Colombian oil service firms move into Venezuela amid deal announcements, trade group says

Aug 31 (Reuters) – Colombian firms handling oil services and goods are moving into Venezuela to work in the sector, ​following announcements of reactivation and new exploration and ‌production contracts, a trade group leader said on Monday.

The move comes as President Donald Trump announced that the United States ​had secured majority control over some 65 billion ​barrels of Venezuela’s proven oil reserves through a partnership ⁠with private companies, in a deal acting President Delcy ​Rodriguez said would represent $209 billion in tax revenue for Venezuela

• ​Nelson Castaneda, head of Colombian industry group Campetrol, said member companies are moving to Venezuela and making deals to complement the ​Venezuelan oil services sector’s existing capacity.

• “For oil goods and ​service companies it is an opportunity because we can complement the ‌needs ⁠to restore the electrical and energy infrastructure in order to develop the 65 billion barrels agreed with the United States,” Castaneda said.

• U.S. companies Chevron and GE ​Vernova, India’s ONGC, ​Italy’s Eni ⁠and Colombia’s GeoPark are close to signing final agreements in Venezuela after months of negotiations, ​sources told Reuters.

• Colombia’s oil and gas ​industry went ⁠four years without new exploration contracts under former President Gustavo Petro, who recently left office.

• President Abelardo De La ⁠Espriella ​has said he would back ​the industry by allowing new contracts and fracking, but has yet to ​announce firm decisions.

Leave a comment

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑