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Energy Markets

Oil & Gas

Oil & Gas Drilling

Chevron CEO under pressure to stop share slide as Hess deal stalls

5 years ago, Chevron CEO Michael Wirth won Wall Street honor as the No. 2 U.S. oil business quickly attained a market value larger than Exxon Mobil's after he refused to get into a bidding war with Occidental Petroleum over a rival. He was ahead of the game when the pandemic hit oil and gas need, requiring competitors to make deep cutbacks that Wirth had already taken on at Chevron. Its shares had actually outshined rivals for five years till 2022. Fast forward to 2024 and Wirth's legacy is in threat. Chevron's falling earnings no longer cover its dividends and...

Oil Refineries

Citgo share auction creditors oppose terms of Elliott-affiliate's bid

Lenders looking for proceeds from a U.S. courtordered auction of shares in a moms and dad of Citgo Petroleum to compensate them for Venezuela's debt defaults and expropriations on Tuesday widely slammed regards to a. conditional deal picked in the 2nd bidding round. An Elliott Financial investment Management affiliate on Friday was. named the presumptive winner of the share auction with a bid. that puts an as much as $7.286 billion enterprise worth on. Venezuela-owned oil refining company Citgo. Amber Energy's bid, based on the resolution of parallel. claims by a group of bondholder, is the best way to get...

Oil & Gas

United States studying new visa limitations, oil sanctions on Venezuela amid post-election standoff

The U.S. government is studying. really carefully the possibility of imposing additional sanctions. on individuals in Venezuela along with prospective withdrawing. licenses for oil companies working in the South American. nation, in response to what it calls a deceptive election, a. senior authorities stated on Friday. Brian Nichols, U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western. Hemisphere affairs, made the remarks during a webcast instruction. with press reporters. Using either specific sanctions or the. cancellation of licenses related to sectoral sanctions are. something that we're studying extremely carefully, said Nichols, after. being asked about the possibility of imposing new visa. constraints...

Oil & Gas

US court officer demands brand-new extension to pick winner of Citgo auction

A U.S. federal court officer supervising an auction of shares in the moms and dad of Venezuelaowned refiner Citgo Petroleum on Friday requested a brand-new extension to evaluate quotes and choose a winner of the bidding round, according to a court filing. A complicated bidding system in an unmatched lawsuit to pay up to $21.3 billion in financial obligations from expropriations and financial obligation defaults in Venezuela has actually repeatedly developed hold-ups. The auction is anticipated to see an ownership change of the seventh-largest U.S. refiner. The proposed extension, the third asked for up until now this year, would provide...

Oil Refineries

Will Venezuela's contested election lead to brand-new age of isolation?

The United States is considering fresh sanctions on Venezuela following Sunday's. challenged presidential election. Incumbent President Nicolas. Maduro declared triumph, but opposition leaders say tallies show. their candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won more than two times as numerous. votes as Maduro. If governments in The United States and Canada and Europe seek to impose. new steps versus Maduro's administration, they could. potentially return the country to seclusion, analysts stated. WHAT SANCTIONS IS VENEZUELA ALREADY UNDER? Venezuela has actually been struck with financial and oil sanctions by. numerous nations considering that 2017 over accusations of corruption,. drug trafficking and human rights offenses....

Oil & Gas

US may 'adjust' Venezuela sanctions policy post-election, authorities state

The Biden administration will calibrate its sanctions policy towards Venezuela depending on how the highstakes election unfolds in the OPEC country on Sunday, U.S. authorities stated, indicating that Washington might ease punitive measures if President Nicolas Maduro holds a. reasonable vote. However the U.S. also put Maduro on notice that if he claims. victory without providing concrete proof, it would call into. concern whether the global neighborhood ought to accept the. result. Maduro is seeking his 3rd term as leader of Venezuela,. which is under heavy U.S. sanctions. His challenger, opposition. prospect Edmundo Gonzalez, has brought in substantial assistance. Maduro,...

Oil & Gas Exploration

US Court awards CITGO Petroleum over $340 mln in bribery case

Venezuelaowned oil refiner CITGO Petroleum said on Wednesday it was awarded more than $340. million in damages and interest by a U.S. court in a bribery. probe. Previously this month, the District Court for the Southern. District of Texas held CITGO's previous professional Petroleum. Logistics Service (PLS) and its founder Jose Manuel Gonzalez. Testino responsible for scams, breach of agreement and civil. offenses of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations. Act. The U.S. refiner had launched a lawsuits in 2020 versus. the professionals, citing that they attempted to corruptly secure. agreements with the company and its Venezuelan moms and dad...

Oil & Gas

India's Dependence gets United States nod to import oil from Venezuela, source says

India's Reliance Industries has actually received approval from the United States to resume importing oil from Venezuela regardless of Washington's sanctions, a source knowledgeable about the matter said on Wednesday. The United States in April re-imposed sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector in reaction to President Nicolas Maduro's. failure to fulfill his election commitments, but stated some companies. would be authorised to trade and operate in Venezuela. The U.S. Treasury Department declined to comment, while. Reliance did not immediately react to a request looking for. remark. The news was initially reported by Bloomberg. Before U.S. oil sanctions were first imposed on...

Oil & Gas

India raises United States oil imports in June, cuts Russia, data programs

India's monthly oil imports from its greatest supplier Russia slipped partially in June while those from the United States rose to the greatest given that Feb. 2022, information obtained from the industry sources showed. India is the world's third-biggest oil importer and customer, importing more than 80% of its oil needs. Indian refiners had actually positioned orders in May for the majority of the June-arrival oil barrels Refiners in India together delivered in 1.98 million barrels. each day (bpd) of Russian oil in June, down 3.7% from the previous month, the data revealed. However, throughout the very first fiscal quarter...

Climate Change

Oil business flare more natural gas, defying effort to remove practice

Oil business worldwide last year burnt the most natural gas in five years while likewise increasing the strength of the extremely contaminating practice, a. World Bank report found on Thursday. With only six years left to meet a World Bank objective of. stopping regular flaring, the business burned off an approximated. 148 billion cubic meters of gas in 2023, up 7% from 2022 even as. crude oil production increased only 1% over the same time. Drilling for oil frequently yields natural gas too, and some. companies decide to flare, or burn, this gas rather of catching. and saving it, generally...

Natural Gas

BP stops briefly gas-field talks with Venezuela as license expires

Oil major BP has paused discussions with Venezuela on the advancement of a gas project on the maritime border with Trinidad and Tobago following the expiration of a U.S. license to Venezuela in April, a company representative stated on Wednesday. BP this year carried out settlements with Venezuela and Trinidad to develop the 1 trillion cubic feet (tcf). Manakin-Cocuina field that is shared by both nations. The British energy business plans to resume talks with. Venezuela as soon as it can legally do so, the representative stated. With the expiration of OFAC's basic license # 44 in April. 2024, BP...

Oil & Gas

Experts, political leaders call for examination of Venezuela's use of cryptocurrency

Venezuela's usage of digital currencies, anticipated to increase after the United States ordered a winddown of oil handle the approved nation by May 31, will require higher scrutiny by regulators and police, professionals stated on Monday. Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA plans to increase cryptocurrency transactions for its crude and fuel exports as the U.S. reimposes oil sanctions on the nation, sources informed previously this month. It is unclear if payments in digital currency Tether by PDVSA will be targeted by Washington from June 1. Venezuelan opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez and professional Kristofer Doucette presented a report on Monday detailing...

Fossil Fuels

Fossil Fuels

Citgo Petroleum's earnings falls on weak refining margins

Venezuelaowned Citgo Petroleum joined other refiners in posting a sharp drop in thirdquarter profit on Thursday, weighed down by a fall in refining margins. International oil refiners have actually seen their profit retreat this year from the post-pandemic peaks, mainly due to a need downturn, particularly in China. In the United States, where demand has lagged expectations, the 3-2-1 crack spread >, a market metric utilized to assess refiners' margins on both fuel and diesel put together, balanced $20.18 in the July-September duration, down nearly 35% from in 2015. The seventh-largest U.S. refiner said its earnings was up to $...

Fossil Fuels

US arrests Turk for apparently attempting to break Venezuela sanctions

U.S. authorities have jailed a Turkish male who they allege was attempting to breach sanctions by transferring oil from Venezuela, the Justice Department stated on Monday. The U.S. reimposed sanctions on the Venezuelan oil company PDVSA in June after what it stated was the failure of President Nicolas Maduro to return to talks with the political opposition and commit to reasonable elections. In a statement, the Justice Department said 37-year-old Taskin Torlak had supposedly conspired to illegally offer Venezuelan oil, utilizing deceit and trickery to conceal the reality that this oil stemmed from Venezuela. Torlak was arrested in Miami on...

Fossil Fuels

Venezuela arrests previous oil minister Tellechea

Venezuelan authorities have arrested former market and oil minister Pedro Tellechea, Chief Law Officer Tarek Saab stated on Monday, the most recent highprofile detention connected to management of Venezuela's. approved oil industry. In a statement on Instagram, Saab stated Tellechea had been. apprehended in the early hours of Sunday for declared serious criminal activities. versus the highest interests of the country. Tellechea, 48, was apprehended with his closest partners,. the declaration said, without naming them, adding that Tellechea. handed over part of state oil firm PDVSA to a business managed. by U.S. intelligence services. Tellechea had revealed his resignation as...

Crude Oil

Refined Products

Refined Products

Dozens required to stop Venezuela's PDVSA over political views, employees say

Over a. hundred workers at Venezuela's state oil business PDVSA, plus. others in the oil ministry and parts of the public sector, have. been required to resign over their political views since last. month's contested election, workers and unions stated. The federal government states President Nicolas Maduro won a 3rd. term in the July 28 contest, however the opposition states partial. vote tallies indicate its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won a. resounding triumph. Top PDVSA executives have actually instructed administrative and. functional employees to go to rallies backing Maduro and. monitored their social networks accounts, according to four. business sources and...

Oil & Gas Refining

Venezuela mulls proposal to extend PDVSA-Chevron oil joint venture through 2047

Venezuela's National Assembly on Monday began discussing a proposition to extend through 2047 a contract in between state oil company PDVSA and U.S. company Chevron to operate a joint venture in the nation's. largest producing area. PDVSA and Chevron have 4 joint endeavors in Venezuela that. are producing some 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude. The companies are requesting an extension for Petropiar in. the Orinoco Belt, the partnership that produces one of the most oil,. Venezuela's deputy oil minister, Elianny Palencia, said during a. discussion at the National Assembly in Caracas. The extension for Petropiar will make an...

Refined Products

EIA forecasts bigger records for 2024 US oil output, global demand

U.S. oil output and international oil need will likely post larger records this year than formerly expected, the U.S. Energy Details Administration said on Tuesday. The company now expects U.S. oil output to grow by around 310,000 barrels daily (bpd) to 13.24 million bpd this year, about 40,000 bpd higher than its previous projection in May. It anticipates U.S output to be around 13.71 million bpd next year, slightly below the previous 13.73 million bpd forecast. Global oil demand this year is likewise expected to be above price quotes, which were currently forecast to hit record highs, according to the...

Natural Gas Utilities

Trinidad court recognizes ConocoPhillips' $1.3 bln claim versus Venezuela

A Trinidad and Tobago court order has approved ConocoPhillips the right to impose a $1.33. billion claim against Venezuela for previous expropriations, a. decision that might complicate proposed offshore gas endeavors. between Trinidad and Venezuela. The choice on Wednesday offered the U.S. oil company the. right to seize any settlement to Venezuela from joint gas. tasks with Trinidad. The countries and energy companies NGC,. Shell and BP are seeking to develop significant. offshore gas fields. Since winning arbitration awards against Venezuela and its. state oil business PDVSA, Conoco has actually looked for to enforce the. judgments in different courts, consisting...

Oil & Gas Drilling

Venezuela intends to reach 1.23 mln bpd of oil output in Dec, minister says

Venezuela intends to produce 1.23 million barrels daily (bpd). of oil in December, including about 290,000 bpd compared to the. start of the year, following the addition of drilling rigs, oil. minister Pedro Tellechea stated on Friday. The growth follows a 6-month broad license granted by. the U.S. Treasury Department to Venezuela's oil sector last. year. Washington has actually suspended that alleviating, however is issuing. individual permissions to energy companies in Venezuela. We don't need a license to keep producing, Tellechea told. press reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Caracas, referring. to state oil business PDVSA's operations. We...

Refined Products

Venezuela to accelerate cryptocurrency shift as oil sanctions return

Venezuela's. staterun oil business PDVSA plans to increase digital currency. usage in its crude and fuel exports as the U.S. reimposes oil. sanctions on the country, three individuals acquainted with the strategy. stated. The U.S. Treasury Department recently gave PDVSA's. clients and providers till May 31 to wind down transactions. under a general license it did not renew due to an absence of. electoral reforms. The move will make it harder for the. country to increase oil output and exports as business will. need to wait for private U.S. authorizations to do business. with Venezuela. PDVSA considering that last year...

Oil & Gas Transportation

ConocoPhillips ask court to postpone judgment on awards overlap until auction held

ConocoPhillips on Friday asked a U.S. court to delay a choice on overlaps amongst its awards against Venezuela for past expropriations until profits from an auction of shares in a Citgo Petroleum parent are known. U.S. District Court in Delaware is conducting an auction of shares in a parent of the Houston-based Citgo Petroleum to satisfy $21.3 billion in claims against Venezuela's past expropriations and debt defaults. The auction might conclude this year and put the Venezuela-owned refiner in the hands of competitors or financiers. Conoco's three claims total more than $11.5 billion, more than half of the overall amount...

LNG

Trinidad seeks US license for BP gas project shared with Venezuela

The federal government of Trinidad and Tobago has begun talks with the U.S. for a license that would permit the joint development of a natural gas project shared with Venezuela that also includes BP, Energy Minister Stuart Young said on Thursday. The Manakin-Cocuina areas become part of the Plataforma Deltana enormous gas project on the Venezuela side of the maritime border, which stays idled. On Trinidad's side, BP runs the field, and is approaching a financial choice to develop it in keeping with U.S. sanctions versus Venezuela. Venezuela's federal government and BP recently validated speak to revive the joint advancement...

Oil & Gas Refining

Trinidad looks for US license for BP gas task shared with Venezuela

The federal government of Trinidad and Tobago has actually started talks with the U.S. for a license that would permit the joint advancement of a gas task shown Venezuela that likewise involves BP, Energy Minister Stuart Young said on Thursday. The Manakin-Cocuina areas belong to the Plataforma Deltana huge gas task on the Venezuela side of the maritime border, which stays idled. On Trinidad's side, BP runs the field, and is approaching a monetary choice to establish it in keeping with U.S. sanctions versus Venezuela. Venezuela's government and BP recently confirmed speak to restore the joint advancement of Manakin-Cocuina, which...

Oil Refineries

Weak quotes in Citgo auction spurs Venezuela to pitch alternative pay strategy

The highest bid received in a U.S. auction of shares that will decide the fate of Venezuelaowned oil refiner Citgo Petroleum was $7.3 billion, enough to cover only a 3rd of courtapproved claims, two individuals knowledgeable about the matter stated. A federal court in Delaware is auctioning the shares of a. parent of Venezuela's foreign crown gem, Houston-based Citgo,. that it discovered liable for the South American nation's debt. expropriations and defaults. Creditors have gathered to Delaware. to push claims totaling $21.3 billion in a case first brought. nearly seven years ago by miner Crystallex. Arise from the first bidding...

Refined Products

Aruba problems alert after oil spill reached neighboring Bonaire

The Caribbean island of Aruba issued an alert on Tuesday after an oil spill that was first spotted near Tobago spread to neighboring Bonaire, threatening its mangrove forests and national parks. A number of Caribbean nations have actually called Trinidad and Tobago to collaborate reactions as the government of the twin-island country tries to stop oil spilling from a barge that capsized in early February while bring approximately 35,000 barrels of fuel oil. We have divided Aruba's area in 4 areas so each department is keeping track of, the director of Aruba's Crisis Management Office (CMO), Rino Hermans, informed ....

Refined Products

Trinidad federal government verifies fuel oil is dripping off Tobago's coast

Trinidad and Tobago's federal government on Friday validated the refined item dripping from a barge that struck a reef and reversed off the coast of Tobago was tested and figured out to be a kind of fuel oil. The leak, which stays unplugged and is spreading to the Caribbean Sea threatening several countries' coasts, was initially found by Trinidad's Coast Guard on Feb. 7 after a barge hauled by a tugboat capsized near Tobago's coast. Analyses of the hydrocarbon discharge gathered in Tobago suggests that the samples are particular of a fine-tuned oil, Trinidad's energy ministry said in a release,...