WC Ghana and E-Magic sign historic JV to boost local content in Guyana

West Coast Gas Ghana, a leading technologies player in the monitoring and nomination services in the oil and gas industry signed a strategic joint venture (JV) agreement with e-Magic Inc, a renowned name in cutting-edge digital twins solutions. This collaboration, between a 100-percent Ghanaian-owned international company and e-Magic, owned by Canada-based Guyanese, Tony Harris, marks a significant milestone in the world of technology-driven solutions for the oil and gas sector. 

The agreement was signed at the Ghana-Guyana Local Content and Capacity Building Conference, organized by the Ghana Chamber of Commerce Guyana and held at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, Guyana. The JV is a realization of the vision laid out in the strategic partnership agreement signed by the two countries in December 2021 and it brings together the deep technical knowledge and international experience of both e-Magic Inc and West Coast Gas Ghana. 

The President of e-Magic, Linden-born Tony Harris, is a respected expert in the development of software, who set up the company in Toronto in 1998 with Eugene Woo. 

The JV is a significant boost for Guyana’s local content policy as it represents a competitive, combined force of proven expertise with local participation for the delivery of a cutting-edge technological solution, which will allow the Government of Guyana to independently monitor the production of hydrocarbons from its oil and gas fields. 

Their solution would enable the Government of Guyana (GoG) to have (i) direct and independent oversight within the natural resources sectors; and (ii) real-time data enabling GoG to build its own review capability. The Local Content Act of 2021 does not even include this service as one of the 40 captured under the law, making the JV unique. 

The capital for the joint operations will be funded by West Coast Gas Ghana, and the Guyanese company will be responsible, among other things, for the recruitment of nearly all the staff. The JV will also see their combined technical and technological capabilities contributing to building a robust local content participation in the project. At least 75 percent of senior management of the JV company will be Guyanese and over 90 percent of the staff to be employed by the joint venture will also be Guyanese. The Private Sector Partners will be responsible for providing technical and operational training to Guyanese employees to ensure they are equipped with all the necessary knowledge and skills when the project commences operation.

The two Private Sector Partners have, through their respective areas of expertise and businesses, implemented large-scale projects for governments in Africa and other parts of the world across these segments, providing turn-key designed solutions in the energy and technology sectors with in-built finance keys to governments to ensure that states receive, in a transparent and accountable manner, their due benefits from natural resources as anticipated by the laws and contracts governing the same. 

“We are thrilled to embark on this journey with e-Magic,” Mr. Emmanuel Johnson, CEO of West Coast Gas Ghana stated. “Our shared vision is to leverage our respective strengths to provide the Government of Guyana with visibility to real-time oil production data. Together with e-Magic we will redefine how technology can enhance production processes, minimize risk, and drive sustainable growth.” 

Tony Harris, the President and CEO of e-Magic said, “We are confident that by combining our TwinWorX digital twins platform and deep technical expertise, and West Coast Gas Ghana’s in-depth industry knowledge we will provide a comprehensive monitoring capability that will revolutionise how Guyana monitors its booming oil production. Our joint venture aims to set new standards for efficiency, transparency, and sustainability in this vital sector.”