Guyana being positioned as Caribbean’s major oil and gas services provider

Last Updated on Wednesday, 11 June 2025, 21:37 by Writer

– Orinduik Marine Services launches remote offshore vehicles and diving services

President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday said the Local Content Act has helped to position Guyana as a major service provider to the oil and gas sector in the Caribbean ahead of Trinidad and Tobago.

“These investments are geared towards our ultra-deep operation. Everything that will happen in this region – you hear Jamaica speaking about exploration, what is happening in Suriname. Who, in the region, has that in-built capacity and capability now to take the lead. It’s not Trinidad and Tobago. It’s Guyana who is developing that capability and capacity for deep and ultra-deep operations,” he told the official launch of Orinduik Marine Services (OMS) at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.

Referring again to Jamaica where the United Kingdom-headquartered United Oil and Gas company is searching for partners to explore for oil in an offshore prospect, Dr Ali said he hoped that Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member state would tap into companies in Guyana. “We’re part of CARICOM and if we have these capabilities, then our Jamaican brothers and sisters would have to give us the opportunity. Our brothers and sisters in Suriname would have to give us the opportunity,” he said.

OMS, founded and led by Harrychand Tulsi, is focused on two critical subsea areas – remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and diving services. The company, which operates a fleet of ROVs globally through its subsidiaries in the United Kingdom and the United States, says it aspires to provide these services to international oil and gas companies regionally, especially in the Guyana-Suriname basin.

Dr Ali said the Local Content Act is pivotal to accelerating those types of support, developments and partnership that lead to the transfer of technologies, knowledge and capabilities.

The OMS founder announced that that Guyana-registered company had already started working through its British and American subsidiaries. He said the initial equipment roll-out includes seven ROVs and three dive spreads supported by the dive vessel, CALMAR, and a “full battery of accessories”.

General Manager of OMS (Dive Operations) Kenneth Vorster said the services that would be provided would be in keeping with international standards. He added that the company would be audited to ensure it complies with the highest standards that are set by the International Standards Organisation (ISO), International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) and International Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) before they could be hired by companies such as ExxonMobil, TOTAL and SBM. “This process has already started and we have not even secured any contract or work or promises of work. Such is the belief in this company that we will grow and succeed,” Mr Vorster said.

He said training and apprenticeship programmes would be provided to identified persons for positions of divers, dive technicians and dive supervisors. He said all candidates would be internationally qualified and recognised, opening the possibility for them to work globally. “The top thing about it is that they will be earning international rates no matter where they go even if they work within Guyana,” he said.

Chief Executive Officer of OMS Subsea (UK), Mike Arnold said the company was working with a Norwegian company to bring innovations such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to Guyana. The aim, he said, would be to use that technology to pipeline surveys, inspection and the processing of inspection results “to cut down the cost and to cut down the time it takes to turn it around.”

He also announced that OMS was exploring the possibility of using fully autonomous vehicles to do seabed mapping, pipeline mapping and inspections. “They can be operated right here from this facility 20 miles offshore or around the world. They could be operated in another state driven and piloted by Guyanese students and technicians,” he said.

The President said his government was revamping the legislation and administrative process governing the maritime sector to support investments for the next 30 years. He said he was interested in ensuring Guyanese companies could compete for global opportunities. “We are building the most skilled human capital that will go after every opportunity. We are not building a local operation. We are building local companies with the best international partners to go after every world-class opportunity,” he added.