Guyana Says Venezuela Navy Evicted Survey Ship from Its Waters
BRIDGETOWN, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Guyana's government said on Friday the navy of neighboring Venezuela had evicted a ship used by a U.S. oil exploration company from Guyanese waters, calling the move unprecedented and a serious threat to security.
The Venezuela authorities, meanwhile, accused the survey ship, which was being used by Texas-based Anadarko Petroleum Corp, of violating its territorial waters.
A border dispute has simmered between the two South American countries for more than a century and oil exploration has only fanned the flames.
Guyana's foreign ministry said a Venezuelan naval vessel on Thursday ordered the RV Teknik Perdana to stop surveying and then escorted it to the Venezuelan island of Margarita.
"The actions taken by the Venezuelan navy vessel constitute a serious threat to the peace of this sub-region," Guyana's foreign ministry said in a statement.
"It was...clear the vessel and its crew were not only being escorted out of Guyana's waters, but were under arrest. These actions by the Venezuelan naval vessel are unprecedented."
The Venezuelan government also demanded an explanation.
"Venezuela expresses its profound concern about the way in which foreign vessels, authorized by Guyana's government, barge into Venezuela's territorial waters and exclusive economic zone without permission," Venezuela's foreign ministry said.
Both sides stressed that they wanted a peaceful resolution.
Guyana awarded Anadarko Petroleum Corp a deep-water, exploration license in June last year for a block named Roraima, although details of the concession have not been revealed.
Oil companies have been increasingly interested in the northeastern shoulder of South America since a discovery off nearby French Guyana in 2011 that industry experts described as a game-changer for the region's energy prospects.
Venezuela and Guyana have long argued about the status of the disputed Essequibo region, an area on the border about the size of the U.S. state of Georgia, and over rights to the ocean resources that lie offshore. Venezuela calls it a "reclamation zone," but in practice it functions as Guyanese territory.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.
- Weatherford CEO's Rebound Plan Relies On Getting Smaller
- Iran Says Oil Market Is Too Tight For US Zero Exports Target
- China's Squeezed 'Teapots' Eye Petchem Path To Riches
- Baker Hughes: US Drillers Add Oil Rigs For Second Week In Three
- Venezuela Hands China More Oil Presence, But No Mention Of New Funds
- Blockchain Demands Attention in Oil and Gas
- Macquarie Sees USA Oil Production Exiting 2024 at 14MM Barrels Per Day
- CNPC Opens Sea-Land Oil Storage and Transport Facility in Bangladesh
- Oman Sees Increasing Ship-to-Ship Transfers of Russian Oil Bound for India
- US Govt Makes Record Investment of $6B for Industrial Decarbonization
- Perenco Still Searching for Missing Person After Platform Incident
- Eni, Fincantieri, RINA Ink Deal on Maritime Decarbonization
- Oil Falls as US Inventories Increase
- Czech Utility CEZ Bucks Weaker Prices, Demand to Log Record Annual Profit
- Ithaca Energy Studies Deal for Eni's UK Upstream Assets
- Equinor Makes Discovery in North Sea
- Standard Chartered Reiterates $94 Brent Call
- India Halts Russia Oil Supplies From Sanctioned Tanker Giant
- DOI Announces Proposal for Second GOM Offshore Wind Auction
- Centcom, Dryad Outline Recent Moves Around Red Sea Region
- PetroChina Set to Receive Venezuelan Oil
- Czech Conglomerate to Buy Major Stake in Gasnet for $917MM
- US DOE Offers $44MM in Funding to Boost Clean Power Distribution
- Oil Settles Lower as Stronger Dollar Offsets Tighter Market
- UK Grid Operator Receives Aid to Advance Rural Decarbonization
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Major Oilfield Discovery
- VIDEO: Missile Attack Kills Crew Transiting Gulf of Aden
- Norway Regulator Blasts Proposal to Halt New Oil and Gas Permits
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Another Major Oilfield Discovery
- What Is the Biggest Risk to Offshore Oil and Gas Personnel in 2024?
- Vessel Sinks in Red Sea After Missile Strike
- Exxon Rights in Stabroek Do Not Apply to Hess Merger with Chevron: Hess
- Analysts Reveal Latest Oil Price Outlook Following OPEC+ Cut Extension
- Equinor Makes Discovery in North Sea
- Standard Chartered Reiterates $94 Brent Call