Natural resources ministry staff being trained in use of modern Petrel software to build capacity
As part of the government’s development agenda is capacity building of human resources in each sector. This has become critical against the backdrop of the modernising of Guyana’s economy, driven in part by the burgeoning oil and gas sector.
To ensure that the sector continues along this trajectory, the technical staff of the Natural Resources Ministry are being trained in the dynamics of newly provided Petrel software, to foster an increase in efficiency.
Petrel software, developed by Schlumberger Guyana Inc. is a platform used in exploration and production in the petroleum industry. It provides industry-standard technology for reservoir management.
The software is intended to strengthen capacity as Guyana strives to become a major player in the hydrocarbon industry. The World Bank has also played an instrumental part as a technical and financial partner in this process.
Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, speaking at the launch on Monday, said this is a step in the right direction, as the country progresses at an unprecedented pace.
He said,“The pace at which our country is moving if we don’t move with them, we will be left behind. We are the regulatory body, so how are we going to regulate if we do not move with them? And one of the biggest components in ensuring that we do so is ensuring that we develop our human resource.”
The training, facilitated by Senior Reservoir Engineer at SLB, Alfiya Nikolaeva will see staff being exposed to various aspects of the software, including double-sized interpretation workflow, to improve data management. Moreover, the training will equip the technical staff with the capacity to make advanced decisions regarding risk identification, data verification, and technical analysis.
“We need to move to a stage where we can interpret our own data…Our view is to build out a regulatory framework that is transparent and accountable to manage the oil and gas sector,” the minister stated.
Representatives of the World Bank, Diletta Doretti and Carlos Lopez, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Joslyn McKenzie, representatives of SLB, staff of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and other ministry officials were also in attendance.