Everybody takes Guyana as stupidee, Exxon did why not Trinidad.

Dave posted:

TT Govt. to pursue new marine acreage near oil-rich Guyana-Suriname basin-Energy Minister

By Kiana Wilburg reporting from Trinidad and Tobago

Revealing this plan yesterday was Energy Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Franklin Khan. He was at the time, delivering his remarks at his country’s three day Energy Conference which is being held at the Hyatt Hotel. The event ends today.

There, Khan said that in the long term, the Ministry is excited about the prospect of acquiring new marine territory.

He said, “T&T, as a coastal state, is a signatory to the UN Convention for Law of the Sea. We are currently seeking to delineate the outer limits of our continental shelf, beyond two hundred nautical miles in accordance with Article 76 of the Convention.
The delineation of T&T’s continental shelf beyond its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) would put this country in a position to exploit the natural resources to be found on that extended portion of its continental shelf.”

Issues to be addressed are indeed the Exclusive Economic Zone and the 200 nautical miles limit; among other items.

Will be of interest how this will result as countries like Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Trinidad are involved.

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United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982
Overview and full text

Source -- http://www.un.org/Depts/los/co...rview_convention.htm

Some pertinent sections ---

* Archipelagic States, made up of a group or groups of closely related islands and interconnecting waters, have sovereignty over a sea area enclosed by straight lines drawn between the outermost points of the islands; the waters between the islands are declared archipelagic waters where States may establish sea lanes and air routes in which all other States enjoy the right of archipelagic passage through such designated sea lanes;

* Coastal States have sovereign rights in a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with respect to natural resources and certain economic activities, and exercise jurisdiction over marine science research and environmental protection;

* All other States have freedom of navigation and overflight in the EEZ, as well as freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines;

* Land-locked and geographically disadvantaged States have the right to participate on an equitable basis in exploitation of an appropriate part of the surplus of the living resources of the EEZ's of coastal States of the same region or sub-region; highly migratory species of fish and marine mammals are accorded special protection;

* Coastal States have sovereign rights over the continental shelf (the national area of the seabed) for exploring and exploiting it; the shelf can extend at least 200 nautical miles from the shore, and more under specified circumstances;

* Coastal States share with the international community part of the revenue derived from exploiting resources from any part of their shelf beyond 200 miles;

* The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf shall make recommendations to States on the shelf's outer boundaries when it extends beyond 200 miles;

* All States enjoy the traditional freedoms of navigation, overflight, scientific research and fishing on the high seas; they are obliged to adopt, or cooperate with other States in adopting, measures to manage and conserve living resources;

* The limits of the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of islands are determined in accordance with rules applicable to land territory, but rocks which could not sustain human habitation or economic life of their own would have no economic zone or continental shelf;