Exxon Mobil and a seismic research company it hired to search for oil off the coast of Guyana declined on Monday to say when they might resume exploration work halted after a weekend confrontation with Venezuela’s navy. A century-long border dispute has heated up in recent years as Irving, Texas-based Exxon has discovered more than 5 billion barrels of oil and gas off Guyana’s shores. Two ships owned by Norway’s Petroleum Geo-Services halted seismic survey activities after a confrontation Saturday with a Venezuelan navy vessel.

Exxon Mobil and a seismic research company it hired to search for oil off the coast of Guyana declined on Monday to say when they might resume exploration work halted after a weekend confrontation with Venezuela’s navy. A century-long border dispute has heated up in recent years as Irving, Texas-based Exxon has discovered more than 5 billion barrels of oil and gas off Guyana’s shores. Two ships owned by Norway’s Petroleum Geo-Services halted seismic survey activities after a confrontation Saturday with a Venezuelan navy vessel.