The border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela has been ongoing for around two centuries, and Venezuela still claims large, resource rich swathes of Guyanese territory. In the conflict’s most recent iteration, which began several months ago when Exxon Mobil (XOM) announced the discovery of oil off the coast of Guyana, Venezuela has renewed the same claims, with the same tactics, massing troops and war materials in the eastern portion of the country, close to the Guyanese border.
Despite an apparent easing of tensions, are oil and gas operations in this area – which include not only Exxon, but Anadarko (APC), Shell (RDS.A), and Repsol (REPYY) – under significant risk of being impacted by conflict or expropriation? Does Venezuela even want open warfare with Guyana?
