The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) has secured ownership of the land and structures housing its Beachfield gas processing facility in Guayaguayare, clearing a longstanding issue and allowing work associated with the Manatee Project to move forward.

The Commissioner of State Lands vested the title in NGC on Friday, August 7, formally transferring ownership of the state lands on which the facility stands.

The Beachfield facility was constructed and commissioned by British Gas between 2004 and 2006. NGC said the transfer resolves a longstanding matter relating to its occupation of the land and provides the necessary authorisations for planned upgrades and expansion works.

Under an agreement between NGC and Shell Trinidad, the Beachfield facility will serve as key onshore infrastructure for receiving natural gas from the Manatee field.

NGC said the completion of the land transfer means the Manatee Project can proceed without delay, while allowing the company to strengthen the facility and its capacity to support Trinidad and Tobago’s domestic gas supply.

The formal handover took place at a ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, attended by Minister of Land and Legal Affairs and Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Saddam Hosein and Minister in the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries Ernesto Kesar.

Hosein said the Ministry of Land and Legal Affairs played a role in formalising the land arrangements and supporting the country’s energy sector.

“The Ministry stands ready to provide support to NGC, to work together through efficient and legal administrative processes to create the certainty needed for strategic projects such as Manatee to move forward,” he said.

NGC Chairman Gerald Ramdeen said resolving the matter, which had remained outstanding for more than two decades, demonstrated the importance of effective governance and collaboration between state agencies.

He said the transfer resulted from cooperation between the Ministry of Land and Legal Affairs, the Office of the Commissioner of State Lands and NGC.

NGC Acting President Edmund Subyran said the completion of the approvals would allow NGC and Shell to proceed with upgrades to the Beachfield facility.

“This achievement represents more than the transfer of land. It is the culmination of dedicated work of all parties who remained focused on achieving the right outcome,” Subyran said.

He added that the facility upgrades would support the Manatee Project and NGC’s efforts to maintain a reliable domestic gas supply.