Guyanese protest in heat wave, demanding ExxonMobil return 20% of Stabroek Block

Oct 05, 2023 ExxonMobil, News, Oil & Gas

Kaieteur News – Almost 40 Guyanese braved the ongoing heat wave here to protest over the last three days in front of the President’s Office with placards demanding the return of ExxonMobil’s 20 percent of the Stabroek block by the end of October.

The protest continues today and Friday from 09:00 to 12: 00hrs. According to the contract signed for the Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil and its partners have to surrender 20 percent of the Stabroek Block in October 2023. That is reportedly equivalent to some 120 oil blocks.

Protestors in front of the President’s office

However, the American oil company has secured a one-year extension from government. The extension was reportedly granted by the David Granger-led administration after Exxon and its partners argued that their exploration plans were affected by unforeseen COVID-19 delays in 2020, and as such, should be given back the lost time via an extension.

Exxon says their claim is not an unreasonable one as it is catered for under the force majeure provisions in the Stabroek Block deal. The current administration also believes that the excuse is a fair one and agrees with the extension granted.

Protestors on the other hand, are not buying the excuse and believe that the government ought to rescind the one- year extension and let ExxonMobil return the 20 percent now. The extension granted by the Granger administration leaves room for it to be revoked if the company fails to provide probable cause that COVI

D-19 had indeed affected its operations. The protestors are of the view that the company has given none. One of reasons why the protestors believe that COVID-19 is not a viable excuse is because the company reportedly never stopped producing oil and it is possible that time was available for them to explore as well.

As they held placards with the phrase, “We demand our 120 oil blocks from the Exxon M now” and marched to and from in front of the President’s Office, they chanted “We want back we oil blocks, give we back we oil blocks now”.