Friday, January 16, 2026

State Oil News

Venezuelan oil companies are pushing for rapid reforms to allow them to control oil exports

Sources involved in the talks say that oil executives and lawyers from international oil companies are lobbying for changes to the hydrocarbon laws of OPEC members in order to 'give them the freedom to export the oil produced in Venezuela. Many potential investors want to know how they can make this happen without waiting years for the legal and contractual reforms to protect their investment.

Brava, a Brazilian company, buys Petronas stakes in offshore fields worth $450 million

The Brazilian oil company Brava 'Energia announced Friday that it had acquired the Petronas stakes in Malaysia. In two offshore fields, the company has invested $450 million. This is part of a new strategy outlined by its incoming CEO. Brava has purchased Petronas 50% stakes at the Tartaruga Verde and Module III fields in Brazil's Campos Basin. Richard Kovacs…

US energy chief: US gets 30% more for Venezuelan oil compared to what Venezuela paid in the past few weeks

Chris Wright, the U.S. Energy secretary, said Thursday that?U.S. The price of?Venezuelan?crude oil is 30% higher than what Venezuela paid before U.S. Special Forces captured President Nicolas Maduro in early this month. Wright stated at an event of the U.S. Energy Association that "we're getting a 30 percent higher realized price" when we sell a barrel of crude oil than the barrel they sold?three-weeks ago.

UAE's ADNOC weighs Venezuela gas investment, Bloomberg News reports

Bloomberg News, citing sources familiar with the situation, reported that the?state oil company of Abu Dhabi, ADNOC, is considering entering Venezuela's energy industry. It could also seek a partnership to participate in Venezuela's gas projects with?another? international producer. Could not verify the report immediately. XRG, ADNOC’s international investment arm, set up?inlate 2024, declined comment.

Sources say that Chevron is expected to receive an expanded Venezuela license this week from the US.

Three oil industry sources said on Wednesday that Chevron would receive an expanded Venezuela license this week from the U.S. Government. This could allow increased production and exports from South America. Sources said that the U.S. oil company is expected to be among several firms who will receive approvals to do business with Venezuela from the Trump administration.

Venezuela Reopens Wells as Exports Resume

© Adobe Stock/Lukasz Z

Venezuela's state oil company has begun reopening some of the wells it and its joint venture partners had shut amid a strict U.S. embargo, as crude exports resume with two shipments departed on Monday, three sources close to operations said.The OPEC country's oil exports had remained almost at a standstill since December, with only U.S. Chevron exporting crude from its joint ventures under a U.S.

Sources say that the Embassies of Venezuela are planning visits by American and European oil companies

Two sources said that foreign embassies in Venezuela are arranging visits next week with representatives of American and European oil firms. This follows the U.S. announcement about a $2 billion deal for oil and the supply to Venezuela of U.S. products. Sources said that the meetings will include some with PDVSA (the state oil company) to help advance Venezuelan oil supply negotiation and do initial assessments of Venezuelan infrastructure.

Vitol, Trafigura and the White House invited to Venezuelan oil discussions on Friday

Four sources familiar with the situation have confirmed that the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump has invited the heads of commodity trading companies Vitol and Trafigura to meet at the White House this Friday to discuss the marketing Venezuelan crude oil. European trading houses dominate global oil trading, and could assist the U.S. in selling oil from Venezuela despite Washington's desire for U.S. oil majors to take the lead.

Iraq nationalises West Qurna 2 Oilfield Operations, Government Says

Iraqi Cabinet has approved the nationalisation of petroleum operations in West Qurna 2 Oilfield, one?of the world's largest oilfields, according to the 'provisions' of a contract signed with Russia Lukoil. The cabinet agreed to also seek approvals for financing operations via the Majnoon account. This will be boosted with proceeds from crude shipments sold by SOMO, state oil marketing company.

What is the current status of international oil firms in Venezuela following Maduro’s capture?

Here are some key facts about the international oil companies operating in Venezuela. The country, which has the largest oil reserves in the world, is now in crisis following the capture of the President Nicolas Maduro. Former President Hugo Chavez expropriated?assets?from foreign oil companies in the 2000s. This strengthened the state-owned PDVSA control over the oilfields of the country.

Explainer: Status of Foreign Oil Companies in Venezuela After Maduro’s Arrest

© Mike Mareen / Adobe Stock

Here are some key facts about the international oil companies operating in Venezuela. The country, which has the largest oil reserves in the world, is now in crisis following the capture of the President Nicolas Maduro.Hugo Chavez, the former president, expropriated foreign oil companies' assets in the 2000s. This strengthened the state-owned PDVSA?control over Venezuela's oilfields.

Venezuela's distressed debt of billions: Who will collect?

The fall of Nicolas Maduro brought Venezuela's debt crisis, one of the largest unresolved defaults in the world, to the forefront. Venezuela defaulted on its international bonds in late 2017 due to the economic crisis that lasted for years and the U.S. sanctioning the country, which cut it off from the international capital market. The government and the state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (known as PDVSA) issued the international bonds.

Venezuela's distressed debt of billions: Who will collect?

The fall of Nicolas Maduro brought Venezuela's debt crisis, one of the largest unresolved defaults in the world, to the forefront. Venezuela defaulted on its international bonds in late 2017, after years of economic turmoil and U.S. Sanctions that cut the country off from international capital markets. The government and the state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) had failed to make payments.

UK-based Harbour Energy is named as the operator of Mexico's Zama Oilfield

Harbour Energy, a British company focusing on the North Sea, announced Wednesday that it had been named the operator of the Zama oil field in Mexico after Pemex and its project partners, GrupoCarso, Talos Energy, agreed to this appointment. The announcement comes just days after Harbour signed a $3.2 Billion deal with?LLOG, which will allow it to enter the 'Gulf…

Tinubu, Nigeria's Tinubu, approves a debt forgiveness of $1.42 billion for the state oil company NNPC

The presidency announced on Monday that Bola Tinubu had approved the cancellation by the Nigerian government of $3.85 billion in debts owed to the state oil firm NNPC Ltd. Tinubu is attempting to improve transparency and clean up NNPC’s books as the top?oil producer in Africa deals with soaring debt and low revenue. The NNPC was given approval by the Nigerian…

Document shows that RPT-Mexico’s Pemex awarded five contracts to boost oil production, but failed to attract big players.

According to four sources with knowledge of the matter, and to a document viewed by us, the Mexican state oil company Pemex has signed five of the eleven new joint venture agreements it planned to sign before the year's end. Pemex, however, was unable to 'attract' major companies and the amount of production that the ventures could add is too small to help Mexico reverse its declining crude oil output.

Vitol to lend $2 billion to Uganda's state oil company

According to an official from the finance ministry, Uganda National Oil Company, owned by the state, plans to borrow 2 billion dollars from a division of global commodities trader Vitol in order to fund infrastructure projects including a crude refinery. In early this year, the east African nation signed an agreement to build a $4 Billion domestic crude oil refinery. The facility will produce 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

Document shows that Mexico's Pemex awarded five contracts to boost oil production, but failed to attract big players.

According to sources familiar with the situation and a document viewed by us, the Mexican state oil company Pemex awarded five out of the 11 joint venture contracts that it planned to sign before the year's end. Pemex, however, was unable attract major companies and the production that these ventures could add appears to be too small to help Mexico reverse its declining crude oil production.

Russia's monthly oil revenue is set to reach its lowest level since August 2020

Calculations showed that the Russian state's oil and gas revenues in December are likely to drop by almost half from a year ago, reaching 410 billion Russian roubles (5.17 billion dollars), due to lower crude prices and stronger roubles. Calculations showed that oil and gas revenues are the Kremlin's main source of income. They account for a quarter the federal budget…

Russia's oil & gas revenues are expected to drop by half in December, reaching their lowest level since August 2020

Calculations showed that the Russian state's oil and gas revenue is likely to drop by almost half in December, compared to a year earlier. This will be due to lower crude prices as well as a stronger rouble. The Finance Ministry had forecast 8.65 trillion roubles for the year. Calculations based on official statistics and data from industry sources suggest that the total revenue will fall by nearly a quarter, to 8.44 trillion.