That growth potential will take center stage at the four-day event beginning on Tuesday in Georgetown, where executives and government officials will gather to discuss efforts to further train the local oil and gas workforce, increase investment opportunities and build a downstream sector.

While Guyana’s oil promise has been buzzing for years, happenings in Venezuela have intensified the spotlight on the entire region after US forces removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power last month. US President Donald Trump has since called for $100 billion of investment to reactivate Venezuela’s oil sector.

The development has the potential to ease a long-standing border dispute that pushed the Guyanese government and an Exxon Mobil-led oil consortium to halt exploration in about 30% of the prolific Stabroek Block.

–Reuters–