Trump admin allows US oilfield contractors to work in Venezuelan fields

By Emma Sanchez, Daniel Flatley and Joe Ryan

 

The US government issued a general license to allow oilfield-service companies to work in Venezuela as the Trump administration eases sanctions and pushes to rebuild the nation’s crude infrastructure.

 

The license issued by the Treasury Department allows US firms to explore, develop and produce oil and natural gas in Venezuela under certain limited conditions, according to a statement Tuesday.

 

The move is the latest in a series of steps Washington has taken to entice US companies to revive output from Venezuela’s vast crude reserves after last month’s capture of strongman Nicolás Maduro.

 

 

In January, the US issued a general license that allowed for a wide range of crude operations, including exporting, transporting, refining and buying and selling crude. The general license announced Tuesday involves tasks such as geological mapping, reservoir analysis and related tasks that augment the commencement of oil production. 

 

However, the license does not allow new joint ventures in Venezuela. US people and firms will need to provide detailed plans to the State Department and Department of Energy for any work in the country, according to the statement.

 

The Treasury Department is also preparing to issue a general license allowing companies to pump oil in Venezuela, Bloomberg reported earlier this month. 

 

Oilfield service companies are hired by producers to asses discoveries, drill wells, and enhance output from older assets. SLB Ltd., Halliburton Co. and Baker Hughes Co. dominate the sector.

 

SLB has been working in Venezuela for Chevron Corp., operating under a US license held by the supermajor. The other large contractors scaled back or shut down their primary operations in the country as the previous regime tightened control over the energy industry.