Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 12, 2018 News
By Rehanna Ramsay
Residents of the lower Pomeroon River, (Region Two) are making use of the flow of natural gas discovered in parts of their community. At least eight households from Friendship Village have been able benefit from the pockets of the natural gas emissions found right in their own backyards.
The development came to light during a recent visit by Junior Minister of Public Infrastructure, (MPI) Annette Ferguson and her team to the Region.
Communications Officer of the MPI, Andrew Weekes, revealed that the residents of Friendship have been benefitting from the use of the natural gas for almost two decades.
Kaieteur News understands that the commodity is harnessed by residents mainly for domestic purposes.
Weekes noted that the residents can cook in comfort, without the hassle of having to worry about purchasing the commodity (cooking gas).
The Communications Officer said that the Pomeroon natural gas plants have been under the supervision of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, (GGMC). He explained that GGMC has been responsible for spearheading the project since 2002.
“We were informed that the GGMC has been responsible for constructing the two natural gas plants in the Pomeroon; for testing and ensuring its safety and use to the residents.”
GGMC’s Head, Newell Dennison disclosed that the discovery was made during investigations of such occurrences on the coastland fringe.
Dennison said that during the exploration, the staff of the GGMC’s Petroleum Unit found that there was a “considerable” quantity of natural gas available in areas of the Lower Pomeroon. He noted however, that the natural gas occurrence should not be viewed in isolation, since there are occurrences at a number of locations along the coastland.
Dennison explained that the pockets of natural gas emissions stem from biogenic occurrences (biodegradable composts) as well as thermogenic phenomenon such as petroleum activities.”
“Within the environment of the coastland there are lots of biogenic occurrences…It is (therefore) ubiquitous; it can happen in almost any environment, especially in conditions that are marshy, swampy. The environment along the coastland of Guyana presents such conditions…What intrigued the exploration team here at GGMC, however is the gas occurrence was very high in the Pomeroon. The team therefore found a way to use simple technology to trap the gas and make it useful to the people of the Pomeroon.
It is clean and cheap source of energy that can be used to sustain the cottage industries.”
Dennison said however that based on the examinations; the Commission has not been able to determine the source of the natural gas emissions.
He explained that while it is possible that the occurrences can be as a result of oil/petroleum activities offshore, the Commission has not been able to definitively say that gaseous hydrocarbons found in the Pomeroon are linked to the offshore occurrences.
“If we could confirm (corroborate), then it lends to the geoscientifc evidence that there has been a migration from the petroleum kitchen offshore to the shelf (on shore) and that raises the prospects of the areas onshore for petroleum occurrences .
But we have not been able to account definitively for long migration from the kitchen which is way outside of the shelf which is the Coast.”
Manager of GGMC’s Petroleum Unit, Christopher Lynch, explained that the technical team would have conducted tests to ensure the safety and usefulness of the natural gas found in the Pomeroon.
He explained that the team has been responsible for helping the residents harness the gaseous extracts through the use of trapping devices (cylinders). These cylinders are then fitted with several PVC pipelines, creating an apparatus which transmits the gas to the homes of the residents.
In addition to the activities in the Pomeroon, the Commission has been able to assist residents in Wakenaam with a similar project.
Meanwhile, Petroleum Technologist, Mitchell Prince, revealed that the unit has discovered quantities of natural gas in various parts of the coastland.
Kaieteur News understands that in addition to the two plants at Friendship, Pomeroon, GGMC Petroleum Division has been managing similar projects in Wakenaam and Grove, East Bank Demerara.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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