Guyana’s emerging gas developments are poised to transform the country into a major industrial hub, enabling manufacturing, petrochemicals and data-driven industries, says Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh.
Speaking on the May 3 episode of the Starting Point Podcast, Dr. Singh explained how the government’s gas strategy, anchored by the Wales Gas-to-Energy project and a proposed large-scale development in Berbice, will spur economic activity beyond the oil sector. He urged Guyanese to get upskilled and prepare to be part of the next wave of unprecedented economic growth.
Gas flow from the offshore Stabroek Block to a massive facility at Wales on the West Bank of Demerara, will lay the foundation for industrial expansion “on a scale like we’ve never seen before,” Singh said, pointing to plans for a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant, fertiliser production and other forms of manufacturing.
He also cited a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the government signed with the U.S.-based Cerebras Systems to establish Guyana’s first data centre which would house and run IT infrastructure.
Beyond core industries, Dr Singh said the buildout of gas infrastructure would create ripple effects across the economy, including increased demand for transportation, logistics and a range of services.
“Those are all opportunities for Guyanese investors and for Guyanese workers,” he said, referencing roles from truck operators and boat services to engineers, accountants and maintenance personnel.
The Wales project, Guyana’s first gas utilisation initiative, is expected to begin supplying gas from the offshore Liza field in 2026. Phase one will transport up to 50 million cubic feet per day (mcf/d) of gas for power generation and industrial use, with a second phase planned to expand capacity.
Singh said the proposed Berbice gas development would build on that foundation at a much larger scale, with significantly higher gas volumes expected to support heavy industrial works in eastern Guyana.
The Berbice project, still in the planning stage, is expected to be driven largely by private and international investors, with the government facilitating investment. Potential industries include alumina processing, fertiliser manufacturing, large-scale data centres and other gas-based manufacturing.
One possible source of supply is the Longtail development in the Stabroek Block, which could produce around one billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) of gas, far exceeding the volumes planned for Wales.
Dr. Singh said the expansion could replicate and amplify the transformation already seen in parts of West Demerara, where infrastructure buildout linked to the first pipeline has driven rapid development.
“If you look at what is happening already now… look at how West Demerara has been transformed,” he said.
He added that similar demand could emerge in Berbice for housing, hotels, healthcare, transport and professional services as industrial activity takes shape.
Key details of the Berbice development, including investors, project structure and timeline, have not yet been finalised. Exxon, which is expected to lay a pipeline to Berbice, will seek to align its upstream gas supply plans with the downstream demand expected to be created, before making a final investment decision.