A total of 33 students have officially begun their training on the facility simulator at the Guyana Technical Training College Inc (GTTCI) in Port Mourant, Region Six.
According to an update posted by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on his Facebook page, this is the largest cohort to be trained in Guyana on the simulator since its commissioning.
Following completion of the six-month programme, the students will be certified to work on Guyana’s offshore Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSOs) vessels.
This landmark venture aims to provide additional employment opportunities for youth in the growing oil and gas sector through a world-class education.
FacTor (Facility Simulator) is a secure, fully operational live process plant that replicates the functions of an actual plant.
The facility is the first of its kind in the region and is designed to provide practical training for multiple programmes, enabling trainees to practice calibration, troubleshooting and maintenance activities on these facilities.
Trainees also follow a permit-to-work system, which is aimed at ensuring the work is done safely and efficiently.
They adhere to the same procedures and work orders required in real-life procedures aboard an FPSO, as part of a ‘Safe System of Work.’
The US$13 million ($2.6 billion) facility was commissioned last year as the first phase of the wider Guyana Technical Training College Inc, which is an alliance between the Government of Guyana and the Stabroek Block coventurers – ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), Hess Corporation and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).
Phase Two will see the construction of a campus that can house 150 students and administrative offices equipped with all the amenities.
Guyana is one of 10 countries with a facility of this magnitude.
In July of last year, 24 young adults graduated from the programme as certified operations and maintenance technicians, a vital skill that would enable them to work on offshore operations.