Days elapse with no official Govt. statement on oil site compromised by hackers

Apr 16, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – The website of the Petroleum Management Programme in Guyana was hacked since April 7, and more than a week has elapsed without an official statement from the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration on this matter.

The website, petroleum.gov.gy is marketed by the government as the transparency avenue for information on the petroleum sector in Guyana. It provides updates on oil production, gas and produced water, and the developments of the price of oil, as well as information on opportunities in the sector, in terms of employment and procurement.

Additionally, the website has been the access point for international oil companies interested in participating in the offshore licensing round, and they used the site to access the data room and the terms of the round.

Kaieteur News understands that the site was compromised by hackers loyal to Venezuela’s claim for Guyana’s Essequibo territory. The hackers placed graphics on the website that said “!El Esequibo es Venezuela!” meaning ‘The Essequibo is Venezuela’.

It is notable that the hacking was done shortly after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) cast down Venezuela’s preliminary objections in the ongoing border case. The Court’s ruling effectively removed a hindrance to the proceedings. The ICJ has given Venezuela up to April 8, 2024, to file its counter memorial in the case.

It is concerning for some stakeholders that in the middle of the licensing round, companies seeking to declare interest, lost access to the site and those that have already used the site in relation to this round have not received any official public assurance from the government about whether the integrity of sensitive information has been compromised. Worse yet, is the fact that the compromise of the site was executed by an interest group that is working against Guyana’s freedom to develop its oil resources.

Last week, the Ministry of Natural Resources updated the schedule for the licensing round, extending the deadline for the submission of bids to July 15. Although there is no official statement from the Ministry about what occurred, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat is quoted by Demerara Waves as saying that the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) has been working to rectify the issue.

The website became accessible again on April 14, but critical information was unavailable. Information on oil production and the licensing round are gone.

If the government cannot assure the public that Guyana has not been safeguarded against more serious harm by these cyber crimes, and that the integrity of the licensing round has not been compromised, this could inhibit confidence in the licensing round.

It is critical in the view of some observers that the government also addresses the concerns of citizens who rely on the website for information on the petroleum sector, including updates on oil production, flared and re-injected gas, and produced water being deposited into the sea.

Furthermore, the government would be wise to address the geopolitical implications of the hacking. The Essequibo region, which covers two-thirds of Guyana’s territory, has been a source of disagreement between Guyana and Venezuela for more than a century.

The case before the ICJ is of existential importance to Guyana, and any action by Venezuela to disrupt Guyana’s petroleum sector would be seen as a direct attack on the country’s sovereignty.

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elapse, Government, Guyana, hackers, Petroleum Management Programme

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