trinidad has actually been pushing producers recently, particularly offshore, to speed up gas tasks so that the production of liquefied gas (LNG) recovers, boosting exports and petrochemical production.

Minister Stuart Young stated he hopes Washington will grant the license for Manakin-Cocuina this year, similar to a 2023 permission it reached the Dragon gas task in Venezuela, which is being planned by Shell and Trinidad's National Gas Company (NGC).

The government of Trinidad and Tobago is dealing with the government of Venezuela, and bringing BP along, as we did with Shell. There is a precedent, a template for getting it done. And we have actually seen really, very fast development and very productive progress, he told on the sidelines of the CERAWeek conference in Houston.

BP decreased to talk about government to government matters.

The U.S. license for Dragon is set to expire in October next year, so talks for a possible extension are currently taking place, Young said.

Shell and NGC have begun preparations for Dragon's.

(source: Reuters)