Trinidad and Tobago plans to request an extension from the Trump administration for a US licence allowing Shell and National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) to develop Venezuela’s Dragon gas project, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
Chevron is the only major oil producer with a waiver from the US government to operate in Venezuela despite sanctions against President Nicolás Maduro’s regime. The company produces about 20% of Venezuela’s oil and helped boost exports to a five-year high in 2024, nearing Maduro’s goal of 1 million barrels per day.
Indian refiners are expecting tankers of Venezuelan crude from Vitol, media reported on Tuesday, after Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL) purchased 2 million barrels of Venezuelan crude for November delivery. This is part of a broader trend, as India continues to increase imports from Venezuela after the U.S. Treasury allowed transactions under specific conditions despite ongoing sanctions targeting President Nicolas Maduro’s regime.
Crude oil prices continued to fall on Tuesday, with WTI trading just above $75 and Brent slipping below $80.
Concerns about Chinese demand continue to drag prices lower, with expectations of China’s manufacturing activity shrinking for a third month in a row.
In some bullish news, Venezuela’s election results could lead to tighter US sanctions and lower oil supply.
Venezuela has granted two Chinese companies, Anhui Erhuan Petroleum Group and Kerui Petroleum, oil production contracts in the Acema, Oritupano-Leona and Mata fields and in the Ayacucho 2 block in the Orinoco Belt, sources related to the negotiations said July 25.
Venezuela on Wednesday granted a 20-year license to British energy producer BP and state-owned National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC) to develop the Venezuelan side of a natural gas field that extends into the Caribbean country’s waters.
Indian oil refiner Reliance Industries has resubmitted a request to the U.S. for an authorization to import crude oil from sanctioned Venezuela, three people close to the matter said, and resume oil trade between the OPEC producer and the once second-largest destination for its oil.
Spanish oil major Repsol SA expects production to climb with the addition of two oil fields in a joint venture with Venezuela, where the company is exempt from reimposed US sanctions.
A Swiss subsidiary of Polish state energy giant Orlen has revealed details of the roughly $400 million (1.6 billion zloty) it lost on prepayments made without collateral under the firm’s previous management for Venezuelan crude oil and petroleum products that were never delivered.
Over the last decade, the US has become the top producer of crude oil globally, thanks in part to hydraulic fracturing in shale formations.
The US overtook Saudi Arabia and Russia in oil production in 2018, accounting for 14.7% of global crude oil production in 2022.
Despite leading in production, the US still trails in remaining proven reserves underground, ranking seventh globally behind countries like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.