NEC ADDING VALUE TO T&T’s ENERGY SECTOR 100 YEARS LATER.

The year 2010 marked 100 years since the first export cargo of crude oil was shipped by tanker at the Brighton port in La Brea. Two years before this historical event, T&T’s first commercial oil well was successfully drilled within the same vicinity. Those events will always qualify as two of the major achievements that have contributed to the economic development of Trinidad and Tobago.

Now a gas-based economy, T&T remains at the front line of global innovation, successfully having added petrochemicals such as Methanol and Ammonia to its downstream portfolio. So impressive have been the successes of this country’s energy sector that National Oil Companies and several West African countries have been seeking our expertise in developing their energy industries.

The decision to go further downstream and add greater value to the energy sector led to the construction of a world class fabrication yard on the NEC-managed LABIDCO Estate in La Brea. Since its establishment, the fabrication yard (owned by Trinidad Offshore Fabricators Unlimited (TOFCO)) has constructed many offshore platforms for several E&P companies-such as bpTT, BGTT, EOG Resources and BHP Billiton.

Recently, LABIDCO-home to the historic Brighton port-once again benefited from another innovative milestone: On Tuesday April 17th 2011, the “NEC Queen” (one of NEC’s 10 owned and operated vessels) set sail-approximately three weeks after docking for servicing and repairs. The dry docking exercise was successfully executed at the LABDICO fabrication yard.

The dry docking exercise brought new activity to the LABIDCO estate and La Brea-a major fence line community for NEC and LABIDCO. During the three week operation, several persons from the area were employed, many of whom were exposed, for the first time, to a dry docking exercise.

NEC is proud to have added value to T&T’s energy sector through another innovative decision and will continue to engage in activities that promote and contribute to community and national development.

 The “NEC Queen” is ready to set sail after dry docking for repairs at the LABIDCO Fabrication Yard

NEC President, Andrew Jupiter, along with staff members Haydn Jones, Michelle Scipio-Hosang and TOFCO’s Project Manager, Ryan Mathura look on as the “NEC Queen” sets sail at the Brighton Port.