Venezuela wants Trinidad to share details about Exxon field testing, sources claim

According to two sources and an internal document, Venezuela wants to know the location and details of the first Exxon Mobil field tests that will be conducted in a newly awarded ultra-deepwater zone in Trinidad and Tobago.

Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela's vice president and oil minister, demanded details on Exxon plans. She also asked if any potential discoveries could reach Venezuelan territory. This was relayed to Trinidad's foreign minister by Dayne-Marc Chin Slick in a recent meeting with the acting head of their Caracas mission.

Exxon had been awarded the block earlier

This year

The company is returning to the Caribbean nation with its dual island for exploration of oil and gas. The block is located near the Venezuelan maritime border and north of Exxon's Stabroek Block in nearby Guyana.

Venezuela on Monday

After President Nicolas Maduro criticised what he termed the country's pro U.S. position amid the ongoing military escalation, the two countries signed a broad energy pact, which included several joint gas project.

Exxon was forced to suspend drilling in the Stabroek Block's north portion after a similar standoff occurred with Guyana. This was due to Exxon not being able to complete the exploration work.

Rodriguez informed Trinidad's acting chief of mission Chin Slick, that under Article 8 a delimitation agreement on territorial boundaries, each country must inform the other about any exploration planned, as long as it is within 500 metres (1,640 feet), according to a diplomatic note.

Trinidad and Venezuela are only six miles apart (9,7 km) at their nearest point.

The internal Trinidad government memo revealed that Trinidad was prepared to inform Venezuela of a seismic survey Exxon is planning for next year. However, it would not provide further details on the work plan, or say whether there are any potential discoveries in Venezuela.

The memo from the Foreign Ministry stated that "The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has confidentiality obligations and as a result, it is not possible to disclose specific and detailed information about Exxon Mobil’s operations in Block TTUD 1".

Exxon refused to comment. Trinidad's Energy Ministry, as well as Venezuela's Information and Oil Ministries did not respond immediately to requests for comments.

Up until April, when Trinidad's government changed, the two countries had close relations, with Caracas granting a license to Shell and Trinidad's National Gas Company to develop the 4.2-trillion-cubic-foot Dragon gas field in Venezuelan waters.

Venezuela agreed to allow Trinidad to develop the Loran-Manatee field, which has a 10 TCF gas reserve. Around 73% of reserves are on the Venezuelan border.

Since the arrival of Kamla Persad Bisssar, Trinidad's new prime minister, bilateral relations are complicated. Rodriguez said that Trinidad's attitude toward Venezuela is "hostile" this week.

(source: Reuters)