Guyana in ongoing talks with US firm over delayed fuel storage project

The Guyana government says discussions are continuing with United States-based bulk fuel supplier Curlew Midstream regarding a proposed fuel storage facility that failed to meet its 2025 year-end deadline.

President Irfaan Ali told reporters that negotiations are currently being handled by legal teams, adding that the government is reviewing a new proposal submitted by the company.

“We are in discussion with the legal team. They’re handling those negotiations. I’m not going to comment on where those negotiations are but they have a proposal in and we’re looking at that,” Ali said.

Court documents filed on February 20, 2026, in a case involving Curlew Midstream and former Mark Green, along with a lobbyist partner, indicated that Curlew’s board of directors met with a high-level Guyanese official earlier this year to finalize outstanding commercial matters. According to the filing, the company provided requested due diligence and financial documents and received assurances that execution of the Fuel Exchange Agreement was imminent.

The documents further stated that on January 10, 2026, President Ali met with Curlew Midstream and confirmed that Vickram Bharrat would execute the Fuel Exchange Agreement, with the deal expected to be signed on January 12, 2026.

However, Curlew alleged that the government later issued a “signable agreement” containing additional terms from a new consultant that had not previously been involved. According to the court filing, the new terms introduced last-minute changes that differed from previously agreed commercial points.

The documents also noted that on October 16, 2025, Curlew representatives met with President Ali and other senior officials, where key aspects of the proposed agreement were reportedly finalized, including crude pricing, refined product pricing, terminal construction in Georgetown and Lethem, as well as prepayment or escrow arrangements.

Without specifically referencing Curlew Midstream, Ali highlighted the potential benefits of establishing a large-scale fuel storage facility, particularly amid rising global oil prices linked to conflict in the Middle East.

“Just imagine if we had a massive storage facility in Guyana under these challenges — the role Guyana could have played so we have to look at these challenges and build out long-term opportunities for our country,” he said.

Ali also confirmed that he had met with Curlew Midstream executives and Nicole Theriot during the recently held Guyana Energy Conference 2026.

When asked whether court cases filed in the United States involving alleged intellectual property disputes had contributed to delays, the president said he was unaware of the litigation, adding that the parties involved would need to resolve those matters independently.

In February 2025, Ali had announced at the Guyana Energy Conference that a deal had been struck with Arkansas-based Curlew Midstream to refine at least 30,000 barrels of crude per day for domestic consumption.

The proposal included the construction of a US$300 million storage facility capable of holding 750,000 barrels of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and heavy fuel oil. The project was expected to strengthen Guyana’s energy security, reduce fuel costs and enable exports of refined fuels to Caribbean Community member states.

Curlew Midstream had also indicated that the facility would allow Guyana to meet 100 per cent of its domestic refined fuel needs while supporting regional fuel supply with non-sanctioned, high-quality products.