Discussion on the unfair Guyana oil contract and calls for renegotiation. Exploration of Chinese involvement and corruption allegations. Explanations on ExxonMobil's production chain agreement and cricket sponsorship. Insights into oil companies' image management and the importance of transportation in greenhouse gas emissions. Exploring challenges and controversies in the Guyana oil industry, including negotiation concerns.
The release of the oil contract between the Guyanese government and ExxonMobil in 2017 was chaotic and filled with legal language, leaving many confused and leading to criticism of it being a historically bad deal for Guyana.
The production sharing agreement between Guyana and ExxonMobil presents challenges, with a majority of revenue going to ExxonMobil to recover costs, increasing expenses as new wells are explored and potentially fast-tracking production to repay costs.
Deep dives
Glenn Lawl: The Publisher and Influencer
Glenn Lawl, the publisher of Kiana Wilberg's newspaper, Kiter News, is not your average publisher. With over 20,000 followers on TikTok, Lawl has become an influencer. He uses various platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, radio shows, and newspapers, to reach the masses. Lawl's strategy involves speaking their language, which includes using a version of English mixed with Krilys, a local lingo spoken by working-class people in Guyana.
The Chaos of the Oil Contract Release
The release of the oil contract between the Guyanese government and ExxonMobil in 2017 was chaotic. The contract was complex and filled with legal language that left many confused. ExxonMobil hosted a press conference to explain the contract's important parts before its official release. However, the contract remained unintelligible to most people, including experienced journalists and experts. Criticism of the contract arose, with many calling it a historically bad deal for Guyana.
Corruption Allegations and Controversies
Corruption allegations in Guyana have surrounded the oil contract and government officials. A Vice News undercover report claimed that Chinese businessmen posed as investors and revealed corrupt practices, implicating Vice President Barat Jagdeo. Jagdeo sued for defamation and halted communication with foreign journalists. The renegotiation of the contract has become a contentious issue. While some believe the contract should be renegotiated, others argue that ExxonMobil should be allowed to recoup its costs.
The Pitfalls of the Production Sharing Agreement
The production sharing agreement between Guyana and ExxonMobil presents several challenges. With a 75% cost oil provision, the majority of revenue goes to ExxonMobil to recover exploration and development costs. Additionally, expenses continue to increase as new wells are explored, resulting in Guyana frontloading costs for future oil. The volatile nature of the oil market and the potential for slower demand in the future further complicate the situation. Critics argue that Guyana is at risk of fast-tracking production to repay costs, potentially causing harm in the long term.
After a year’s worth of pressure from local press and civil society groups, the Guyanese government released its contract with ExxonMobil to the public in December 2017. The IMF calls it an unfair deal for Guyana. Some local leaders start calling on government officials to try to renegotiate the contract, but others say that’s a fool’s errand and the only place to fight the contract is in court.