Young trader who made $250 million on Russian oil eyes Guyana's $41 billion oil boom for his next big win: ‘It's insane that nobody is looking at it'

"I'm getting goosebumps," Eppinger told the Financial Times (3) in a phone interview."This is exactly what I was waiting for my whole life. I'm coming into a new market where everything is possible."

The rapid growth is being fueled by a massive offshore oil discovery led by ExxonMobil (4), with Guyana expected to generate tens of billions in oil revenue in the coming years.

"It's insane that nobody is looking at it," Eppinger said.

A small country, a massive oil boom

Guyana, a country of fewer than 1 million people, is quickly transforming from one of South America's poorest nations into one of the fastest-growing oil economies in the world. That shift began in 2015, when ExxonMobil (5) discovered an estimated 11 billion barrels of crude — one of the largest finds in decades.

Since then, production has surged to more than 900,000 barrels a day (6), with expectations for further growth. Analysts at Wood Mackenzie estimate the government could take in around $41 billion in oil revenue over the next five years (7) — a massive windfall that's already reshaping the economy. Guyana's GDP has nearly quintupled to about $25 billion in just a few years, putting it firmly on investors' radar.

That kind of rapid growth is attracting traders and dealmakers looking to capitalize on the next big oil opportunity. But not every market offers the same balance of risk and reward. Before turning to Guyana, Eppinger had explored deals in the Middle East, including fuel projects in Iraq and gasoline exports from the United Arab Emirates. He ultimately chose not to move forward — a decision he now sees as well-timed as tensions in the region have escalated.

"I think some higher force or whatever was protecting me," he said.

Eppinger isn't alone in seeing opportunity in energy markets. Commodity trading firms like Gunvor (8) have also benefited from recent disruptions, reporting roughly $1.6 billion in gross profit in just the first quarter of 2026, about the same amount they made in all of 2025.

The gains underscore how traders can profit when global oil markets are thrown off balance — buying crude where it's cheaper and selling it where supply is tight.

A big bet in a volatile market

Eppinger said the idea to invest in Guyana came up during a lunch with Houston-based traders, where the conversation turned to Chevron's $53 billion deal to acquire Hess Corporation (9), a key partner of ExxonMobil in the country's offshore projects.

But the same forces driving that interest can also make oil a risky bet. Prices (10) have recently swung from around $90 to over $120 per barrel in a matter of weeks. In one recent move, benchmark U.S. crude dropped nearly 8% in a single day to $91.28, while Brent crude fell to about $94.79 as hopes for U.S.-Iran peace talks eased supply concerns.

"You need to leave the casino when you're winning," Eppinger said as he expressed no further interest in trading Russian crude. "I was really happy with the money I've made and I didn't want it to go much crazier than that."

Some analysts say the recent surge may not last. Morgan Stanley has suggested the current spike in oil prices could be nearing a peak, with signals pointing to potential declines later this year. That comes after a sharp run-up, with Brent crude rising roughly 82% (11) in 2026 alone.

That kind of rally can create big opportunities but it also increases the risk of a pullback, especially if geopolitical tensions ease or more supply hits the market. At the same time, investing in a fast-growing country like Guyana comes with its own challenges. Rapid development can bring opportunity, but also uncertainty, as infrastructure, regulation and local markets are still evolving.