March 7 (Reuters) - Dozens of U.S. and other investors ranging from hedge fund managers to energy investors plan to travel to Venezuela in the coming weeks with hopes of meeting the country's top politicians and business leaders and scouting out investment opportunities, according to event organizers and participants. Three investor trips are being organized... Continue Reading →
Saipem Eyes Comeback in Venezuela as Sanctions Ease
Feb. 25 (Reuters) Italian oil contractor Saipem is ready to resume activities in Venezuela for both offshore and onshore projects after the easing of U.S. sanctions, Chief Executive Alessandro Puliti said on Wednesday. "Things in Venezuela are changing very quickly. It's a country where we worked a lot in the past, and we are ready... Continue Reading →
Shell to Push Ahead on Dragon Natural Gas Project After US License Shift
Feb. 20 (Reuters) General licenses for oil and gas exploration in Venezuela issued by the U.S. this month will allow Shell to progress with its Dragon gas project, a company spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday. The project, envisioned to produce gas from a field in Venezuelan waters with 4.5 trillion cubic feet of reserves, has... Continue Reading →
Oil companies jostle for projects to boost Venezuelan output quickly; a real grind awaits
Feb 19 (Reuters) - In September, a rig used to drill wells in shallow waters completed the long trip from China to Venezuela's oil-producing region of Lake Maracaibo. The passage of the big old rig named Alula just inches below the bridge connecting Maracaibo city with the oilfields of the lake's eastern coast stirred excitement... Continue Reading →
TotalEnergies halves buybacks as low oil, gas prices weigh on profits
Feb 11 (Reuters) - TotalEnergies will halve share buybacks in the first quarter, it said on Wednesday, as low oil and gas prices negated soaring fourth-quarter profit from refining fuels and proceeds from renewable assets stake sales. The French oil major's fourth-quarter adjusted net income fell to $3.8 billion (3.2 billion euros) from $4.4 billion a... Continue Reading →
Venezuela oil exports rise sharply in January under US control, data shows
Feb 2 (Reuters) - Venezuelan oil exports rose to some 800,000 barrels per day (bpd) in January, from 498,000 bpd in December, after the U.S. capture of Nicolas Maduro and the ending of an oil blockade which has let traders carry most exports, shipping data showed. Washington imposed an oil embargo on the U.S.-sanctioned country... Continue Reading →
Exxon, Chevron see glimmer of Venezuela’s potential, but with long road ahead
Jan 30 (Reuters) - U.S. oil majors Exxon Mobil and Chevron offered investors a few pieces of new insight into their thinking about Venezuela on Friday, even though neither company announced long-term investment commitments despite President Donald Trump's continued push to convince American oil firms to rebuild the South American country's energy sector. Exxon CEO Darren Woods plugged... Continue Reading →
Sweeping oil reform in Venezuela approved, operators expected to gain autonomy
Jan 29 (Reuters) - Lawmakers approved in a final vote on Thursday a sweeping reform of Venezuela's main oil law after sweetening a proposal by interim President Delcy Rodriguez to lower taxes, expand the oil ministry's decision power, grant autonomy for private producers and make possible asset transfers and outsourcings. The changes are expected to... Continue Reading →
Lukoil Agrees to Sell International Assets to Carlyle
Jan. 29 (oilprice.com) Russia’s oil producer Lukoil has agreed to sell most of its international assets to private equity giant Carlyle. Following the U.S. sanctions on Lukoil and Rosneft, “as a result of Russia’s lack of serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine,” Lukoil announced in October it would sell all of its international assets, initiating a... Continue Reading →
Geopolitics loom large over Big Oil earnings as investors seek Venezuela details
Jan 29 (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil and Chevron executives may face more questions about their investment opportunities in Venezuela than their actual quarterly earnings when they hold calls with analysts on Friday. The U.S. capture and removal, opens new tab of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month opened a possible - albeit arduous - path for Big Oil to access... Continue Reading →