El Gobierno reitera apoyo a Exxon Mobil para continuar exploración en el Esequibo
El presidente de Exxon Mobil, Erik Oswald, informó que la compañía continuará los trabajos de búsqueda de petróleo en el bloque marítimo Stabroek en la región de Esequibo.
El directivo aseguró que los trabajos que dieron con el yacimiento fueron una inversión muy arriesgada y que por lo tanto están muy contentos del descubrimiento, por lo que lo retomaran a partir de enero de 2016. Resaltó además que la compañía abría abandonado el área en junio por la finalización del contrato de explotación.
Directivos de Exxon Mobil se reunieron con el Gobierno de Guyana, el cual le manifestó su apoyo en las siguientes exploraciones en aguas de la costa guyanesa.
“Yo les doy mi promesa de que eso ocurrirá. El compromiso al proyecto es de 110 %. No tenemos intenciones en dividir esta colaboración”, indicó Raphael Trotman.
Trotman dijo que recientemente un equipo de la Oorganización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) visitó Guyana para trabajar en la disputa entre Venezuela y dicho país por las aguas de Esequibo.
Exxon Mobil reaffirms commitment to continued exploratory work -Minister Trotman extends Government’s full support
The Government of Guyana through the Minister of Governance with responsibility for the state’s patrimony and natural resources, Raphael Trotman has extended its full support to oil giant, ExxonMobil as the company reaffirmed its commitment to continuing exploration works in Guyana, beginning early 2016.
This commitment was communicated to the company by Minister Trotman at a meeting, which was held with some of the company’s top executives at the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment Boardroom yesterday.
ExxonMobil’s team was led by Erik Oswald, ExxonMobil Exploration Vice President and included; Craig Kelly, Senior Director for the Americas, International Government, Chuck Calavan, Vice President, South and Latin America, Jeff Johnson, Exploration Commercial Manager, Alison Rana, Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Jeff Simons, Country Manager Esso, Guyana, and Carlton James, Public and Government Affairs Manager, Esso, Guyana,.
According to the Vice President of Exploration, Mr. Oswald, the company was especially happy with the discovery made in Guyana.
“As you know we have had a discovery of what we thought was a very successful well. This was a very low probability well so it is one of these things we love to see. It’s a very risky investment so we are very pleased about that,” he said.
To this end, Oswald said that the company remains committed to its work in Guyana and is looking forward to the next investment, which should take shape as early as January 2016, “All that work is underway right now. When the technical work is done, the others will be done. And the idea is, if we have a lot of success, we will bring additional rigs,” Oswald said. He explained that the rig, the “Deepwater Champion” left Guyana in June upon completion of its contract with the Corporation.
Government’s role in ensuring the Company’s right to continue its exploration in the Stabroek Block was also discussed during the meeting.
Minister Raphael Trotman reminded the company’s representatives of President Granger’s assurance that the block will be protected. “I give you my assurance. The commitment to the project is 110 per cent. We have no intentions of giving up on that partnership,” Minister Trotman told the team.
Minister Trotman also communicated the government’s willingness to support and assist in any infrastructural needs, which may arise when the company expands its operations here.
Given the ongoing threats to Guyana’s territorial integrity, Minister Trotman also used the opportunity to update the company on the ongoing border controversy and the recent visit to Guyana of a team from United Nations Headquarters.
“The UN had a team here in Guyana… We are doing our best to get it resolved. We are pushing for a comprehensive and resolute result. The dispute has not been helpful to this country. We are entitled… to develop our country’s natural resources,” he expressed.
The oil and gas exploration began in Guyana on 5 March, 2015 , with drilling offshore in the Stabroek Block. Just two months later, on May 20, the company announced that its engagement in Guyana was proving successful, as its exploration drill ship, the Deepwater Champion, had found a deposit of a ‘significant’ amount of oil in the Block, about 120 nautical miles offshore Guyana.
