US in talks to acquire equity stakes in Venezuelan oilfields

The Trump administration is in talks with Venezuela’s interim government to acquire an equity stake in the country’s vast oil reserves.

According to a report by Axios, this historic agreement would more than double US oil reserves by securing resources from the country that holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves.

“To call this deal ‘big’ would be an understatement. This is a massive deal,” one official said.

Another factor driving the push to sign the agreement is the wars in Iran and Ukraine, which have disrupted global oil supplies and pushed up prices.

The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve currently stands at a 40-year low.

The details are still being worked out, but the talks cover more than a dozen producing oilfields, rather than the entirety of Venezuela’s 300 billion barrels in proven reserves.

The fields in question hold 90 billion barrels in proven reserves and were previously controlled by former Venezuelan officials, including some who face criminal charges.

Interests once controlled by China were also linked to these fields.

In exchange for granting the US an ownership stake, the Venezuelan government would benefit from private firms, including American companies, developing these fields and generating increased oil revenues for the country.

According to Axios, the Venezuelan oil deal would represent a legacy-defining moment for President Trump, who has made US energy security and dominance in the Western Hemisphere cornerstones of his “Donroe Doctrine”.

“President Trump is very close to securing America’s energy future for generations to come, not only in the US, but across the entire hemisphere,” another official said.

Trump had reportedly begun discussing ways to acquire a stake in Venezuelan oilfields in secret even before Nicolas Maduro was abducted by the US on 3 January.

The negotiations are being led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez.

Last month, senior officials from the Departments of State and Defence met with their counterparts in Caracas to discuss the details in greater depth.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller is also playing a significant role in the process.

An official noted that the White House is sensitive to accusations that Rodriguez will hand over Venezuela’s natural resources to the US, stating: “We are doing everything we can to show this will benefit the Venezuelan people, because it genuinely will.”

It remains uncertain exactly when the agreement will be finalised. US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright is discussing plans to travel to Venezuela next week, as his department examines ways for US companies to boost oil production.