(Petroleum Economist, 2.Dec.2020) — Crumbling oil prices and volatile energy demand have tipped Latin America into a sharp recession, exacerbated by one of the world’s worst Covid-19 mortality rates. But in Suriname and Guyana, at least, there are reasons to be cheerful. Although both countries face stark economic challenges, they […]
Tag: David Granger
A Not-To-Do List For Guyana’s New Govt
(IPS, 24.Aug.2020) — Just over five years ago, a major oil discovery occurred on the northeastern coast of South America. There have been a series of additional discoveries ever since. But this time it was not Venezuela. It was Guyana. Fast forward to August 6 when Irfaan Ali assumed the […]
Guyana Planning For More Demands On ExxonMobil
(Forbes, 20.Aug.2020) — With the newly-elected People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government now firmly in place following five months of vote-counting controversy, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali and his Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, have recently turned the discussion over the country’s offshore oil developments to proposals to require oil and gas operators […]
UK’s Global Witness Urges Guyana Renegotiate Oil Deal
(Caribnews, 18.Aug.2020) — The United Kingdom-based, anti-corruption organization Global Witness yesterday called on the new Government here to immediately investigate and renegotiate the US-owned oil giant Exxon’s exploitative oil license to ensure the country has the funds needed to rebuild after divisive elections and a debilitating novel coronavirus pandemic. In […]
Guyana Pushes Exxon For Gas-generated Electricity
(DemeraraWaves, 14.Aug.2020) — The Guyana government plans to open negotiations with United States (US) oil giant ExxonMobil to purchase natural gas to push industrialisation and provide cheap electricity to the nation as well as entrench local content requirements to ensure Guyanese are not paid lower salaries than in other countries, […]
Guyana Poised To Clear Exxon’s Payara Oil Deal
(Seeking Alpha, 11.Aug.2020) — Guyana’s new government will decide by the end of August whether to approve Exxon Mobil’s 220K bbl/day Payara project, the country’s natural resources minister says. Payara is Exxon’s third development project on the deepwater Stabroek block, but approval has been delayed by a five-month impasse that […]
Guyana Mulls Absorbing Energy Dept Into Ministry
(Argus, 10.Aug.2020) — Guyana’s new natural resources minister is computer scientist Vickram Bharrat, a key appointment for the rapidly expanding oil sector. Bharrat, who is part of the administration of President Irfaan Ali that was inaugurated on 8 August, could assume an expanded portfolio if the ministry absorbs the energy […]
Carter Center On End To Guyana Election Standoff
(Carter Center, 3.Aug.2020) — The Carter Center commends the Guyana Elections Commission and Chairperson Claudette Singh for finalizing the results of the 2020 election. It extends its congratulations to President Irfaan Ali as he assumes Guyana’s highest office and applauds former President David Granger’s statesmanship in recognizing GECOM’s declaration of […]
Guyana Elects Mohamed Irfaan Ali President
(Energy Analytics Institute, 2.Aug.2020) — Guyana’s Election Commission (GECOM) announced 2 August 2020 that Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the leading candidate from the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had won the country’s president elections which took place on 2 March 2020. Ali beat out incumbent David Granger and his A Partnership for […]
A Tale Of Two Neighbours: Guyana And Suriname
(Jamaica Observer, 26.Jul.2020) — Recent electoral events in Guyana and Suriname, which border each other on the north-eastern coast of the South American continent, display a remarkably different approach to democracy that could be the determining factor in catapulting Suriname’s development and prosperity well ahead of Guyana’s. The two countries […]
World’s Newest Oil Boom Is Facing A Major Problem
(Oilprice.com, 22.Jul.2020) — After a series of major offshore oil discoveries since 2015, with the largest ever made earlier this year, the tiny South American country of Guyana has become a hotspot for international oil majors. The deeply impoverished former British colony’s oil potential is being compared to nearby Brazil […]
Situation In Guyana Goes From Bad To Worse
(Forbes, 18.Jul.2020) — As I wrote earlier this month, the future of the nascent oil and gas industry in the South American nation of Guyana is standing on shaky ground amid the ongoing controversy related to this year’s national elections. The situation only grew worse this week as U.S. Secretary […]
Visa Curbs On Guyanese “Undermining Democracy”
(US Treasury, 15.Jul.2020) — On 2 March 2020 the Co-Operative Republic of Guyana held national elections, but it has still not declared a winner. All international observers of the vote count agreed that the manner in which votes were tabulated departed from established procedures. They unanimously agreed that a result […]
Vote Standoff Prolongs Guyana Uncertainty
(Argus, 13.Jul.2020) — Guyana’s political stalemate is prolonging uncertainty over the future management of the South American country’s fledgling oil sector, and raising the prospect of US sanctions. The declaration of the winner of the 2 March presidential and parliamentary election has once again been delayed by a standoff between […]
Exxon Restarts Drilling Off Guyana Amid Political Crisis
(Bloomberg, 10.Jul.2020) — Exxon Mobil Corp. resumed drilling in Guyana last month, underscoring its dedication to the offshore hot spot despite the oil price crash and a messy turn in local politics. Two of Exxon’s four drillships went back to work, according to data published Friday by Baker Hughes Co. […]
OAS Statement On Electoral Process In Guyana
(OAS, 10.Jul.2020) — In our most recent press statement, on 23 June 2020, the OAS encouraged the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to move forward in concluding Guyana’s electoral process, based on the results of the national recount, and in accordance with the will of the majority of the electorate. The […]
Guyana Awaits New Oil Authorities
(Argus, 9.Jul.2020) — Changes are coming to the management and policy of Guyana’s fledgling oil sector, after a regional court cleared the way for declaring a victory for the opposition in a 2 March parliamentary election. In a pending declaration by the elections commission (Gecom), the People’s Progress Party (PPP) […]
Guyana Oil Find Raises Stakes In Fraud Case
(Stabroek News, 27.Jun.2020) — Allegations of mass vote fiddling in the former British colony of Guyana may lead to the country’s discredited government being ostracised unless a court hearing next week can resolve a bitter dispute over election results. The political stakes in Guyana have risen massively since May 2015 […]
The Oil Nation Aiming To Emulate Guyana’s Success
(Oilprice.com, 20.Jun.2020) — Paths to economic development might vary, ranging all the way from ruthless dictatorships hewing their way with an iron fist to established democracies laboring towards the well-being of its constituents. In terms of swift decision-making and efficiency, 20th century empirical data would rather tilt towards dictatorships with […]
Carter Center Welcomes Caricom Report On Guyana
(The Carter Center, 16.Jun.2020) — The Carter Center commends the Guyana Elections Commission on the completion of the recount process and welcomes the Caricom report, which indicates that despite minor flaws in the process, the recount results are acceptable and provide the basis for a declaration of results from the […]
Winds Shifting In Oil-rich Guyana, Suriname
(Argus, 8.Jun.2020) — Opposition parties pledging oil policy changes in Guyana and Suriname are close to taking power, but incumbents are signaling reluctance to step down. Guyana’s opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which is leading a recount of votes from 2 March parliamentary elections, reaffirmed to Argus today that it […]
Guyana Election Data Shows Opposition Leader Ali Wins
(Reuters, 8.Jun.2020) — Preliminary data published by Guyana’s elections commission shows that opposition candidate Irfaan Ali has won a recount of votes in March’s presidential election following accusations the tally was manipulated. President David Granger had claimed victory despite observer groups and diplomats from the United States and the European […]
Coalition Says GECOM “Put On Notice”
(GINA, 7.Jun.2020) — The APNU+AFC Coalition today again expressed concerns over the state of affairs of Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and cautioned that the elections body cannot use any “fraudulent” votes to declare “credible” results of the March 2, polls. With the recount process coming to an end moments ago, […]
Statement From The OAS On The Elections In Guyana
(OAS, 4.Jun.2020) — The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) is mindful that the recount of the votes cast in the March 2 General and Regional elections in Guyana, will be concluded in the next few days. OAS International Election Observers have been present at the recount […]
Guyana Political Stalemate Drags On
(Argus, 15.May.2020) — Fledgling oil producer Guyana’s political stalemate is dragging on amid slow progress in a closely watched recount of votes from a disputed 2 March parliamentary election. The electoral outcome is critical to the country’s future oil policy, six months after ExxonMobil kicked off deepwater production on the […]
Guyana Poised To Become A Rich Country
(Miami Herald, 13.May.2020) — The discovery of oil off its Atlantic coast is poised to transform a largely underdeveloped Guyana from one of South America’s most polarized and poorest nations into possibly one of its richest. But an ongoing post-electoral crisis involving allegations of fraud in its high stakes March […]
A Political Crisis Threatens To Derail Guyana’s Oil Boom
(World Politics Review, 28.Apr.2020) — Despite growing signs of a dramatic and global economic downturn stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, the small South American country of Guyana appears poised for a period of spectacular economic growth. In its recent semiannual report on Latin America and the Caribbean, the World Bank […]
Guyana’s Oil Dream: A Tale Of Smoke And Mirrors
(Jamaica Gleaner, 17.Apr.2020) — Picture soaring sky-scrapers with glistening glass windows adorning cathedrals of steel that dominate the illuminated skyline. This image encapsulates the dreams of many developing countries which seek to achieve unparalleled development, especially upon discovery of vast resource deposits. Expectations for these nations are initially high, with […]
Political Battle Could Jeopardize Oil Boom
(Oilprice.com, 6.Apr.2020) — Amidst the torrent of news on the adverse impacts of COVID-19, recent developments in Guyana stand out as something of a countercurrent. In times when the entire world seems to be bracing for an impending economic catastrophe, Guyana is paralyzed by a political impasse that not only […]
Guyana’s New Oil Economy Under Pressure
(Bloomberg, 24.Mar.2020) — When Exxon Mobil Corp. came to Guyana, the US oil giant brought with it the promise of extraordinary economic growth. Now the tiny South American country is embroiled in a bitter battle over who might control that wealth just as the crude starts to flow. In November, […]
Exxon, Guyana Head Toward Uncertain Future
(OilandGas360.com, 20.Mar.2020) — They are the odd couple of the global oil patch: Guyana is a poor former British sugar colony. Exxon Mobil is America’s largest oil company. They came to depend on each other after a series of extraordinary oil discoveries off Guyana’s coast transformed the small South American […]
Guyana’s Oil-soaked Election Heads For Recount
(Axios, 16.Mar.2020) — Guyana’s March 2 election came while the country is on the cusp of a transition from relative poverty to newfound wealth — and it was marred by severe irregularities that caused the U.S. and other countries to reject the result. Why it matters: The coming days could […]
Guyana Extends Search For Agent To Sell Govt’s Oil
(Reuters, 11.Mar.2020) — Guyana has extended the initial deadline in its search for an agent to market its share of oil produced by an Exxon Mobil-led consortium to March 24, the Department of Energy said on Wednesday. Guyana has no domestic refining capacity or national oil company and must sell […]
Guyana Court Halts Release Of Election Results
(Reuters, 8.Mar.2020) — Guyana’s top court on Sunday upheld an injunction blocking the elections commission from proclaiming a winner in this month’s presidential election, delaying the results of a vote that has been marred by accusations of fraud. A protester was killed and demonstrators took to the streets after diplomats […]
Jason Carter Speaks To Media In Guyana
(Energy Analytics Institute, Ian Silverman, 6.Mar.2020) — The Carter Center’s Jason Carter speaks to media in Guyana on 6 March 2020 regarding that country’s elections 2 March 2020 and issues regarding the vote counting process. *** © Energy Analytics Institute (EAI)
Oil Bonanza Plunges Guyana Into Political Crisis
(The New York Times, 5.Mar.2020) — The discovery of an enormous oil deposit off the coast of Guyana was meant to catapult this tiny country into the top echelons of petroleum producers and put its citizens on the path to better lives. Instead, it has deepened the historical tensions shackling […]
Granger Says Ready To Serve Five More Years As President
(Reuters, 5.Mar.2020) — Guyanese President David Granger on Thursday told supporters his coalition was ready to serve five more years in office following the country’s presidential election on Monday. Opposition leaders have cried fraud and diplomats from the United States and European Union questioned part of the results of the […]
Guyana Elects Leader As Vast Oil Boom Dawns
(AP, 4.Mar.2020) — Guyana voted for a new government on Monday in a bruising fight for control of a tiny South American country whose oil revenues in the next decade could make it one of the wealthiest in the hemisphere. A consortium comprised of ExxonMobil and partners, Hess Oil of […]
Guyana Holds Crucial March Election
(Aljazeera, 2.Mar.2020) — Guyana’s economy is expected to be transformed by oil and gas discovered off the poor South American country’s shores. Voters in Guyana will head to the polls on Monday in a crucial election that will decide which party oversees an oil boom that is expected to transform […]
Watchdog: Exxon Guyana Deal ‘Exploitative’
(Forbes, 5.Feb.2020) — As ExxonMobil kicks off production on the world’s largest emerging oil projects, debate has intensified over the terms of contracts signed between the global oil giant and Guyana, the small impoverished South American nation that owns the offshore crude. Oil contracts are already the central issue in […]
Guyana’s National Petroleum Day
(Guyana Govt, 21.Dec.2019) — Under the honest leadership of President David Granger, Guyana is finally moving in the right direction. President Granger is transforming Guyana’s economy, improving the living standards fof all Guyanese and working to unify our country. Last evening, President Granger announced that Guyana has began petroleum production, […]
Oil Brightens Guyana’s Prospects
(CaribNews, Mellany P., 28.Nov.2019) — President David Granger said Wednesday that the emerging petroleum industry provides an “exciting economic and enterprising development” for Guyana and will enhance economic growth by increasing investment, including upstream investment. Addressing the Guyana International Petroleum Exhibition (GIPEX) 2019, Granger insisted that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) […]
Guyana Must Learn To Use Its Riches
(Upstream, Gareth Chetwynd, 26.Sep.2019) — As development on Guyana’s Stabroek block continues apace, it is worth considering that the Liza development took form in an era when low oil prices demanded that offshore projects attain new levels of efficiency. ExxonMobil adopted a strategy of achieving the most aggressive ramp-up ever […]
Guyana Key Elections To Come Ahead Of First Oil
(Argus, 26.Sep.2019) ) — Guyana will hold parliamentary elections on 2 March 2020, around the time that ExxonMobil plans to launch offshore oil production that promises to transform the economy of the tiny South American country. The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) party that has overseen the advent of oil […]
Diplomats Say Guyana Gov’t In Breach Of Constitution
(Reuters, 19.Sep.2019) — U.S. and European diplomats on Thursday declared Guyana’s government in breach of the country’s constitution until new elections are held and called on Guyanese President David Granger to “set an elections date immediately” or possibly face a cutoff of development funding. Guyana’s independent electoral body on Thursday […]
Guyana Find Progresses Amid Political Tensions
(Forbes, David Blackmon, 29.Jul.2019) — Nothing is ever easy or simple in the world of international offshore oil and gas development. That axiom is proving to be true for the most prolific offshore oil discovery in recent years off the coast of the tiny South American nation of Guyana. Political […]
About Guyana: GECOM
(GECOM, 5.Jul.2019) — Guyana, the only English speaking country in South America was first inhabited by the Amerindians until the era of the European exploration when the Spanish began using it as a trading post during the 16th Century. Background and history Guyana, the only English speaking country in South […]
Guyana Election Heightens Political Risk For Operators
(Energy Voice, Ryan Stevenson, 21.Jun.2019) — Guyana is due to hold a general election later this year that could have a significant bearing on the country’s emergence as a new oil frontier. Guyanese President David Granger said on June 18 he would call an election after the Caribbean Court of […]
Ghana To Help Guyana’s Energy Sector
(Demerara Waves, 11.Jun.2019) — Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo has agreed that his country would help Guyana’s energy sector, Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon said. Briefing the media after Akufo Addo was conferred with Guyana’s national award, the Order of Excellence by President David Granger, Harmon said […]