Petit Saut
INNOVATE TO RECOVER A LOST RESOURCE
INNOVATE TO RECOVER A LOST RESOURCE
In 1994, the flooding of the Petit Saut dam submerged hundreds of thousands of trees in French Guiana. These mostly invisible and preserved trees represent an extraordinary resource for the region.
Triton Guyane, located in the heart of the Savanes district in Sinnamary, is pioneering an innovative project to harvest and utilize these woods.
By 2025, Triton Guyane aims to produce 9,000 cubic meters of timber and secure 8% of the electricity needs for the Guianese coast through the sale of biomass fuel. This project is set to be a world first, both in terms of the technology used and the scale of the operation, coupled with a strong commitment to preserving the unique character of the site.
French Guiana is currently experiencing strong demand for timber. Triton is able to supplement the volumes currently extracted from terrestrial forests. A total of 25,000m3 per year of the best species will be harvested to meet the region's needs. This represents a 30% increase in French Guiana's total production capacity.
Lower-quality, unmarketable logs and sawmill by-products will be converted into wood energy and fed directly into Voltalia's biomass power plant (SBE - Sinnamary Biomasse Energie), adjacent to the Triton site. The plant will generate 10,5 MW, securing 8% of the Guyanese coastline's annual consumption thanks to this 100% recovered wood.
Such a project is a world first, both in terms of technology and the size of the operation. The wood will be marketed locally, but has strong export potential, in the form of high-value-added reclaimed timber products, and why not with a 'Made in French Guiana' label? This extraction and valorization model can also be exported, enabling French Guiana to become a showcase for this know-how.
The exceptional scope of this project is intended to contribute to the development of French Guiana and highlight the exceptional character of these woods, which have remained underwater for over 30 years.
- More than 100 local jobs mobilized from the development phase in 2012 (design offices, subcontractors, suppliers, etc.) through to the granting of administrative authorizations in 2019 and the start of construction in 2021
- More than 65 jobs will be created, with the aim of creating or consolidating training courses dedicated to these professions
- An investment of around 100 million euros, with significant local economic and fiscal spin-offs
- Diversification of the local economic fabric beyond the space sector
- An opportunity for other project developers on the lake and a commitment to the development of the Sinnamary commune
- The concession is granted until 2052. The quantity of flooded wood available means that the resource can be exploited in a rational manner. At the end of this period, a redevelopment program will be implemented, in line with the development of the area envisaged by the Communauté de Communes des Savanes.
Honor the unique character of Petit-Saut
Honor the unique character of Petit-Saut
Triton has committed to considering environmental sensitivities (nesting protected birds, water quality, giant otters, etc.) and heritage aspects (landscape, historical sites, users, etc.), integrating them into its operational plan. The wood harvesting, which does not impact the living forest and occurs in a man-made water body, focuses on the deeper areas. This approach preserves the trees in the oxygen-rich areas of the lake, which contain the majority of the biodiversity in the reservoir.
This strategy also partially maintains the attractive aesthetic aspect of the site and enables the development of other economic activities.
In collaboration with the Petit-Saut scientific committee, Triton worked with local authorities and engineering firms (Hydreco, Gepog, Biotope, ANTEA, etc.) to carry out numerous studies. These studies included ichthyofauna diversity and abundance, lake hydromorphology, nesting birds and giant otters. In 2019, Triton obtained all the necessary authorizations to carry out its activities.
The project has been designed to preserve the site's environmental sensitivities. For example, all the shallow areas that are most conducive to the site's biodiversity and aesthetic appeal have been fully preserved. Protected species nesting on the lake have been identified, and nearby emergent trees will be preserved. Buffer and exclusion zones have been set aside around identified species and heritage areas.
This means that around 17,000ha of the 34,500ha of the reservoir will be preserved. Over the course of a year, Triton Guyane's activity will occupy barely 2% of the lake's total surface area, leaving plenty of room for other activities on the lake.
The sawmill and processing facilities are located close to the timber landing platform, on the shoreline. This minimizes transport distances and therefore emissions related to log transportation. The site was also chosen because it is the former dam quarry. It is therefore an uncultivated site with a reworked subsoil, belonging to the ONF. Occupying this site prevents additional clearing of primary forest around Petit Saut.
All of Triton Guyane's activities are regularly monitored and controlled (water quality, nesting of protected birds, giant otters, etc.) by the authorities. A scientific committee, modelled on the one at Petit-Saut, monitors these parameters. In addition, a site monitoring committee, bringing together all lake stakeholders, is set up to facilitate the exchange of information.
Cutting submerged wood, an innovative and patented technology
Cutting submerged wood, an innovative and patented technology
Triton has developed its own technology, the SHARC™, capable of efficiently and safely cutting standing trees at depths of less than 30 meters. Trees are harvested without disturbing the lake bed and transported back to shore using barges, eliminating the need to construct roads. Only trees with diameters larger than generally 20cm are harvested, meaning many trees are preserved in the reservoir to maintain the unique aquatic ecosystem. The Angélique, The Amarante, and The Amourette are the three new Guyanese SHARC™ models.
The SHARC™, (US patent no. 8,096,334), is a self-contained barge-mounted system that integrates proven forestry and marine equipment. The four main components include a self-propelled barge, a modified log loader, a telescopic boom and a cutting head. The hydraulic oils used by all the machines are biodegradable to respect the environment in which Triton operates. Only trees with a minimum diameter of 20cm are cut.
Triton has developed its own wood transport system, on water! Once the trees have been cut by the SHARC™, they are deposited in floating log storage bunks and brought to the shore by a system of transport barges and a pusher tug. The logs are then off loaded, sorted on land and taken to the log processing facilities for manufacture into lumber or biomass fuel.
The recovery of a precious resource
The recovery of a precious resource
By 2025, Triton will meet a portion of the Guyanese demand for lumber products through timber recovered from Petit Saut, as opposed to harvesting from terrestrial forests. This will meet a growing demand for wood products in the territory and open up new opportunities for wood products given the unique history of timber harvested from Petit Saut. These woods with a unique history can also be used for new applications.
In 2025, Triton will commission its sawmill with an annual capacity of 25,000m³ to process the best species. This sawmill will also be equipped with drying kilns and a finished products workshop to go even further and add value to these exceptional woods.
Logs of poor quality and unsuitable for sale, as well as branches (~110,000m³/ year), will be chipped and conveyed directly to the silo of the adjacent biomass power plant, without the need for road transport, a major source of emissions.
Having lain dormant under water for almost 30 years, these once-lost woods can now have a second life. These precious woods, responsibly harvested and with a known origin, are ideal for furniture designers, joiners, as well as for high-end residential and commercial construction or even marine construction.
Do you have a project in mind? Contact us petit-saut@tritontimber.com
Couple of wood species among many :
Process diagram
Process diagram
Key figures
3 SHARC™ on the lake
~550 Hectares per year
+65 jobs created
4,000,000m³ of available Wood
140,000 m³/year harvested
25 000 m³/year
Commissioning in 2025
100 Million Euros in investments
20 Million Euros in tax revenues
We are hiring!
Triton is seeking its future team members to join this incredible journey. If you possess a strong sense of responsibility, a command of safety and environmental regulations, are curious, enjoy teamwork, and value autonomy, then one of our positions is perfect for you.
Join us! recrutement@tritontimber.com
In 2023 we are looking for the following M/F positions
- 1 Harvest Planning Manager
- Mechanics
- 1 Forest Machine Operator
- 1 SHARC™ Operator
- 1 Administrative and Financial Manager
In 2024 we are looking for the following M/F positions
- 1 accountant
- 2 SHARC™ pilots
- 3 Sidewinder / Tug Boat pilots
- Forest machine operators
- Log truck drivers
- 1 chainsaw operator
- 1 buckerman
- 1 Chipper / Grinder Operator
- Sawmill workers/operators
- Forklift drivers and tallyclerck
Actualités
Contact us
You can contact us through the address petit-saut@tritontimber.com
Would you like to join us? Send us a message on recrutement@tritontimber.com
Press Contact : Agence Etycom – Aelya Noiret – a.noiret@etycom.fr – +33 6 52 03 13 47
FAQ
FAQ
No. Less than half of the lake's surface is authorized for harvesting. This means that over 17,000 ha are left untouched. Reserves and buffer zones are also preserved when the presence of protected species is confirmed (giant otter, nesting of protected birds, etc.).
Yes, all shoreline and shallow areas, where trees are most visible and biodiversity most present, are preserved. In addition, all trees less than 20cm in diameter are left.
No. Triton gives priority to marketable species for processing into lumber. Branches, poor-quality wood and non-marketable species are used for wood energy to produce low-carbon electricity
Underwater at depths of over 5m, wood is in an oxygen-free environment, and therefore hardly degrades at all. Lac de Petit-Saut is virtually oxygen-free at depth, hence the notion of exploitation in the deepest zones. However, the part of the lake that remains above water and subject to water level variations has decomposed and will continue to disappear over time.
Yes, Triton Guyane operates on less than half of the lake's total surface area, and above all, on a gradual basis. Triton operates on less than 2% of the lake's total surface area each year. Areas are marked out to warn users.
Triton Guyane has its own environmental commitments, in addition to its regulatory obligations. These are set out in its environmental and operational management plan. Triton Guyane is supported by associations and consultancies to measure and monitor environmental parameters, before, during and after operations. Conservation measures are implemented according to the species observed. The results are submitted to the relevant authorities.
No. Triton Guyane is a Guyanese company since 2018. Triton Timber is French since 2019.
