Venezuela to Free Seized Oil Survey Ship, Owner Says

"We are pleased that all 36 crew members of the MV Teknik Perdana and the vessel will reportedly be released in the near future. We extend our gratitude to the crew of the vessel, which has handled itself with the utmost professionalism throughout," he said in a statement.

A third company - Texas-based researcher TDI-Brooks International whose scientists were on the ship - confirmed the imminent release.

"A decision has been reached to release the ship and all 36 members of the crew. It's just a matter of getting through the final protocols and processes so that can happen," TDI-Brooks' director of operations Peter Tatro told Reuters.

But Venezuela did not confirm the release, and its public prosecutor's office said the ship's Ukrainian captain, Igor Bekirov, had been charged at Margarita with failing to respect the boundaries of a security zone.

He was awaiting further court appearances, it said.

Guyanese officials said the ship's three dozen crew members include citizens of eight countries: the United States, Russia, France, Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia, Panama and Ukraine.

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.