South America Archives - Page 7 of 28 -

Supertanker Skipper seized by US near Venezuela is heading to Houston, sources say

December 12, 2025

(Investing) – HOUSTON – The oil supertanker Skipper that was seized by the U.S. near Venezuela this week as part of an increased pressure strategy against President Nicolas Maduro, is heading to Houston, two sources said on Friday. The Very Large Crude Carrier, which is carrying about 1.85 million barrels of Venezuela’s Merey heavy crude according to satellite images analyzed by

Shadow fleet on edge after U.S. seizes tanker in Venezuelan waters

December 11, 2025

(Oil Price) – The United States has seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, marking a major escalation in tensions between Washington and Caracas. President Trump confirmed the operation, saying, “We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized actually”. He then went on to warn that “other things are happening

Chevron in talks with Trump team over Venezuela oil operations, sanctions

December 10, 2025

(World Oil) – Chevron Corp. is in discussions with the Trump administration about remaining in compliance with sanctions in Venezuela, emphasizing the benefits to the U.S. of the company’s continued presence, Chief Executive Officer Mike Wirth said. The CEO said he doesn’t know what President Donald Trump’s intentions are in the south Caribbean, where a US military build-up has prompted speculation

Heavy crude prices could surge as U.S.-Venezuela tensions escalate

December 5, 2025

(Oil Price) – A loss of Venezuelan oil production in case of a U.S. military intervention will materially impact global benchmark prices as the market will have to replace Venezuela’s heavy crude—the bulk of Caracas’ crude exports, according to Rystad Energy. Venezuela is estimated to pump about 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil at present. If the U.S.-Venezuela tension escalation

Venezuela’s oil exports surpass 900,000 bpd despite US pressure, data shows

December 3, 2025

(BOE Report) – Venezuela’s oil exports rose slightly to some 921,000 barrels per day (bpd) in November, the third-highest monthly average so far this year, as the country used more diluents to produce exportable grades, according to shipping data and documents. The OPEC producer is under increasing political pressure from the U.S., which has struck a score of alleged drug-smuggling

Ecopetrol to drill up to 430 wells under 2026 investment plan as upstream remains priority

December 1, 2025

(World Oil) – Ecopetrol has approved an investment plan of COP 22–27 trillion ($5.4–$6.7 billion) for 2026, maintaining capital levels similar to those projected for year-end 2025 while prioritizing upstream development and operational efficiencies. Roughly 70% of next year’s budget — about COP 17.2 trillion — will go to exploration, production, refining and transport activities aimed at sustaining output between 730,000

Petrobras trims $109 billion capex plan as lower oil prices pressure dividends

December 1, 2025

(World Oil) – Brazilian oil major Petrobras announced a 2% decrease in its next five-year investment plan to $109 billion, putting dividend payments in doubt at a time of lower oil prices. Shares fell. The state-controlled oil producer is caught between the government’s desire to grow the economy – especially ahead of a 2026 presidential election – and investors who demand high

Massive blaze erupts at PDVSA’s Petrocedeno facility

November 20, 2025

(Oil Price)– A massive fire has erupted at a crude oil upgrader project in Venezuela after an explosion was heard near the distillation tower, workers on site and sources at state oil firm PDVSA told Reuters. The Petrocedeno project in Venezuela’s Orinoco Belt, operational since 2000, was one of the four original projects in the heavy crude oil belt in the

Chevron CEO affirms long-term presence in Venezuela as political pressure grows

November 19, 2025

(World Oil) – Chevron Corp., the only major U.S. oil company left in Venezuela, wants to remain in the sanctioned country for the long-term and sees a role in rebuilding its economy when the time is right. “The kinds of swings that you see in places like Venezuela are challenging but we play a long game,” Chief Executive Officer Mike Wirth

Petrobras confirms new post-salt oil discovery in Brazil’s Campos basin

November 17, 2025

(World Oil) – Petrobras has confirmed another oil discovery offshore Brazil, identifying high-quality post-salt crude in the Sudoeste de Tartaruga Verde block in the Campos basin. The find further reinforces Brazil’s momentum in offshore exploration and Petrobras’ continued success in mature deepwater basins. The discovery was made at well 4-BRSA-1403D-RJS, located 108 km offshore Campos dos Goitacazes at a water depth

Frontera to create standalone upstream company through Colombian infrastructure spin-off

November 14, 2025

(World Oil) – Frontera Energy Corp. plans to separate its Colombian infrastructure assets into a new independent company—Frontera Infrastructure—leaving Frontera Exploration & Production (E&P) as a focused, pure-play upstream operator. The restructuring, announced Nov. 13, is designed to unlock value from Frontera’s portfolio and sharpen the company’s competitive position in the oil and gas sector. The transaction is expected to close

Petrobras hikes dividend as production surge offsets lower oil prices

November 7, 2025

(Oil Price)– Petrobras will be paying higher dividends for the third quarter compared to the second quarter as production and earnings jumped sequentially, the Brazilian state-owned oil giant said. Petrobras booked a net income of $6 billion for the third quarter, up by 2.7% on the year and a 27.3% jump on the quarter, despite the decline in oil prices. Higher production

Premium Content