UNITED States oil giant, ExxonMobil, in early June voluntarily removed its exploration vessel, the Deepwater Champion from Guyana’s Stabroek Block, according to Governance Minister Raphael Trotman, who confirmed that this is not an irregular action. The Minister’s comments come against the backdrop of statements surfacing in the Latin American media agency, El Universal that Ángel, the President of the Venezuelan Chapter of the Latin American Parliament, said the Venezuelan Government welcomed the decision by Exxon Mobil to remove its oil drilling ship in the waters claimed by President Nicolas Maduro.
That report further said that Rodríguez was quoted in third party sources saying the vessel left the Stabroek Block off of Guyana’s coast some days ago. While Minister Trotman could not respond to the statement made by the Venezuelan official, he challenged that in actuality, the vessel had moved about two months ago.
The decision by ExxonMobil to remove the drilling vessel follows an increase in activity in the Stabroek Block where seismic vessels were conducting exploratory works to determine if there are other commercially viable oil reserves in the immediate areas, this was confirmed by Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, who also has responsibility for Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department.
Trotman, who was tasked by President David Granger with responsibility for Guyana’s natural resources, confirmed the seismic works currently being done in the Stabroek block in the vicinity of the Liza-1 well.
That well was dug by the Deepwater Champion, which has since departed the waters of Guyana up to news time last evening was resting in the Gulf of Mexico. Minister Trotman said too the Liza-1 well has been capped and is awaiting the next move by the oil giant, ExxonMobil.