Sept. 27 (oilprice.com) The Trump Administration is touting the new oil order in Venezuela as a tremendous opportunity for reviving the industry in the world’s biggest crude oil resource holder. The U.S.-led restructuring of the sector kicked out Russian and Chinese companies out of previously awarded concessions, and spurred a flurry of oil deals with... Continue Reading →
Colombia’s Ecopetrol taps presidential ally as CEO
Sept 24 (Reuters) - Colombia's state-controlled oil company Ecopetrol tapped businessman Joaquin Gutierrez as chief executive, the company said on Thursday, giving one of the country's most important corporate jobs to a close presidential ally with no known background in the energy sector. Gutierrez, a former campaign manager for President Abelardo De La Espriella with... Continue Reading →
Brazil’s Petrobras may include Colombia gas project in 2027-2031 plan, exec says
Sept 23 (Reuters) - Brazil's state-run oil firm Petrobras may include the Sirius offshore gas project in Colombia as part of the production curve to be unveiled in its 2027-2031 business plan later this year, a company executive said on Wednesday. "I think it should appear (in the business plan) if we get the environmental... Continue Reading →
Turkish Firm Unit Signs Venezuela Oil Production Agreement
Sept. 16 (OE) Çan2 Termik's subsidiary Minerosol Group has signed a 20-year operating and production agreement with Venezuela's PDVSA for the CEMA (Petrokariña) oil field, with a planned investment budget of $381.7 million over the contract period. The agreement grants exclusive rights and includes the right to an additional 20-year extension subject to approval. The... Continue Reading →
Ecopetrol approves government-backed board overhaul
Sept 15 (Reuters) - Colombia's state-controlled oil company Ecopetrol on Tuesday approved a sweeping board overhaul proposed by newly inaugurated President Abelardo De La Espriella's government, as the company reels from corruption allegations and another senior management shake-up. Current chairman Luis Felipe Henao was reappointed to the nine-member board, along with Cesar Loza, and Ricardo... Continue Reading →
YPF Lines Up Buyers for $24 Billion Vaca Muerta LNG Project
Sept. 14 (oilprice.com) Argentina’s state-controlled energy company YPF is close to signing several LNG sales agreements for its planned Argentina LNG project as it races toward a final investment decision later this year. YPF CEO Horacio Marín said at the Gastech conference in Bangkok that the company expects to sign two or three LNG contracts... Continue Reading →
The Venezuelan billionaire the US investigated for money laundering now has a Pentagon oil deal
Sept 5 (Reuters) - The billionaire who helped broker the Trump administration’s sweeping long-term oil deal with Venezuela was until recently a target of U.S. money-laundering investigations involving funds embezzled from the state-owned oil company PDVSA. Now, after assisting U.S. authorities ahead of the capture of authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro, Alejandro Betancourt is Washington’s key... Continue Reading →
Italy’s Eni doubles down in Venezuela with rising hope of recovering debt
Sept 4 (Reuters) - Italian oil company Eni has improved its chances of recovering more than $2.3 billion owed by Venezuela with the signing this week of a new oil project deal in the country, analysts said on Friday. After nearly three decades in Venezuela, Eni has accumulated those receivables from state-owned oil group PDVSA. As Washington and... Continue Reading →
Colombia’s Grupo Gilinski, Geopark sign deal to develop Venezuela oil field
Sept 4 (Reuters) - Colombia's Grupo Gilinski and Geopark on Friday signed a deal to jointly develop the Bare oilfield in Venezuela with state oil company PDVSA, a ceremony on state television showed. The chariman of Grupo Gilinski, which is GeoPark's majority shareholder, Jaime Gilinski, appeared alongside interim President Delcy Rodriguez. "GeoPark has the proven... Continue Reading →
Machado Backs U.S. Oil Partnership but Questions Venezuela Deal
Sept. 3 (oilprice.com) Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado is backing a long-term U.S. role in developing the country’s oil reserves, even as she questions who has the authority to sign the sweeping agreement announced by acting President Delcy Rodríguez. Machado said Thursday that the scope of the agreement remains unclear, including who is signing... Continue Reading →