A Venezuelan military ship entered a major offshore oil and gas field off the coast of Guyana early Saturday, approaching an ExxonMobil contracted vessel, according to Bloomberg. This incident comes days after President Trump canceled a key oil deal with Nicolas Maduro's Venezuela, citing its failure to repatriate an adequate number of illegal aliens from the US.
X user News Source Guyana posted a video showing the armed Venezuelan patrol boat probing the waters around the Exxon contracted ship in the Stabroek Block (Oil & Gas Field).
News Source: Authorities in Guyana at the Government level and at the level of Exxon Mobil are probing the presence of a Venezuelan Military vessel in Guyana’s waters sailing close to drill ships and other vessels in the Stabroek Block where oil production is taking place. pic.twitter.com/9YsmfWft8X
— News Source Guyana (@newssourcegy) March 1, 2025
The US State Department wrote on X the incident was unacceptable:
"Venezuelan naval vessels threatening ExxonMobil's floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit is unacceptable and a clear violation of Guyana's internationally-recognized maritime territory. Further provocation will result in consequences for the Maduro regime. The United States reaffirms its support for Guyana's territorial integrity and the 1899 arbitral award."
Venezuelan naval vessels threatening ExxonMobil’s floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit is unacceptable and a clear violation of Guyana’s internationally-recognized maritime territory. Further provocation will result in consequences for the Maduro regime. The…
— Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (@WHAAsstSecty) March 1, 2025
Another video of the incident.
Video donde observamos al ABV "Guaiquerí" de la Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela frente a un Buque de perforación petrolera. Posiblemente sea en el Campo "Payara" del bloque "Stabroek" en aguas por delimitar entre Guyana y Venezuela #1Mar #Mimapa https://t.co/8ymmJO0WX9 pic.twitter.com/MdkrOCNNGe
— Mi Mapa de Venezuela incluye nuestro Esequibo (@AntroCanal) March 1, 2025
Exxon discovered Stabroek in 2015. It produces 650,000 barrels daily and is situated in heavily disputed waters with Venezuela.
Guyana's President, Irfaan Ali, stated that the Venezuelan military vessel radioed the Exxon-contracted ship, declaring that the area lies within disputed international waters.
"During this incursion, the Venezuelan vessel approached various assets in our exclusive waters, including FPSO Prosperity," Ali said, referring to one of the Exxon-contracted vessels.
The Organization of American States stated, "Such acts of intimidation constitute a clear violation of international law, undermine regional stability, and threaten the principles of peaceful coexistence between nations," adding it "unequivocally condemns the recent actions of Venezuelan naval vessels."
The incident follows Trump's decision to reverse the concessions of an oil transaction agreement dated Nov. 26, 2022, with Venezuela, citing Maduro's failure to repatriate enough migrants.
We are hereby reversing the concessions that Crooked Joe Biden gave to Nicolás Maduro, of Venezuela, on the oil transaction agreement, dated November 26, 2022, and also having to do with Electoral conditions within Venezuela, which have not been met by the Maduro regime.…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) February 26, 2025
Not a smart move, Maduro.
