Petrotrin refinery shut down

[Galvatron]

Please explain how the OWTU had any power wrt the multiple failed projects that resulted in the huge debts?

[kstt]

https://www.facebook.com/574311880/posts/10155634458391881/

Not available, at least not to the public.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 1133166075

[Redman]

No problem tuners.

Yeah i saw the A&V stamp also. The e-version seems to be a scanned copy of a photo copy.

I'm guessing A&V got a copy of it somehow and... why not? If my cashcow has been Petrotrin all these years, I want to know what going on and what "the best in class" thinks.

Plus you can use something in the report to reinforce your case in arbitration proceedings...

Why stamp it though?


The closure of the refinery is about breaking the unions grip on Petrotrin.
Not about the viability of the entity.

Arguing who is more responsible.and who salary too high...is akin to arguing about the paint job on the titanic.
And equally relevant.

[kstt]

If kamla had closed down Petrotrin just imagine what non-indians would do. Is really better the PNM do it cause they silent like a lamb.

[Pointman-IA]

If kamla had closed down Petrotrin just imagine what non-indians would do. Is really better the PNM do it cause they silent like a lamb.

The MPs for La Brea and Point Fortin would have been vocal, with the Beetham Beckham chanting them on.

[ADONI]

The MPs for La Brea and Point Fortin would have been vocal, with the Beetham Beckham chanting them on.

True! True!

[Joshie23]

^^^ They weren't the one's running the company, but they had a lot of power in certain respects. So they aren't as innocent as people would like to make them out to be.

Who's making them or the workers out to be innocent though?

[Joshie23]

If kamla had closed down Petrotrin just imagine what non-indians would do. Is really better the PNM do it cause they silent like a lamb.

That coupled by the fact that there's a lot of misinformation circulating that people are swallowing and poof, recipe for disaster. I was scrolling through my timeline on Facebook and saw this.

To make it worse, the OP to whom ^that guy^ responded, felt 'enlightened' by this 'information'. I was deeply saddened to see what the 'intelligent young minds' of my country have become. I mean, things are bad in Petrotrin but damn, Daniel..

[Pointman-IA]

The Social Studies we did in primary school (70s,80s, early 90s ) taught about Discipline, Tolerance and Production.

[The_Honourable]

PNM logic on social media: Everyone is to be fired so that the incompetent people will also be removed

Deep down pnm supporters know growley and espinet was BS-ing we all the time, so they trying to justify now why everybody have to go. "Is to break d union" and "get rid of the incompetent people".

Should have been honest in the beginning.

If kamla had closed down Petrotrin just imagine what non-indians would do. Is really better the PNM do it cause they silent like a lamb.

Preach! Recall from Page 5:

Also, keep in mind that it is better for Rowley to do it than Kamla.

The political fallout would be worse for Kamla since, as usual, race would have played into it. Keep it mind that Afro-Trinis working in the oil sector from since Butler days and before, is equivalent to Indo-Trinis working on sugar cane plantations back in the day because of history, attachment and pride. Anybody coming to take over Petrotrin will be seen as a threat, and in terms of our political landscape, Indos and the Syrians.

If Kamla was doing this, the talk would have been SIS and the cabal want to take over Petrotrin. Then it would have been "black people eh getting nuttin", "black people only will get crumbs", "dem indian not for country and want everything for deyself" etc etc. OWTU would not be soft as now and would have mobilized with Rowley and the PNM capitalizing on the opportunity.

With Rowley doing it instead, you would be chastised for "going against your own" hence why you not seeing much resistance. Most of the public also wants Petrotrin privatized and done. So the only card that can be played now is that the 1% aka the syrians taking it over (true or not remains to be seen). Of course red and ready crew will say if kamla didn't thief all the money, we coulda save petrotrin but most of the public knows Malcolm Jones, OWTU, overstaffing, political interference, nepotism, obsolete infrastructure and declining production are the causes. The drop in energy prices exposed all the mess.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

from a refinery employee:

So they have us training on the new NGU unit...a Nitrogen Generation Unit...capable of 18000 USG per day...Nitrogen is used for compressor seals,purging of vessels ( removing Oxygen) and as A blanket.They want us to start up this unit to produce N2 for preserving all the refinery equipment and lines.. Now hearing deadline is start up of NGU by mid October and complete shutdown of all plants and preservation process in the Refinery by Mid December early January

I assume the plan is to shut down the refinery, fire everyone, re-hire a few and restart the plant?

[Aaron 2NR]

once a system, plant or equipment is decommissioned they must be blanket gassed with nitrogen. Standard procedure

[K_J_R]

from a refinery employee:

So they have us training on the new NGU unit...a Nitrogen Generation Unit...capable of 18000 USG per day...Nitrogen is used for compressor seals,purging of vessels ( removing Oxygen) and as A blanket.They want us to start up this unit to produce N2 for preserving all the refinery equipment and lines.. Now hearing deadline is start up of NGU by mid October and complete shutdown of all plants and preservation process in the Refinery by Mid December early January

I assume the plan is to shut down the refinery, fire everyone, re-hire a few and restart the plant?

i am wondering how they will deal with some of the plant materials.

but the lots of catalyst that petrotrin has is owned or partiallyowned by foreign parties. i think this applies the preious metal part of it e.g. platinum based catalyst normally go through recovery procedures with the recovered precious metal sent back to the supplier. how will the catalyst licenzors and suppliers deal with this?

[lalloboy101]

about 3mil USD in platinum catalyst for the ULSD is stored in the warehouse for the ULSD plant, if its still there is another thing.
ULSD has a preservation plan in place, well up to the time I was there and it was strictly followed

[skylinechild]

http://corp.guardian.co.tt/news/2018-09-16/espinet-confirms...all-3%2C500-petrotrin-workers-to-be-sent-home


State-owned Petrotrin will retrench all its workers and not just those in the refinery as was previously announced. It means that all its 3,500 permanent staff will lose their jobs.

This was confirmed yesterday by Petrotrin’s chairman Wilfred Espinet, who in an interview with the Sunday Guardian admitted that the retrenchment was double the 1,700 that was previously announced.

He also raised the possibility that the new Exploration and Production Company could have a strategic partner as it tries to go after the existing oil and make profits.

Espinet said the decision was taken to “wipe the slate clean” and ensure that the new E and P Company was not “saddled with the baggage of the old Petrotrin”.

“We want to wipe the slate clean. We want a new company that will have no baggage and will be in a position to generate cash flows to pay its debt and make a return to the shareholder. In sending home all the employees we avoid contention on why one person was allowed to stay on and another let go. Plus we will need people with certain types of knowledge and skill sets that may not now exist in the organisation, so we felt we should terminate everyone,” Espinet told the Sunday Guardian.

Asked if this meant that the Oilfield’s Workers Trade Union would no longer be the recognised trade union in this new company, Espinet said, “You will have to ask them that yourself.”

Last month, the decision to shut down the refinery was announced and at that time it was revealed that the 1,700 workers in the refinery would be retrenched.

I have no agenda, I did not come here to lick up the OWTU!—Espinet

Espinet said finding a private partner for the new E and P was a distinct possibility, “You know this business much better than me and people tell us that we could significantly increase crude production, and that is great, but to do that, I know it will cost a lot of money which we do not have. So I am thinking we can have a partner in the company, we may have a partner to do specific things in specific areas. What I am saying is that there are many possibilities.”

The OWTU has accused the Government of shutting down Petrotrin in an effort to sell it to the private sector.

The chairman also tried to defend the decision to shut down the refinery despite both the Lashley and Solomon reports never calling for it to be closed.

Espinet had previously relied on both reports as studies the Petrotrin Board used in its decision to close the refinery.

He said, “Yes, we relied on both those reports to help come to a decision and yes, neither called for the refinery to be closed. The Lashley report called for a change to the governance process at Petrotrin to ensure that there was no governmental interference, and to make it profitable. While the Soloman report benchmarked the refinery and looked at manpower needs.

“I did not bring in Soloman, they were there before me and that report would have seen a reduction in the staffing at the refinery by close to 50 per cent and E and P by 60 per cent. It would have required the workers to perhaps take a reduction in pay and benefits and a change in their productivity levels. Did you see the OWTU agreeing to that? And even after all of that, we needed billions just to make the refinery break even.”

The Petrotrin chairman said the Soloman report did not have the numbers in terms of the debt and the cost of a smaller workforce and when the numbers were added the company and the country simply could not finance it and it was then the decision was made to shut down the refinery.

Espinet insisted he was not brought in to “lick up the OWTU” and that the situation had caused him significant personal distress, but that he was doing what he felt was in the best interest of the company.

“I have no agenda, I did not come here to lick up the OWTU!” he added.

quick question thou...since they decide on firing everyone - ie everyone will loose their job
does this also apply to espinet or does he remain on the board of the new company ???

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

http://corp.guardian.co.tt/news/2018-09-16/espinet-confirms...all-3%2C500-petrotrin-workers-to-be-sent-home


State-owned Petrotrin will retrench all its workers and not just those in the refinery as was previously announced. It means that all its 3,500 permanent staff will lose their jobs.

This was confirmed yesterday by Petrotrin’s chairman Wilfred Espinet, who in an interview with the Sunday Guardian admitted that the retrenchment was double the 1,700 that was previously announced.

He also raised the possibility that the new Exploration and Production Company could have a strategic partner as it tries to go after the existing oil and make profits.

Espinet said the decision was taken to “wipe the slate clean” and ensure that the new E and P Company was not “saddled with the baggage of the old Petrotrin”.

“We want to wipe the slate clean. We want a new company that will have no baggage and will be in a position to generate cash flows to pay its debt and make a return to the shareholder. In sending home all the employees we avoid contention on why one person was allowed to stay on and another let go. Plus we will need people with certain types of knowledge and skill sets that may not now exist in the organisation, so we felt we should terminate everyone,” Espinet told the Sunday Guardian.

Asked if this meant that the Oilfield’s Workers Trade Union would no longer be the recognised trade union in this new company, Espinet said, “You will have to ask them that yourself.”

Last month, the decision to shut down the refinery was announced and at that time it was revealed that the 1,700 workers in the refinery would be retrenched.

I have no agenda, I did not come here to lick up the OWTU!—Espinet

Espinet said finding a private partner for the new E and P was a distinct possibility, “You know this business much better than me and people tell us that we could significantly increase crude production, and that is great, but to do that, I know it will cost a lot of money which we do not have. So I am thinking we can have a partner in the company, we may have a partner to do specific things in specific areas. What I am saying is that there are many possibilities.”

The OWTU has accused the Government of shutting down Petrotrin in an effort to sell it to the private sector.

The chairman also tried to defend the decision to shut down the refinery despite both the Lashley and Solomon reports never calling for it to be closed.

Espinet had previously relied on both reports as studies the Petrotrin Board used in its decision to close the refinery.

He said, “Yes, we relied on both those reports to help come to a decision and yes, neither called for the refinery to be closed. The Lashley report called for a change to the governance process at Petrotrin to ensure that there was no governmental interference, and to make it profitable. While the Soloman report benchmarked the refinery and looked at manpower needs.

“I did not bring in Soloman, they were there before me and that report would have seen a reduction in the staffing at the refinery by close to 50 per cent and E and P by 60 per cent. It would have required the workers to perhaps take a reduction in pay and benefits and a change in their productivity levels. Did you see the OWTU agreeing to that? And even after all of that, we needed billions just to make the refinery break even.”

The Petrotrin chairman said the Soloman report did not have the numbers in terms of the debt and the cost of a smaller workforce and when the numbers were added the company and the country simply could not finance it and it was then the decision was made to shut down the refinery.

Espinet insisted he was not brought in to “lick up the OWTU” and that the situation had caused him significant personal distress, but that he was doing what he felt was in the best interest of the company.

“I have no agenda, I did not come here to lick up the OWTU!” he added.

quick question thou...since they decide on firing everyone - ie everyone will loose their job
does this also apply to espinet or does he remain on the board of the new company ???

Who knows.

[skylinechild]

quick question thou...since they decide on firing everyone - ie everyone will loose their job
does this also apply to espinet or does he remain on the board of the new company ???

Who knows.

i hadda ask cause on one front you cant say we eah making $$$ close up fire everyone.... and want to hire everyone and still be expected to manage the new ppl....

if the espinet guy remains - the only constant will be the espinet led board - which will undoubtedly find they eah making $$$ - prob realize this next 5-10 yrs from now... and want to close down .....again... ....rebrand and reopen with new ppl.??

sound familiar.....??

lets see ...
TTT... closed down..... reopened as CTV...closed down and reopend as TTT

BWIA >>>> closed down..... reopened as CAL ......soon to be closed down to due - inefficiencies (wait for it - loss of revenue ..mismanagement etc )

petrotrin....closed down....... reopened as >>>>>>>?????????

[sinister_14]

So i hearing the refinery is being sold to sinopec from beijing....and its a joint venture with perenco...to open the refinery after it close......

[gastly369]

Probably have a discounted price for the fuels....this has happened in the past when there were issues in the refinery...they would import from Vene.

The refinery will likely be upgraded and brought back into production.

Who is going to upgrade and bring it back? Are we decommissioning or privatizing the refinery?

Wouldn't privatizing mean that whoever acquires it would also include the huge loans which need to be paid back?

The 800m and 900m USD loans from 2007 and 2009 and due for payment shortly.

I would like to think even if petrotrin sells the refinery, petrotrin still has ownership of the loans since the agreement to get the loans wasn't made with the refinery itself but with petrotrin. Petrotrin can sell the refinery with the loans attached to it... which nobody will buy, or sell the refinery without it. Unless there are clauses in the loan agreements that can't separate the loans from the refinery.

So the question still remains, is the refinery going to stay there and grow bush or an entity will take it over and upgrade it?

What about E&P/Trinmar operations? A french company Perenco eyeing it for some time now.

Guess which board member involved in perenco......

@Sinister

Or and the hard hitting news eh hit yet...let someone else post it..

[sinister_14]

Probably have a discounted price for the fuels....this has happened in the past when there were issues in the refinery...they would import from Vene.

The refinery will likely be upgraded and brought back into production.

Who is going to upgrade and bring it back? Are we decommissioning or privatizing the refinery?

Wouldn't privatizing mean that whoever acquires it would also include the huge loans which need to be paid back?

The 800m and 900m USD loans from 2007 and 2009 and due for payment shortly.

I would like to think even if petrotrin sells the refinery, petrotrin still has ownership of the loans since the agreement to get the loans wasn't made with the refinery itself but with petrotrin. Petrotrin can sell the refinery with the loans attached to it... which nobody will buy, or sell the refinery without it. Unless there are clauses in the loan agreements that can't separate the loans from the refinery.

So the question still remains, is the refinery going to stay there and grow bush or an entity will take it over and upgrade it?

What about E&P/Trinmar operations? A french company Perenco eyeing it for some time now.

Guess which board member involved in perenco......

@Sinister

Or and the hard hitting news eh hit yet...let someone else post it..

Well if you notice they sold gtl to niquan and the people of trinidad have that loan to pay..still..so when they sell of the refinery all them loan will be paid by the people of trinidad...remember the loan would be tied to petro....petro not closing down just d refinery...this is how we getting screw over n over no body wants to riot ...the govt doing whats best for them and their friends while we the people have to pick up the bill for their mess....only i alone seeing this???... this is the govt master plan....so let all them people in petro sit down n take fackk now....dont stand up for their jobs...let d govt get away with this.....i hope they know when they re opening d refinery those vacancies gonna be public and everyone gonna apply....so let the relax...and take it slow.....dont stand up for whats right....

[gastly369]

Edited

[Cantmis]

Mothballed

[Pointman-IA]

Smile and wave. Smile and wave.

[Joshie23]

Probably have a discounted price for the fuels....this has happened in the past when there were issues in the refinery...they would import from Vene.

The refinery will likely be upgraded and brought back into production.

Who is going to upgrade and bring it back? Are we decommissioning or privatizing the refinery?

Wouldn't privatizing mean that whoever acquires it would also include the huge loans which need to be paid back?

The 800m and 900m USD loans from 2007 and 2009 and due for payment shortly.

I would like to think even if petrotrin sells the refinery, petrotrin still has ownership of the loans since the agreement to get the loans wasn't made with the refinery itself but with petrotrin. Petrotrin can sell the refinery with the loans attached to it... which nobody will buy, or sell the refinery without it. Unless there are clauses in the loan agreements that can't separate the loans from the refinery.

So the question still remains, is the refinery going to stay there and grow bush or an entity will take it over and upgrade it?

What about E&P/Trinmar operations? A french company Perenco eyeing it for some time now.

Guess which board member involved in perenco......

@Sinister

Or and the hard hitting news eh hit yet...let someone else post it..

Well if you notice they sold gtl to niquan and the people of trinidad have that loan to pay..still..so when they sell of the refinery all them loan will be paid by the people of trinidad...remember the loan would be tied to petro....petro not closing down just d refinery...this is how we getting screw over n over no body wants to riot ...the govt doing whats best for them and their friends while we the people have to pick up the bill for their mess....(1)only i alone seeing this???... this is the govt master plan....so let all them people in petro sit down n take fackk now....(2)dont stand up for their jobs...let d govt get away with this.....i hope they know when they re opening d refinery those vacancies gonna be public and everyone gonna apply....so let the relax...and take it slow.....dont stand up for whats right....

1) Apparently so, explain it for those less inclined, like me please.

2) Wait..stand up? I thought the employees were getting extraordinary severance packages?? Why stand up if this is what's best for the country?

[The_Honourable]

Edited

Is Tuner... buss the file nah dawg...

[gastly369]

Lol @ packages...


Waittt for it ..

[Cantmis]

Sinopec ? True or false ?

[jhonnieblue]

Selling to the Chinese, lovely, learning Mandarin and cantonese right now so can't wait!

[The_Honourable]

Wait..stand up? I thought the employees were getting extraordinary severance packages?? Why stand up if this is what's best for the country?

They will stand up long after the fact when the realize the government running them around. It will become a political football for the next few years and will stick up in court. Ramesh and Ramdeen might jump in to get a cut win or loose.

Case in point: the caroni workers.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Sinopec ? True or false ?

Circulating atm