The future of over 40 contract workers at the National Gas Company (NGC) remains doubtful although their contracts were yesterday extended by one month. The workers operate on NGC platforms in the Teak and Poui fields but they learned yesterday the platforms will be leased soon to Spanish energy giant, Repsol ,and their jobs on the platforms would not be guaranteed.
However, the workers are still hoping for some sought of relief as they were told that the Human Resources (HR) department is “working” on it. The T&T Guardian understands that yesterday morning NGC’s acting president, Maria Thorne, met with the offshore workers at the National Helicopter Services Limited (NHSL) heliport at Camden, Couva, around 7.30 am to discuss the matter. Also at the meeting was NGC engineer Patrick Bynoe.
The workers were reportedly told by Thorne the platforms would not be sold to Repsol as initially hoped but would instead now be leased and efforts would be made to have them (the contract workers) “redeployed” once the lease deal went through. Repsol had initially made an approach to buy the platforms for US$.5 million.
When asked by the workers how long the lease would be for, Thorne replied that the time frame was confidential. The workers were reportedly told once the lease deal went through Repsol would also use external manpower to run the platforms.
“Ms Thorne kept stressing on external sourcing, which have us even more concerned, so we really do not know if we will be placed, redeployed or maybe send us to external contractors for Repsol but it was kind of strange that Ms Thorne kept stressing on external sources for contract workers," a worker who was at the meeting but did not want to be identified told the T&T Guardian yesterday.
The worker added that the uncertainty with which their security of tenure was spoken about at the meeting had them uneasy.
“We, the workers, also feel that they want to tell us secretly about our future, that is why they calling us in one by one to assess and whatever else they want to do.
“We believe that they want to let us go in a secretive way and I guess we will see nearing to April 21. Maybe we would be terminated, redeployed or placed in different departments, we do not know and we are in the dark,” a worker said.
On March 8, the T&T Guardian reported that Repsol E&P T&T Limited and NGC were expected to sign off on a deal at the end of this month to purchase the two offshore platforms for US$.5 million, which is just over TT$3 million.
According to documents obtained by the T&T Guardian, both parties had executed a confidentiality agreement since September 16, 2015 in order to facilitate an evaluation by Repsol relating to the integrity if the assets and by letter dated September 25, 2015.
The document also stated that during the interim period and until the execution of the sale and purchase agreement and related documents, NGC would be responsible for the operation of the assets subject to Repsol’s approval in respect of all direct costs related to the operation of the assets save and except in cases of emergencies.
Also, during the interim period, Repsol and NGC were to agree to limit the number of NGC offshore personnel on the assets.
Attempts to contact NGC chairman, Gerry Brooks, were unsuccessful yesterday as he was out of the country. However, on Wednesday he confirmed that yesterday’s meeting with Thorne was taking place but described it as “just a regular update meeting.” He also confirmed that the workers’ contracts would be extended but could not say for how long.
“Contracts will be extended and tomorrow's meeting (yesterday) is a conversation with the staff, a regular update meeting,” Brooks said.
When asked about NGC leasing its platforms to Repsol, Brooks replied: “It is my preference that when we are giving an update it will be a holistic update because the president (referring to Thorne) would have to speak with the staff first and then the public because it would be disrespectful for her to speak with the public first and then staff.”
Efforts to reach Repsol's business adviser and assets manager, Allan Russell and NGC's Thorne for comment yesterday proved futile. Messages sent to them were not replied to up to press time.