ExxonMobil to explore for oil and gas in offshore area under dispute by Guyana and Venezuela

By BERT WILKINSON
Associated Press

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — ExxonMobil says it plans to explore for oil and gas in a disputed area off South America’s coast where the Venezuelan military had previously expelled two U.S. oil companies. The move could escalate tensions between Venezuela and neighboring Guyana, which awarded the exploration license. The area is considered part of Guyana’s Essequibo region, but Venezuela has long claimed it as its own. Guyanese Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud told The Associated Press on Wednesday that ExxonMobil has every right to work in that region. The president of ExxonMobil Guyana says the concessions were granted by Guyana and that the company is committed to its operations despite the country’s ongoing tensions with Venezuela.