PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley leaves here on Wednesday on a two-day visit to the United States for talks with officials of several oil companies, including BP Amoco, Shell and ExxonMobil, according to a government statement.

Rowley, who will be accompanied by Minister in the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, the Honourable Stuart Young, will centre on “strategies for navigating the challenges facing the energy sector and opportunities for growth and partnerships here at home and in the region”.

During the visit, the delegation will also meet with officials from EOG Resources.

Earlier this month, Rowley said his administration is hoping a new gas agreement signed with Venezuela would come on stream as early as July to avert further closure of energy plants at Point Lisas in Central Trinidad.

He said that the agreement, which also involves the multi-national oil company, Royal Dutch Shell “will bring that gas to market in the shortest possible time”.

Shell is expected to build a 17 kilometre (10.6 miles) pipeline from Venezuela’s shallow-water Dragon gas field to its Hibiscus platform off the north coast of Trinidad.

He said the talks with ExxonMobil was necessary given the US-oil giant’s involvement in the emerging Guyana oil  and energy sector and Trinidad and Tobago is positioning itself to be a player in the industry of that Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

Rowley said that with Guyana expected to producing at least 100,000 barrels of oil daily during the early stages of its oil industry, Trinidad and Tobago with a refinery could be in a position to assist in that regard.