(Reuters) - U.S. and Venezuelan officials discussed the possibility of easing oil sanctions on Venezuela but made scant progress toward a deal in their first high-level bilateral talks in years, five sources familiar with the matter said, as Washington seeks to separate Russia from one of its key allies. Both sides used Saturday's meeting in... Continue Reading →
EXCLUSIVE: U.S. weighs Chevron request to take Venezuela oil for debt payments
(Reuters) - The Biden administration is considering a Chevron Corp (CVX.N) proposal to allow the U.S. oil major to accept and trade Venezuelan oil cargoes to recoup unpaid debt, four people close to the discussions said. Chevron representatives in recent months held at least one high-level meeting with U.S. diplomats along with Venezuelan opposition envoys, according to... Continue Reading →
Venezuela Surprises Oil Markets With Large Production Increase
(Oil Price) Despite decades of mismanagement, malfeasance and corruption, strict U.S. sanctions and crumbling energy infrastructure, Venezuela’s national oil company PDVSA has stunned observers by reporting a significant increase in crude oil output for November 2021. OPEC’s December 2021 Monthly Oil Market Report shows based on primary sources Venezuela pumped an average of 824,000 barrels daily for November... Continue Reading →
How Venezuela pulled its oil production out of a tailspin
(Reuters) - Venezuela this year almost doubled its oil production from last year's decades-low as its state-owned company struck deals that let it pump and process more extra heavy crude into exportable grades. The surprising reversal began as state-run Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA.UL), known as PDVSA, won help from small drilling firms by rolling over... Continue Reading →
Chevron Venezuela Operations in Limbo
The U.S. is leaving Venezuelan operations of Chevron Corp. and top American oil-service companies at a standstill after President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist party came victorious in regional elections questioned by several Western nations. The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday extended until June. 1 its authorization for Chevron, Halliburton Co., Schlumberger, Baker Hughes Co. and Weatherford International Plc... Continue Reading →
Analysis: Will gasoline prices drop in 2022? It depends on OPEC and U.S. shale
(Reuters) - Whether fuel pump prices fall in 2022 depends on two groups of producers who are struggling to increase oil output in the wake of the pandemic: OPEC and its allies and U.S. shale firms. The global oil industry's slow response to the surging demand in 2021 has contributed to soaring energy costs and... Continue Reading →
Venezuela’s oil exports bounce to over 700,000 bpd in Oct -data
(Reuters) - Venezuela's oil exports last month surpassed 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) as supplies of imported diluents boosted production and shipments, according to documents from state-run firm PDVSA and Refinitiv Eikon tracking data. The OPEC-member country's largest oil producing region has regained its output and blending capacity in recent weeks after Iran, one of... Continue Reading →
Venezuela crude output in key region plunges due to diluent shortage
(Reuters) - Crude output in Venezuela's key Orinoco oil belt plunged by a quarter to less than 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) in August due to a shortage of diluents needed to blend with the region's extra-heavy crude, documents seen by Reuters showed. The drop comes as state oil company PDVSA directs more medium and... Continue Reading →
Analysis: Venezuela sees refinery debt swap as model for future deals
(Reuters) - Venezuela's socialist government sees the swap it made last week of shares in a Dominican oil refinery for defaulted bonds as a possible model for future deals, as it seeks to mend ties with creditors, four people familiar with the operation said. Such debt-for-equity swaps are common in corporate bankruptcy proceedings and have... Continue Reading →
Report: PDVSA Set to Restart Production from Corocoro Offshore Oil Field
(OE) Venezuela's national oil company PDVSA is reportedly preparing to resume production from the Corocoro offshore oil field. Reuters said Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter, that PDVSA would use the Cororoco oil to feed its refineries. The Corocoro oil field, in which the Italian oil firm Eni is a partner as part of... Continue Reading →