Strategic initiatives in gas processing

Trinidad and Tobago

Dominic Rampersad, president of Phoenix Park Gas Processors Limited (PPGPL), talks to The Energy Year about the company’s latest strategic international activities and how it has navigated gas supply challenges. National Gas Company subsidiary PPGPL is among the largest gas processing facilities in Latin America.

This interview is featured in The Energy Year Trinidad & Tobago 2024

What is the significance of the technical service agreement PPGPL signed with The Gas Gathering Limited (TGGL) based in Ghana?
This agreement is significant from multiple perspectives. It is the first time that PPGPL has provided its services to a third party under commercial terms and conditions and is an entry point to the Ghanaian natural gas sector which allows PPGPL to gain firsthand business intelligence into any future emerging investment opportunities in this growing market.
It also represents a new source of income for PPGPL while strengthening the government-to-government relationship between both countries and strengthens the relationship between PPGPL and the NGC Group of Companies and Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC).

Phoenix Park Energy Marketing LLC (PPEML) has signed a letter of intent to double propane exports to Mexico. What is the key impetus or strategy underlying this decision?
The Mexican LPG market is a growing market. As the Mexican government continues to deregulate this market, the private sector has increased its investment, which has led to the widening in the customer base that PPEML has access to. Therefore, the commercial viability of that market is increasing.
This led us to take the investment decision to expand the capacity of the Hull Terminal, not only to cater for this growth but also to leverage the economies of scale that this expansion will bring. At present, the EPC contract has been awarded and the project is on schedule and within budget.

In what ways has PPGPL navigated gas supply challenges over the past year to position the company for continued successful operations?
As the government, NGC and the upstream producers work towards securing a reliable gas supply for Trinidad and Tobago, PPGPL continues with its value creation thrust by focusing on delivering the investment returns on its assets and managing its costs. There continues to be a strong focus on process safety and asset integrity complemented by a focus on market development. In this context, 2024 has seen much better results when compared to 2023 as the company’s strategic initiatives are executed.

PPGPL has taken a step forward in the Trinidad and Tobago energy market by releasing its first ESG report. What is the significance behind this move for the company?
Excellence in ESG is a strategic objective of PPGPL. We see this as an element that contributes to the sustainability of the business. From a business perspective, operating according to ESG standards is now a must-have and therefore PPGPL’s publication of the 2022 ESG report is reflective of our commitment to attaining the required ESG standards.
From a core value perspective, we have an obligation to manage our business in a manner that provides transparency of our operations. The ESG report provides this information. To note is that the 2023 report is in development and will be released in Q4 2024.

How will the evolution in the regional market for LPG in the short term impact PPGPL over the next year?
Demand in the regional LPG markets is expected to grow by 4% per annum over the next three to five years. During this period, additional supply will come to market from two regional sources: the USA and Guyana. PPGPL has an established position in the regional market and hence our intention is to solidify this position and leverage the various competitive advantages we have so that ultimately the customer experience is enhanced.

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• Mexico
• Trinidad and Tobago
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