PPP/C announcement of oil find deceptive – Bulkan
A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) political candidate, Ronald Bulkan,
APNU+AFC Candidate Ronald Bulkan
has condemned the government’s use of the Exxon’s hydrocarbon discovery in its political ads, stating that it is a deliberate attempt by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) to mislead the public. This is on the heels of the Ministry of Natural Resources announcement that the Deepwater Champion, approximately 120 miles offshore Guyana, has encountered hydrocarbons, organic compounds found in many places, including crude oil and natural gas. Though Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud, had initially warned that it was too early to confirm whether these trace elements were in commercial quantities, specifically light crude, a subsequent PPP/C full page ad also emerged declaring as its headline “Breaking news. U.S oil giant Exxon strikes oil in Guyana.” The ad also went on to say, “This breaking news of oil discovery in Guyana is another timely reminder why your support is best placed with the PPP/C.” Bulkan, who served as an APNU parliamentarian, has described it as a “quantum leap, to say that oil has been discovered, when all that has been found are traces of hydro carbon.” “It is part of a pattern of deception, born of desperation. It is a quantum leap when the company is talking of hydrocarbon and the PPP is announcing oil.” He alluded to the impending General and Regional elections on Monday as the motivating factor for the play with words. At an earlier press conference, APNU+AFC had welcomed the discovery, but had
The deepwater Champion drilling vessel
remained cautious, stating that should there turn out to be crude oil in commercial quantities, such a development would take years before tangible extraction efforts could be made. The Liza 1 well on the Stabroek block is being drilled by Deepwater Champion, which is hired by Esso Exploration and production Guyana Ltd. (EEPGL), an affiliate of Exxon Mobil, which holds 45 percent interest. Hess Guyana Exploration Limited holds 30 percent and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 percent interest in the venture. In an official statement from the Ministry of Natural resources, they said “the Natural Resources and Environment Minister, remains optimistic of a hydrocarbon discovery of commercial quantities which will transform Guyana’s economy for the benefit of all Guyanese.” News reports said that Exxon Mobile country manager, Jeff Simons, also confirmed that a bore hole in the Atlantic Ocean in an area claimed by Venezuela has produced positive results, though he declined to discuss specifics about what had been found. Minister Persaud is set to meet with company officials and discuss the find. Decades of exploration in Guyana have yet to locate a viable source of oil or gas despite the proximity of energy rich Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. Venezuela has long claimed about two-thirds of Guyana’s territory as well as the offshore area where Exxon Mobil began drilling in March. In October 2013, the Venezuelan navy detained an oil research vessel operating under contract for the U.S based Anadarko Petroleum Corp. Guyana foreign affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett said in March that the country would push ahead with exploration in the area despite protests from the Venezuelan Government. In May 2012, CGX Energy, which has concessions, announced that it had failed in its bid to find oil during a drill in its Corentyne concessions. That same year, another well being drilled in the Georgetown offshore concession by Spanish owned Repsol also failed in its attempt.