Young Blasts Government Over Alleged Gas Diversion

Former Energy Minister Stuart Young has accused the government of diverting natural gas from petrochemical companies at Point Lisas to Atlantic LNG, contradicting Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal's explanation that NGC has maintained its contractual gas allocation.

Young responded to Moonilal's statements in Parliament last Friday, pointing out that the 95% contractual fulfillment figure cited by the energy minister does not tell the full story. He argued that the shutdown of Nutrien and Methanex had freed up additional gas, which was then diverted to Atlantic LNG.

Young used a hypothetical allocation of 100 molecules of gas to explain his position, stating that if six plants were receiving gas and two plants consuming 30 molecules shut down, the remaining four would have access to the additional supply. He attributed the higher volumes received by some petrochemical customers to the shutdown of Nutrien and Methanex.

Moonilal had denied any change in NGC's gas allocation policy or diversion of gas from Point Lisas customers to Atlantic LNG. However, Young maintained that gas had been diverted, despite Moonilal's parliamentary response.