Venezuela targets ExxonMobil drilling location in new territorial claim

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The new map covering Guyana's territory.
Former Ambassador to Venezuela and Kuwait Odeen Ishmael
Former Ambassador to Venezuela and Kuwait Odeen Ishmael

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Venezuela has renewed its claim to Guyana’s territory, this time including an area where US oil giant ExxonMobil recently discovered oil.

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on May 27, 2015 issued an official decree creating the “Atlantic coast of Venezuela” which now includes “sovereignty” over Guyana’s territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo region.

This new extension of Venezuela’s claim to Guyanese territorial waters was made ​​official in the presidential decree, No. 1787, and published in the Ordinary Official Gazette No. 40,669, dated May 27, 2015.

According to Guyana’s Former Ambassador  to Venezuela, Odeen Ishmael,  “a map, issued to coincide with this decree, indicates that Venezuela is now claiming all the territorial waters within the 200 miles range and blocking Guyana’s access to its resources in this area of the Atlantic Ocean.”

The new map covering Guyana's territory.
The new map covering Guyana’s territory.

The Maduro decree is set amid Venezuela’s objection over oil exploration and concessions granted by Guyana to Exxon-Mobil, to explore 23,000 square kilometers of the Stabroek Block located within the area into which the new territorial claim is now extended.  

Earlier this year, when ExxonMobil was about to drill an exploratory well in the area, Venezuela claimed the drilling area as part of its territorial sea.

ExxonMobil has already announced that it has found a deposit of a significant amount of oil in the controversial Stabroek Bloc, 120 miles offshore Guyana.

According to a statement from ExxonMobil, the oil was discovered in one of the two wells it dug. The Liza-1 well encountered more than 295 feet of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone. The well was “spud” on March 5, 2015 and the well data will be analyzed in the coming months to better determine the full resource potential.

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18 COMMENTS

  1. Uncle Sam is there in guyana ,wa u worrying all self ,the world is with guyana ,let maaduro play with fire na e go get burn ,his country is burning already ,people suffering ,cummunism destroy Venezuela ,

  2. let the great carl go and defend, we will know who is strong and who is weak, is it a man name carl or a woman name carlyn

  3. Align with the USA and the Venezuela communist dictator will be stopped. Venezuela has been stomping on Guyana’s sovernty for ages and its time for action to stop their madness. Don’t back down Guyana and lose this opportunity for wealth.

  4. By your idiotic logic, Guyana should be subservient to Venezuela. You must be a Venezuelan! Time for Guyana to engage the West in defence of our development, even if it means stationing warships and military hardware and personnel in our north west. If Maduro really wants to see his government collapse, let him take on our friends.
    Under Chavez, Venezuela hauled in billions during the high oil price era, but instead of investing in the country’s socioeconomic well-being, he invested in military hardware. No wonder Venezuela is in economic turmoil.
    Russia has suddenly rushed to Venezuela’s aid but Guyana has to stand her ground, even if that means standing up to Russia, which wants to dominate the region via Venezuela!

  5. Under Jagdeo, Petro-Caribe strangled Guyana’s search for oil in its territorial waters. Under Granger, Guyana will produce oil, with much support from the West. Jagdeo was a corrupt leader and Ramotar was an incompetent follower!

  6. The Venezuelan president has to know his place , we will fight for every inch of our land. We will never let go of our territory and rest assure mercenaries are waiting to to deal with these bastardos.

  7. You don’t just role over to the dictators of Venezuela. Exxon should stay the course and let us see what Maduro can do. Guyana needs to do an amendment to the contract to allow Exxon and the U.S. GOVERNMENT to provide security for their assets.

  8. NO IT WAS A CALCULATED MOVE BY THE US GOVT TO HAVE EXXON THERE TO GET EVEN @ VENEZUELA FOLLOW YOUR GEO POLITICS AND YOU WOULD SEE WHY IT WAS DONE.

  9. And we have greater motives to press ours as well Essequibo is Guyana’s. I am willing to lay my life down to ensure it remains that way.

  10. It’s Idiots like you who make me sick! How the hell do you politicize a national issue like this? This aint a PPP APNU AFC thing this is a Guyana thing something we all should rally against regardless… As a matter of fact why the dont you just GTFO of Guyana go be stupid somewhere else

  11. I believe,the territorial dispute has been settled a long time ago,but every now and then
    Venezuela seems to have a DREAM,if it is not land,it is the sea.Sooner than later,they may CLAIM GUYANA as THEIRS.This government must make a statement in relation to this behaviour,and take action to alleviate this situation.For too long,this has been taking place.

  12. Por favor Senor Maduro…..You cannot draw maps willy-nilly that give you rights to other peoples lands. Just a hint here….you should try and get the basic necessities back on store shelves before you start conquering the world. Venezuela, a once beautiful and prosperous country is now the laughingstock of the region.

  13. Under jagdeo president Suriname issues was won to Guyana so let see under APNU-AFC what will happen with Guyana/ Venezuela issues ? The nation is watching

  14. This is why it was a bad idea to allow Exxon to drill before resolving the territorial dispute. Now the Venezuelans have an even greater motive to press their claim.

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