Trinidad and Tobago's government is optimistic two flagship offshore gas projects with neighbouring Venezuela to be operated by Shell, BP and Trinidad's National Gas Company will move forward amid political changes in the OPEC country, the energy minister of the twin-island nation said on Wednesday.
The US has been relaxing sanctions on Venezuela's energy industry as part of an ambitious $100 billion reconstruction plan since US forces captured President Nicolas Maduro last month.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez now heads the Venezuelan Government. Venezuela's energy projects with Trinidad were suspended at Rodriguez's request last year after a political standoff due to Venezuela's allegation that Trinidad was collaborating with the US to oust Maduro.
The planning for the projects has continued to face delays despite US Energy Secretary Chris Wright's favourable view of their development. If they resume, the projects would grant much needed gas for Trinidad's liquefied natural gas and petrochemical industries.
Trinidad also is seeking oil supplies from the region for the potential reopening of the country's Pointe-a-Pierre refinery, which is expected to process up to 150,000 barrels per day of crude, Trinidad's Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal said at a conference in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana.
The Caribbean country is in talks with oil-producing countries, including Guyana, whose output is expanding rapidly, for possible crude supplies, he added.
(Reporting by Sheila Dang and Kemol King; Writing by Marianna Parraga; Editing by Paul Simao)
