Exxon begins drilling today
![President Donald Ramotar, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud and ExxonMobil’s Country Manager Jeff Simon during a tour of the company’s head office at New Market Street, Georgetown](http://i1.wp.com/www.guyanatimesgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/exxon1.jpg?resize=300%2C198)
President Donald Ramotar, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud and ExxonMobil’s Country Manager Jeff Simon during a tour of the company’s head office at New Market Street, Georgetown
…ignores Venezuelan sword rattling
By Alexis Rodney
United States-based oil company ExxonMobil’s oil exploration ship, the Deep Water Champion is in position in the Stabroek Block off Guyana’s Essequibo Coast and will commence its US$200 million exploration project today, Country Manager Jeff Simons has said.
The company is locked in what could be a possible showdown with Venezuelan authorities who have warned it not to proceed with the drilling, which was sanctioned by the Guyana Government.
Venezuela has repeatedly laid claim to the area to be explored, ignoring an 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award, which was declared as the full and final settlement of the boundary between the two South American nations. With Venezuela’s obdurate insistence on its position, Guyana is considering judicial settlement of the boundary.
Following Venezuela’s warning to the oil company, Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, dispatched a diplomatic note to her Venezuelan counterpart, warning against any action to prevent the oil rig from carrying out its work in an area of the Stabroek Block known as Liza.
Her note was in response to Venezuela’s Foreign Minister, Delcy Rodriguez Gomez, saying to ExxonMobil:
![ExxonMobil’s Country Manager Jeff Simon explaining the company’s scope of operations to President Donald Ramotar, and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud](http://i2.wp.com/www.guyanatimesgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/exxon2.jpg?resize=300%2C198)
ExxonMobil’s Country Manager Jeff Simon explaining the company’s scope of operations to President Donald Ramotar, and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud