Crude Spill Hits Environmentally-sensitive Area in Venezuela, Report
Crude oil spilling from one of state-run PDVSA's joint ventures has hit an environmentally sensitive area at Venezuela's eastern region, three sources close to the operations said on Tuesday.Oil spills and gas leaks have become frequent in recent years in Venezuela, where lack of investment and delayed maintenance have contributed to the deterioration of PDVSA's aging energy infrastructure.The leak came from an oil well at Platform G…
Venezuelan Oil Exports Rise on Larger Sales to Asia
Venezuela’s oil exports rose in February to over 700,000 barrels per day (bpd), their highest level in 10 months, pushed by more sales of fuel oil cargoes to new clients in Asian markets, according to Refinitiv Eikon’s tanker tracking data and documents.A growing number of clients with no track record in oil trading has been helping Venezuela’s state-run PDVSA to allocate crude and fuel in Asia, especially since the U.S. Treasury…
Venezuela, China Expanding Crude Oil JV
A Venezuelan oil joint venture with a state-owned Chinese company has started an expansion project to boost output to 165,000 barrels per day (bpd), President Nicolas Maduro said on Thursday, from a current capacity of 110,000 bpd.Sinovensa, owned by PDVSA subsidiary Venezuelan Petroleum Corp (CVP) and China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), produces extra-heavy Orinoco crude and blends it with lighter oil to produce medium-grade Merey."Thanks always to China…
Ven's Blackout Halts Oil Exports From Primary Port
Venezuela's state-run oil firm PDVSA has been unable to resume crude exports from its primary port since last week's massive power outage, essentially crippling the OPEC nation's principal industry, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.Power remained patchy in most of the country after a blackout on Thursday that the government of President Nicolas Maduro claimed was a U.S.-backed act of "sabotage" on the country's…
Venezuela’s Oil Production Could Fall to Half
Struggling Venezuela already is producing oil at a multi-decade low, but the socialist nation's crude output could fall another 50 percent by 2020, according to a new report.After producing 2.4 million barrels a day as recently as 2015, Venezuela already is down to 1.34 million barrels daily and those supplies are projected to fall below 1 million barrels a day by the end of 2019, according to the Norwegian research firm Rystad Energy.In Rystad Energy’s base case forecast…
Venezuela's Crude Sales to U.S. Fall in July
Venezuela's crude exports to the United States declined to 494,400 barrels per day (bpd) in July after rising the prior three months, showing the impact of asset seizures against state-run oil firm PDVSA, according to Thomson Reuters data.July was the first month crude exports fell below 500,000 bpd since the months of January through March.U.S. oil producer ConocoPhillips in May began seizing PDVSA's overseas assets in an attempt to collect on a $2 billion arbitration award.
Valero Boosts Imports of Venezuelan Oil as Sanctions Loom
U.S. refiner Valero Energy Corp this year boosted its imports of Venezuelan crude ahead of U.S. sanctions over the country's disputed presidential election and as other customers received less of the OPEC-member's exports, according to Thomson Reuters trade flows data.Venezuelan oil production has tumbled to a multi-decade low this year, cutting shipments to buyers in the United States and elsewhere and worsening a severe economic recession.
PDVSA Halts Caribbean Storage, Shipping; Diverts Oil Cargo
Venezuela's state-run PDVSA suspended oil storage and shipping from its Caribbean facilities following a move by ConocoPhillips to temporarily seize the firm's assets on four islands, according to a PDVSA source and Reuters data.PDVSA has begun concentrating most shipping in its main crude terminal of Jose on Venezuela's eastern coast and recalling tankers to Venezuelan waters to avoid seizures that would further cut its exports…
Under Military Rule, PDVSA Workers Quit in Stampede
Chauffeured around in a sleek black pick-up, the head of Venezuela's oil industry, Major General Manuel Quevedo, last month toured a joint venture with U.S. major Chevron. Flanked by other trucks carrying security guards, Quevedo passed a handful of workers waiting by an oil well cluster. They wanted a word with the OPEC nation's oil minister and president of its state-run oil firm, PDVSA, about the sorry state of the company. Quevedo and his caravan drove on by.
Paralysis at PDVSA: Venezuela's Oil Purge Escalates
Decisions at some joint ventures with foreign firms are delayed. A growing number of oil tankers sit idle because no one authorizes payments. Employees struggle to get approval for routine expenses, from taxis to training. An alleged crackdown on graft in Venezuela, seen by critics as an effort by President Nicolas Maduro to consolidate power, has sown panic across the country's energy industry and all but paralyzed state-run Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, according to people at the company and across the sector.
Indian Oil Corp Mulls PDVSA Crude Buys
Crude orders could help Venezuela settle unpaid bills; but doubts remain as to whether PDVSA can supply more crude. Indian Oil Corp is considering buying Venezuelan crude for the first time in at least six years, in a move that could help the crisis-struck South American nation settle unpaid bills with another state-owned Indian energy firm. The OPEC-member's economy has collapsed since crude prices plummeted in 2014, forcing it to delay payments for oil services and fuel supplies.
Expanded US Sanctions May Affect Russia's Foreign O&G Expansion
Newly updated sanctions introduced by the United States against Moscow for its role in the Ukraine crisis may put a brake on Russia's future efforts to increase its exposure to the global oil and gas industry, analysts said on Wednesday. However, the punitive measures will have little immediate effect on the operations of Russian energy companies abroad, they said. The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control on Tuesday published an amendment to sanctions against exploration or production for deepwater…
Venezuela Arrests Top Oil Exec, 8 Other PDVSA Employees
Venezuela has arrested the state oil company's boss for the western region and eight other executives at PDVSA, according to an internal company memo and a half-dozen sources in the OPEC member's oil industry. It was not immediately clear why Gustavo Malave and the other employees were apprehended, though a series of corruption probes are under way at PDVSA and have entangled other employees. The sources said Malave was arrested on Monday in Zulia state…
Venezuela Ships More Oil to US in July vs June
Venezuela's PDVSA and its joint ventures last month shipped 638,325 barrels per day (bpd) of crude to the United States, a 30 percent increase over June due to larger sales of upgraded oil, according to Thomson Reuters trade flows data. Venezuelan crude output has declined this year to its lowest point in 27 years due to a lack of investment and payment delays to oil service firms, affecting exports to customers in key markets including the United States.
Venezuelan Crude Sales to the US Down in March
Venezuelan crude oil sales to the United States declined in March for the third month in a row this year to 651,710 barrels per day due to falling exports of main grade Merey, according to Thomson Reuters trade flows data. Venezuela's crude output fell in 2016 to its lowest level in 23 years. Analysts expect another decline in 2017 due to lack of investment and to cash flow problems affecting state-run oil firm PDVSA, which controls more than 40 joint ventures for exploration and production.
PDVSA Says Oil Shipments Unaffected by Port Spill
Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA said on Wednesday a spill at its main exporting port Jose had been halted without any impact on crude shipments from the terminal. "Operations of production and shipment of crudes from the Hugo Chavez Orinoco Belt were not compromised and continue with absolute normality," it said in a statement. (Reporting by Deisy Buitrago; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Venezuela Vows PDVSA Will Met 2017 Bond Payments Amid Stronger Oil Prices
Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA will honor some $17 billion in bond payments due this year thanks to stronger oil prices, Economy Vice President Ramon Lobo said in a newspaper interview published on Tuesday. Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, surged in January above $58 per barrel in the wake of output cuts, although it slipped last week to a three-month low. Cash-squeezed Venezuela depends on oil for over 90 percent of its hard-currency revenues…
Burning petcoke cargo on ship holds up Venezuela exports
Venezuela's exports of petroleum coke, derived from the country's heavy oil, have been halted at its Petrosanfelix terminal since last week due to a burning cargo on a ship, according to a source and documents seen by Reuters on Friday. The bulk carrier Top Trader was receiving the load from state-run PDVSA when burning petroleum coke was noticed in three of its containers, according to the source and written communication between the vessel's captain, charterer U.S. Koch Industries and the ship broker.
PDVSA Awards $138 mln Contract to Tackle Petcoke Problem
Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA said on Friday that Maroil Trading Inc has won a $138 million contract to remove a large pile of petroleum coke at the Jose solids terminal in the eastern state of Anzoategui. Petcoke, a byproduct of upgrading tar-like Orinoco oil into lighter crude, has accumulated quickly at Jose since a 2009 fire temporarily halted its export. The large black dunes have drawn criticism from environmentalists and nearby communities.
Contractors Offer $700 mln Financing for Venezuela Drilling Deals
Venezuela's state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) said on Friday oil service companies that won $3.2 billion in contracts to drill wells in the crude-rich Orinoco Belt would supply $700 million in financing for the projects. PDVSA has awarded major contracts to drill wells in the Orinoco, although sources close to the matter said some foreign partners had complaints the tender was rushed and that structural problems could hinder projects.
