The crisis of the oil and gas regions between Venezuela and Guyana has reached a new stage of conflict, after Georgetown angered Caracas by offering these areas to international companies for research and exploration.
Venezuela is holding a national referendum on December 3 (2023), to determine whether to exercise what it says its rights in these areas and annex them, according to a report seen by the specialized energy platform.
In turn, Guyana is asking the International Court of justice to cancel this referendum, as reported by the platform “Argus Media” specialized in energy affairs, on Friday, November 3, 2023.
Guyana launched 14 oil and gas exploration and exploration zones months ago, and the offering was closed in mid-September, and 8 international companies participated in the competition, the winners of which are scheduled to be announced in early November.
Venezuelan Prosecutor General Tarek William Saab announced last week that he is heading to launch an investigation with Guyana and companies involved in the submission of disputed areas on the border between the two countries for the search and exploration of oil and gas.
These areas are located in the Essequibo province, and the dispute over oil and gas areas between Venezuela and Guyana has been raging over the river that bears the same name of the province, and its sea coasts, for more than 100 years.
The Venezuelan Prosecutor General mentioned the names of some of the major international companies participating in the competition for the areas proposed by Guyana, such as the American ExxonMobil (ExxonMobil), the French Total Energy (TotalEnergies), the American Hess (Hess) and the Malaysian Petronas (Petronas).
During September 2023, Venezuela announced its objection to the areas proposed by Guyana, calling the proposals illegal because some of them are common, and putting them up is not permissible before the demarcation of the border between the two countries, according to a report seen by the specialized energy platform.
The oil and gas conflict between Venezuela and Guyana has escalated, with Georgetown stating that those actions do not generate any kind of rights for third parties involved in such a process.
