Beyond its substantive role as a forum for wide-ranging discourse between and among local and external players in Guyana’s high profile oil and gas sector, last month’s staging Guyana’s Oil and Gas Conference, the second in successive years, also served as a ‘sounding board’ for external business enterprises keen to secure an understanding of the prospects for entrepreneurial pursuits outside the immediate confines of the oil and gas industry.
There can be little doubt that ExxonMobil’s 2015 announcement of its first oil recovery from what has been described as Guyana’s “world class” deposits has opened up what is almost certainly the single biggest business and investment opportunity that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has ever experienced. No country in the region has ignored the opportunity which Guyana’s new-found ‘oil wealth’ offers for the wider region which is precisely why the Display Booths that were set up as part of this year’s event can be used as markers to determine the extent of a broader investment interest in Guyana.
A story in the February 23 issue of the Trinidad Guardian featured one of the country’s private sector enterprises, LSK Surveying Services Guyana Inc. which occupied Booth #48 at the just concluded International Energy Conference and EXPO. ‘Marketing’ itself as “one of the leading and largest surveying companies in T&T” the company announced that it has joined forces with the local company KOJAC, the partnership being a prerequisite to the T&T enterprise positioning itself to benefit from the various spinoffs to be derived from investing in Guyana at this time. The Guardian writes that LSK used its floor space at the booth display to showcase “a host of services” including its “10 3D laser scanning, underground utility detection, dimension control and pipeline surveying (sub-surface surveying), and photogrammetric mapping.”
The appearance at the showpiece display event that formed part of this year’s Oil and Gas forum provides critical clues, not just to the regional and international attention which the oil and gas sector continues to bring Guyana, but also to the transformations in the local business environment that promises to emerge from partnerships between domestic and external business enterprises. The Guardian reports that that the “San Fernando-based L&S Surveying, through its joint-venture company, LSK Surveying was one of several T&T-affiliated companies participating in this year’s international conference.” Arising out of an interview with LSK’s Managing Director Sasha Addo, The Guardian Media reportedly learnt that L&S Surveying Services Ltd, is “one of the leading and largest surveying companies in T&T” and that its partnership with the local company, KOJAC was established “about one year ago.” Established in 2000, LSK, the Guardian writes, “offers a full range of surveying and mapping services, using a combination of established best practices and modern techniques.”
Some of the hoped-for outcomes of partnerships between local companies and foreign entities seeking oil and gas-related investment opportunities in Guyana include technology transfer, job creation and opportunities for local companies to broaden the base of their experience. LSK reports in its interview with The Guardian that in 2016 (shortly after ExxonMobil’s announcement of its first oil find offshore Guyana) the company had moved to “put down roots” and had “established our L&S Guyana office to provide advanced services.” Some of the goods and services showcased by LSK in its demonstration booth during the Oil and Gas forum included its “10 3D laser scanning, underground utility detection, dimension control and pipeline surveying (sub-surface surveying), and photogrammetric mapping.” Asserting that it is “based heavily in the energy sector,” LSK reportedly told The Guardian that it had “worked with many multinational companies, and our service includes land development, and construction for governmental and public sectors.”
Meanwhile, in his interview with The Guardian to company’s Managing Director Sasha Addo is quoted as saying that “getting established in the Guyana market………………is an exercise in patience, planning, and persistence……………Just like how land is about relationships, Guyanese business culture is about relationships. Everyone knows everyone,” Addo is quoted as saying. “L&S has been fortunate that we met the right people to guide us through all the processes, banking, legal matters, and accounting services. We teamed up with Guyanese firms that gave direction and advice which placed us on the path to success,” he reportedly added.
