The local ExxonMobil subsidiary and its partners Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd (Hess) and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Ltd (Nexen) have been added as parties in the challenge filed by Ramon Gaskin to the grant of a petroleum production licence to the latter two companies.
It is Gaskin’s contention that since Hess and Nexen have no environmental permits allowing them to engage in oil exploration here, they ought not to have been granted any petroleum production licences.
Gaskin is contending that since such licences have been issued only to Exxon subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (Esso), then it is only that company that can rightfully undertake such exploration through the petroleum production licence it has been granted.