Venezuelanalysis

📰 NEWS | Venezuela: Oil Output Surpasses 1M BPD as Western Corporations Crowd in Venezuela’s oil production surpassed 1 million barrels per day in April for the first time in over seven years, according to OPEC data. State oil company PDVSA reported production at 1.136 million bpd, while exports climbed to 1.23 million bpd. The increase comes as Western energy corporations expand operations in the country under US-issued licenses despite ongoing sanctions. BP, Chevron, Eni, Repsol and Shell have signed new oil and gas agreements with Caracas, while ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips are reportedly assessing a return after their assets were nationalized in the 2000s. Full report here 👉https://shorturl.at/bI3IA #PDVSA#Sanctions#USVenezuelaRelations

📰 NEWS | Venezuela’s Rodríguez Praises ‘Man of Action’ Trump, Strikes Energy and Mining Deals Venezuela’s acting government has advanced new agreements with US and international firms in the energy and mining sectors. On May 1, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez hosted a US delegation and confirmed oil and gas contracts with Overseas Oil Company and Crossover Energy Holding, with planned investments of up to $2 billion. Separately, Caracas signed a memorandum with Heeney Capital and Mercuria Energy Group, including offtake agreements valued at around $2.2 billion annually for gold and other commodities. The deals prioritize exports to Western markets and could expand to additional mineral sectors. Read the full report here 👉https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuelas-rodriguez-praises-man-of-action-trump-strikes-energy-and-mining-deals/ #DonaldTrump#Mining#PDVSA#USVenezuelaRelations

🖊OPINION | Venezuela’s Oil Reform: Governance, Sovereignty, and Recovery Venezuela’s recent Hydrocarbon Law reform has sparked fierce debates about its short- and long-term implications. In this essay, Blas Regnault, an energy policy analyst and researcher, offers an in-depth analysis of the new legislative framework, from the significant changes to the state’s governance over its natural resources to his perspective on a sovereign recovery of the oil industry. Read the full opinion piece here 👉🏽https://venezuelanalysis.com/opinion/venezuelas-oil-reform-governance-sovereignty-and-recovery/ #PDVSA#Sanctions#Sovereignty#USVenezuelaRelations

📰 NEWS | Venezuela: BP, Eni Strike Natural Gas, Heavy Crude Deals Under Reformed Hydrocarbon Law Venezuela has signed new energy agreements with Eni and BP to advance in respective extra-heavy crude and natural gas projects. The agreements fall under a reformed Hydrocarbon Law that permits foreign partners to manage operations, benefit from reduced fiscal terms, and access international arbitration. The reform marks a shift from the previous framework where PDVSA held exclusive operational control. Other companies, including Chevron, Repsol, and Shell, have also signed new deals under the revised legislation. Read the full report here 👉https://shorturl.at/avnOo #BP#Eni#OrinocoOilBelt#PDVSA

🎙🔊 Episode 44 of the VA Podcast is live! Venezuela’s January 2026 hydrocarbons law reform marks a major shift in the country’s oil sector. It establishes a more flexible fiscal regime in the name of “international competitiveness,” while expanding the private sector role in extraction, operations, and dispute resolution mechanisms. The reform follows years of US sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry and coincides with new US licenses allowing Western conglomerates to move into Venezuela’s energy sector. Join Blas Regnault, energy policy analyst and consultant focused on oil geopolitics, alongside Venezuelanalysis editors Ricardo Vaz and Lucas Koerner, as they break down the reform, its economic and political context, and what it means for control over strategic resources and national sovereignty. Watch the full episode here 👉https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVNJ-8AjTBc #2026OilReform#PDVSA#Podcast#Sovereignty

📊 INFOGRAPHICS | The Neocolonial Plunder of Venezuelan Resources The Trump administration’s January 3 military strikes opened a new era of US imperialism in Venezuela built on the plunder of the country’s resources. This interactive infographic explains Venezuela’s recent pro-business reforms, US neocolonial impositions through licenses, and the conglomerates that have already taken advantage to strike agreements. 🔎 Follow this link to view the full infographic: https://venezuelanalysis.com/infographics/the-neocolonial-plunder-of-venezuelan-resources/ #2026OilReform#mining#PDVSA#Sanctions#USVenezuelaRelations

🔈Episode 44 of the VA Podcast is live! Venezuela’s January 2026 hydrocarbons law reform marks a major shift in the oil sector. It introduces a more flexible fiscal regime, allowing tax and royalty reductions to boost “international competitiveness,” while expanding private participation in extraction, operations, and dispute resolution. The reform follows years of US sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry and new US authorizations reopening limited engagement with Venezuelan crude, alongside changes in the regulatory framework governing PDVSA partnerships. Join Blas Regnault, energy policy analyst, with Venezuelanalysis Chief Editor Ricardo Vaz and Associate Editor Lucas Koerner, as they break down the reform, its context, and what it means for resource control and sovereignty. 🎧 Early access: https://www.patreon.com/posts/156129212?pr=true #2026OilReform#PDVSA#USVenezuelaRelations

📰 NEWS | Venezuela’s Rodríguez Signs Chevron Deals Awarding New Oil Drilling Areas, Increased Stakes Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez signed new agreements with US oil company Chevron to expand operations in the Orinoco Oil Belt. The contracts grant access to the Ayacucho 8 bloc and increase Chevron’s stake in Petroindependencia to 49%, while the company will relinquish its participation in the Loran gas field. The deals were enabled by Venezuela’s recent Hydrocarbon Law reform, which allows greater private sector control, reduces royalties and taxes, and permits international arbitration in disputes. Read our full report here: https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-rodriguez-govt-signs-chevron-deals-to-award-new-oil-drilling-areas-increased-stakes/ #Chevron#PDVSA#Sanctions#USVenezuelaRelations

🖊🗞COLUMN | From the Insolent Foreign Boot to the Carmona Decree, 1902-2002 Venezuela’s oil policy has been closely linked to disputes over national sovereignty and foreign influence throughout the 20th century. The 1902 naval blockade marked the beginning of sustained external pressure, followed by the 1908 coup and the expansion of foreign oil concessions in the 1920s. Reforms such as the 1943 Hydrocarbons Law increased the state’s share of oil revenues, and the 1976 creation of PDVSA formalized state control over the sector. In the 1990s, neoliberal policies reduced royalties and expanded foreign participation. The 2002 coup attempt came after efforts to reassert state control over oil resources. In the latest Insurgent History column, Rosanna Álvarez, Venezuelan historian and iconographic researcher, documents the role of Venezuela’s elite in these developments, particularly through the oil industry. Read the full piece from Álvarez here 👉https://venezuelanalysis.com/columns/from-the-insolent-foreign-boot-to-the-carmona-decree-1902-2002/ #InsurgentHistory#PDVSA#Sovereignty

🗒️🗣️ INTERVIEW | Carlos Mendoza Potellá: ‘The Hydrocarbon Law Reform Is a Surrender of Venezuelan Sovereignty’ Venezuelan economist Carlos Mendoza Potellá has sharply criticized the recent reform of the Hydrocarbon Law, describing it as a structural shift in the country’s oil governance. According to Mendoza Potellá, the reform “meets the maximum demands that the Venezuelan right and the oil conglomerates have been making for at least the last 25 years,” while reintroducing concessions and expanding corporate control over production and costs. He argues that key mechanisms of sovereignty are being weakened, including oversight institutions and the role of national courts: “The return of international arbitration is also a brutal setback (…) disputes are not settled in Venezuelan courts.” Read the full interview here 👉🏾https://shorturl.at/YrL7n #2026OilReform#PDVSA#Sanctions#USVenezuelaRelations

📰 NEWS | Trump Administration Issues License to Boost US Presence in Venezuelan Oil Sector The US Treasury has issued General License 52, permitting US entities to engage with Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA, including exports and new production deals. The measure requires that taxes, royalties, and dividends be deposited into US-controlled accounts. The move comes as Washington broadens sanctions waivers for selected corporations, with companies such as Chevron, Shell, Eni, and Repsol expanding operations in Venezuela amid rising global energy prices. Read the full report here 👉🏾https://shorturl.at/pPqfF #PDVSA#Sanctions#USVenezuelaRelations

📰 NEWS | Chevron and Shell to Strike Oil Deals Under Reformed Hydrocarbon Law Chevron and Shell are moving to secure new oil deals in Venezuela after the country reformed its Hydrocarbon Law to provide improved conditions for private energy corporations. According to Reuters, Chevron will expand operations in the Orinoco Oil Belt through the Petropiar joint venture, entering the Ayacucho 8 bloc to increase extra-heavy crude output. Petropiar currently produces around 90,000 barrels per day. Shell is expected to take over operations in PDVSA’s Punta de Mata division in Monagas state under a model allowing the state oil company to lease projects to private operators in exchange for a share of production. The legislative reform, approved in January, allows the Venezuelan executive to reduce royalties and income taxes and grants minority partners greater control over operations and sales. Read our full report here 👉🏾https://shorturl.at/23wlT #Chevron#PDVSA#Sanctions#Shell