Oil was first discovered in 2015, then production began in just 4 years and has not stopped growing since. Favorable terms for ExxonMobil may have cost the country billions in potential revenue and have instead caused rising inequality, weaker environmental oversight, and growing foreign influence. All while poverty remains widespread in Guyana, and unemployment stands at 14%, among the highest in Latin America. 

The oil company has faced scrutiny for gas flaring, which emits large amounts of carbon dioxide and methane. Also, a ruling in 2023 required ExxonMobil to lodge a US$2B environmental guarantee, yet the oil company and the Guyanese government appealed the ruling, and the court sided with them suspending the previous decision.