Trinidad and Tobago: Multi-million dollar development spree

THE CARIBBEAN'S only oil and gas exporter is stepping up its exploration and development drilling momentum this year. A minimum of 13 exploration and 236 development wells will be drilled, costing hundreds of millions of dollars, in the east- and west-coast marine areas and onshore in the hope of making a net addition to reserves and bringing extra oil and gas production on stream. BHP Billiton, which will bring its Angostura field, in the northeast offshore block 2c into production in December—adding about 58,000 barrels a day (b/d) to production of 140,000 b/d—will drill an exploratory/appraisal well at its late-2003 Howler gas discovery, in the Retained Exploration Area (REA) in 2c. And B