PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Shell Trinidad and Tobago Ltd Tuesday said it has taken a Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Aphrodite gas project in the East Coast Marine Area (ECMA).
“This investment is a testament to our commitment to helping secure the energy future of Trinidad and Tobago on several fronts,” said Senior Vice President and Country Chair Adam Lowmas, adding that “by increasing the gas supply to Atlantic LNG, the project will not only serve to fortify the domestic gas market, it will also boost the local petrochemical and power-generation industries.”
In a statement, Shell said that the project will expand its integrated gas business by building on existing developments in the ECMA, which includes its largest gas-producing fields: Dolphin, Starfish, Bounty, and Endeavour.
“The ECMA is currently home to Shell’s largest gas-producing fields in the country, including Dolphin, Starfish, Bounty, and Endeavour,” it said, noting that once Aphrodite is online, it will serve as a backfill for Atlantic LNG (ALNG) plant in Point Fortin.
“The increased production will help to maximize the potential utilization of Shell’s existing assets.”
Shell is a 45 percent shareholder in Trinidad’s Atlantic LNG plant, which can produce 12 million metric tons per annum (mtpa) of superchilled gas but has been plagued by a shortfall of natural gas.
Development of the Aphrodite field remains subject to receipt of all applicable regulatory approvals.
Once approved, Aphrodite is expected to start production in 2027 with an estimated peak production of approximately 18,400 barrels of oil equivalent to 107 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (boe/d) (107 MMscf/d).
“Once all applicable regulatory approvals are received, Shell will be the operator of Aphrodite with a 100 percent working interest under the Block 5a Production Sharing Contract & Block E Production Sharing Contract.”
Shell will operate the field with a 100 percent interest under the Block 5a and Block E Production Sharing Contracts. The field was discovered in 2022.
The development will include a new single sub-sea tieback to the Barracuda network, routing gas via the Dolphin A platform. Gas will supply the domestic market through the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago and the export market through Shell’s Beachfield gas processing facility.
The project supports Shell’s LNG growth strategy, which targets a 4–5 percent annual increase in sales by 2030. Shell’s LNG Outlook 2025 forecasts a 60 percent rise in global LNG demand by 2040, driven by growth in Asia.
Energy Minister Dr. Roodal Moonilal, in a statement, said, “We are pleased that Shell has progressed the Aphrodite project to FID. We are also pleased with the stated timeline of the project, which aims to realize “first gas” by 2027 at a rate of approximately 107 million cubic feet per day.
“This new natural gas development project is important as it helps counter declining production from the maturing reservoirs in the Shell-operated ECMA. The ministry, in its role as regulator, will work with Shell to ensure the safe and timely completion of this project,” he added.
Former Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Stuart Young, in a statement posted on his Facebook page, said he was looking forward to production.
“This is another project that we negotiated to ensure a stable gas supply. Took some work, but we got it done,” he added.
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