API Signs MOU with Guyana National Standards Agency to Advance Best-in-Class Industry Practices

WASHINGTON, August 13, 2021 – Today, the American Petroleum Institute (API) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), which provides Guyana’s primary standards setting agency access to API oil and gas standards and increases collaboration on safety guidelines and requirements for the country’s growing energy industry.

“We are pleased to partner with GNBS to advance safe and sustainable energy development in Guyana,” Senior Vice President of API’s Global Industry Services Debra Phillips said. “This agreement brings proven API standards to Guyana at the inception of its energy resources development, prioritizing safety, sustainability and environmental protection at this critical moment.”

The MOU expands the ability of American and Guyanese subject matter experts to collaborate. Ongoing joint meetings and workshops with GNBS will be used to adopt and promote API’s best-in-class standards, protocols, guidelines and recommended practices to enhance safety and environmental practices in Guyana. 

“We see our role in this promising industry as critical in ensuring its success, and we look forward to partnering with the American Petroleum Institute to standardize practices and procedures through the adoption of API Standards and other guidelines,” Deputy Director of GNBS Ramrattie Karan said.

The partnership reinforces several steps taken by API and Guyana in recent years to strengthen cooperation on information sharing and training. API also signed an MOU earlier this year with the Centre for Local Business Development (the Centre), Guyana’s premier organization for natural gas and oil information, training and policy advocacy. The MOU with the Centre focuses on opportunities for collaboration to support the technical capacity of Guyanese firms in the sector and will be bolstered by the additional collaboration with GNBS.

Guyana’s offshore oil production began in 2019, signaling a major step forward in establishing the country as a significant new energy producer. The country’s GDP rose 26 percent in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and the International Monetary Fund projects Guyana’s GDP to grow 8 percent in 2021.

GNBS is a semi-autonomous governmental organization responsible for standards and quality assurance in Guyana. It is the only National Standards Body in Guyana and operates under the Ministry of Tourism Industry and Commerce.

API represents all segments of America’s natural gas and oil industry, which supports more than ten million U.S. jobs and is backed by a growing grassroots movement of millions of Americans. Our 600 members produce, process and distribute the majority of the nation’s energy, and participate in API Energy Excellence®, which is accelerating environmental and safety progress by fostering new technologies and transparent reporting. API was formed in 1919 as a standards-setting organization and has developed more than 700 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency and sustainability.