The Trump administration is asking U.S. oil companies if they’re interested in returning to Venezuela once leader Nicolás Maduro is gone, four people familiar with the discussions told POLITICO.

And so far, the answer is a hard “no.”

The administration’s outreach to the industry, previously unreported, is the latest sign the White House is dreaming of a post-Maduro future for Venezuela — and how the world’s oil markets are both helping and hindering that goal.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/17/trump-oil-venezuela-return-00695292

This article is from Dec 17. It explains why US oil companies are very reluctant to get involved.

For one thing oil prices are low. There are a lot of new oilfields out there as well old fields made more productive thanks to fracking. Given the decrepitude of Venezuela's infrastructure, it could cost $100 billion to revive those fields.

And, of course, the situation in Venezuela looks to be very unstable. Why would oil companies take such a risk when there are plenty of attractive opportunities elsewhere.

This is only speculation, but it wouldn't surprise me if Trump offered to subsidize American oil companies, in other words bribe them. to get them to go back into Venezuela.

16 minutes ago, Alan Zweibel said:

The Trump administration is asking U.S. oil companies if they’re interested in returning to Venezuela once leader Nicolás Maduro is gone, four people familiar with the discussions told POLITICO.

And so far, the answer is a hard “no.”

The administration’s outreach to the industry, previously unreported, is the latest sign the White House is dreaming of a post-Maduro future for Venezuela — and how the world’s oil markets are both helping and hindering that goal.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/17/trump-oil-venezuela-return-00695292

This article is from Dec 17. It explains why US oil companies are very reluctant to get involved.

For one thing oil prices are low. There are a lot of new oilfields out there as well old fields made more productive thanks to fracking. Given the decrepitude of Venezuela's infrastructure, it could cost $100 billion to revive those fields.

And, of course, the situation in Venezuela looks to be very unstable. Why would oil companies take such a risk when there are plenty of attractive opportunities elsewhere.

This is only speculation, but it wouldn't surprise me if Trump offered to subsidize American oil companies, in other words bribe them. to get them to go back into Venezuela.

Trump’s Venezuela Oil Revival Plan Is a $100 Billion Gamble

Years of corruption, underinvestment, fires and thefts have left the nation’s crude infrastructure in tatters. Rebuilding it enough to lift Venezuela’s output back to its peak levels of the 1970s would require companies that could include Chevron Corp., Exxon Mobil Corp. and ConocoPhillips to invest about $10 billion per year over the next decade, said Francisco Monaldi, director of Latin American energy policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy...

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during an interview with ABC Sunday that he expects US oil companies will be eager for the opportunity to drill for Venezuela’s heavy crude, which is key for refineries on the US Gulf Coast.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-venezuela-oil-revival-plan-002532814.html

The article didn't note whether Rubio said that with a straight face.

Really thought through wasn't it!

Any move into a county for any industry requires significant investment, but the potential returns for an oil company are huge.

Personally I don't believe big oil is not interested, more likely it's a negotiating position.

2 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

Any move into a county for any industry requires significant investment, but the potential returns for an oil company are huge.

Personally I don't believe big oil is not interested, more likely it's a negotiating position.

But what if potential returns elsewhere are huge and there's less risk? Or maybe not so huge but still a lot less risk. Why would an oil company necessarily be interested in such a risk fraught proposition. That's why I speculated that Trump would find a way to subsidize them to lower or eliminate the risk.

13 minutes ago, JAG said:

Really thought through wasn't it!

The plans for the aftermath of the Iraq War were rightly criticized for being less than thoroughly thought through. But this situation looks like it was composed on a note pad. Make that 2 note pads. One from Rubio and the other from Trump.

1 minute ago, Alan Zweibel said:

But what if potential returns elsewhere are huge and there's less risk? Or maybe not so huge but still a lot less risk. Why would an oil company necessarily be interested in such a risk fraught proposition. That's why I speculated that Trump would find a way to subsidize them to lower or eliminate the risk.

Yes, a subsidy may be on the cards. I guess the concern is that a change of heart, or change of government, could result in a messy withdrawal from Venezuela, as happened in the Middle East. So some sort of underwritten guarantee may be needed.

Although I think the risks are lower as Latin America does not have religion of peace to wage war against development.

7 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

Yes, a subsidy may be on the cards. I guess the concern is that a change of heart, or change of government, could result in a messy withdrawal from Venezuela, as happened in the Middle East. So some sort of underwritten guarantee may be needed.

Although I think the risks are lower as Latin America does not have religion of peace to wage war against development.

I don't see any evidence that there is a reluctance on the part of oil companies to invest in Islamic countries. Even those riven by strife seem to draw investment.

22 minutes ago, JAG said:

Really thought through wasn't it!

Complete clown show, as per Trump 2.0 SOP. Venezuela has been so poorly governed that the infrastructure (of course, not limited to the oil sector) is in complete shambles.

Rebuilding only the oil infrastructure in order for Trump to start stealing Venezuelan oil just won't work - it's all interconnected. You can lay new pipelines and install pump stations, but if there is no power, the oil won't be flowing.

And we haven't even started talking about political instability. Trump now seems to side with the VP installed by Maduro. But if Maduro is illegitimate, so is she. You can't have it both ways, Donald. Make up your mind!😆

15 minutes ago, Alan Zweibel said:

But this situation looks like it was composed on a note pad. Make that 2 note pads. One from Rubio and the other from Trump.

Why would Trump have a notepad?

He can't read or write!

But he has a concept of a plan that will be revealed in two weeks. What a maroon.

Meanwhile, there are 5 million new Epstein files and the GQP health plan has been delayed another two weeks.

Yeah, he reeeealy didn't think this one through. Trump now will have to pay huge sums to feed Venezuelans. Why? Because Venezuela import 80% of their food, and oil is their only earner of hard cash. And this happens at the same time as many Americans have a hard time paying their bills.

Any revenue from the oil theft is years into the future, if ever. In the mean time there will only be bills, big beautiful bills!

"...four people familiar with the discussions..."

Poor lefty

31 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Why would Trump have a notepad?

He can't read or write!

He doesn't have to be able to read or write - he's The President of The USA.

2 hours ago, Alan Zweibel said:

The Trump administration is asking U.S. oil companies if they’re interested in returning to Venezuela once leader Nicolás Maduro is gone, four people familiar with the discussions told POLITICO.

And so far, the answer is a hard “no.”

The administration’s outreach to the industry, previously unreported, is the latest sign the White House is dreaming of a post-Maduro future for Venezuela — and how the world’s oil markets are both helping and hindering that goal.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/17/trump-oil-venezuela-return-00695292

This article is from Dec 17. It explains why US oil companies are very reluctant to get involved.

For one thing oil prices are low. There are a lot of new oilfields out there as well old fields made more productive thanks to fracking. Given the decrepitude of Venezuela's infrastructure, it could cost $100 billion to revive those fields.

And, of course, the situation in Venezuela looks to be very unstable. Why would oil companies take such a risk when there are plenty of attractive opportunities elsewhere.

This is only speculation, but it wouldn't surprise me if Trump offered to subsidize American oil companies, in other words bribe them. to get them to go back into Venezuela.

Perhaps you are looking at it the wrong way.

He could shut the Venezuela oil fields down, creating an artificial lack of supply, in order to drive up global oil prices, and sit back and watch his share portfolio in oil grow.

The companies who refused to go in, and who "donate" to his campaign, still make more money on the back of higher oil prices.

It's a win win. 🙂

Remember, "drill baby drill." That was in America, not Venezuela. 🙂

15 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Perhaps you are looking at it the wrong way.

He could shut the Venezuela oil fields down, creating an artificial lack of supply, in order to drive up global oil prices, and sit back and watch his share portfolio in oil grow.

The companies who refused to go in, and who "donate" to his campaign, still make more money on the back of higher oil prices.

It's a win win. 🙂

Remember, "drill baby drill." That was in America, not Venezuela. 🙂

Venezuela is a very small player when it comes to petroleum.

48 minutes ago, BLMFem said:

Yeah, he reeeealy didn't think this one through. Trump now will have to pay huge sums to feed Venezuelans. Why? Because Venezuela import 80% of their food, and oil is their only earner of hard cash. And this happens at the same time as many Americans have a hard time paying their bills.

Any revenue from the oil theft is years into the future, if ever. In the mean time there will only be bills, big beautiful bills!

Why would Trump feel obliged have the US support Venezuelans? Most other would. But this is Donald Trump. He has a history of leaving Americans in the lurch after natural disasters. Why would he care about Venezuelans?

6 minutes ago, Alan Zweibel said:

Venezuela is a very small player when it comes to petroleum.

Don't kid yourself. When it comes to petroleum, everyone is a big player at the table.

12 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Don't kid yourself. When it comes to petroleum, everyone is a big player at the table.

This makes no sense at all.

4 minutes ago, Alan Zweibel said:

Why would Trump feel obliged have the US support Venezuelans? Most other would. But this is Donald Trump. He has a history of leaving Americans in the lurch after natural disasters. Why would he care about Venezuelans?

Errrr, because hungry people are desperate, and will revolt, and when people revolt, they attack, and in this case, they will attack Americans who are stealing their oil.

It will be interesting to see how "boots on the ground" go in South America. It certainly doesn't work in Asia. History shows this.

Just now, Alan Zweibel said:

This makes no sense at all.

Well, to you, it wouldn't.

Do some more research. After all, it's your thread.

1 hour ago, Kinnock said:

Any move into a county for any industry requires significant investment, but the potential returns for an oil company are huge.

Personally I don't believe big oil is not interested, more likely it's a negotiating position.

Halliburton up 7 % today.

Wonder why

13 minutes ago, Jim Blue said:

Halliburton up 7 % today.

Wonder why

It's a mystery. 🙂

According to some, only Trump makes these things happen. No other American president has in the past. Only Trump. 😂

Dick Cheney and Haliburton, noooo, just a coincidence. 🙂