The giant energy companies most capable of rebuilding Venezuela’s shattered oil fields are also the most skeptical about heeding President Donald Trump’s call to pour money into the country...

“One of the things that has been incorrectly reported is that the oil companies are not interested in Venezuela,” Bessent told an audience at the Economic Club of Minnesota, according to a transcript supplied by the department. “The big oil companies who move slowly, who have corporate boards are not interested. I can tell you that independent oil companies and individuals, wildcatters, [our] phones are ringing off the hook.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/08/companies-spend-venezuela-oil-trump-00716501

However, there is big meeting coming up where participants are reckoned to make noises pleasing to Trump's ears..

According to this article, that there's now another Mexican culinary term that's become an acronym associated with the Trump regime: EMPANADA...

Everybody Makes Promises And Never Actually Does Anything

US oil groups warn they will need guarantees to invest in Venezuela

US oil companies want “serious guarantees” from Washington before they make splashy investments in Venezuela as President Donald Trump urges them to back his bid to reshape energy markets...

Major players in the energy sector and investors said the US would need to backstop big projects...

“No one wants to go in there when a random f***ing tweet can change the entire foreign policy of the country,” said one private equity investor who specialises in energy.

https://archive.ph/iuTCj#selection-1985.0-1985.170

In other words, in case of failure, the American taxpayer will be on the hook.

The world economy is well supplied with oil. To get back the Venezualan oil production up to par will take a long time and cost 100 billion.

If I were a big oil CEO I would turn down the deal.

Donald wants lower oil prices for his voters and make his big oil buddies richer at the same time.

No can do.

Just now, swissie said:

The world economy is well supplied with oil. To get back the Venezualan oil production up to par will take a long time and cost 100 billion.

If I were a big oil CEO I would turn down the deal.

Donald wants lower oil prices for his voters and make his big oil buddies richer at the same time.

No can do.

Actually, the figure I've seen now is up to $185 billion.

10 hours ago, Alan Zweibel said:

Actually, the figure I've seen now is up to $185 billion.

Gracious, that is a lot of money, you could build more than 40 big, beautiful ballrooms with that!

Big Oil wants nothing to do with the mess that's Venezuela. Legally, financially, logistically and security wise it's a nightmare.

'‘It’s uninvestible’: Trump’s Venezuela pitch met with skepticism from oil executives'

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/09/politics/oil-executives-venezuela-white-house

"“It’s uninvestible,” ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods told officials in a blunt evaluation of the obstacles to doing business in the nation. “There are a number of legal and commercial frameworks that would have to be established to even understand what kind of returns we would get on the investment.”

Several other executives at the meeting expressed similar reluctance, warning that the industry would first need to secure extensive security and financial guarantees before beginning a yearslong effort to ramp up oil production.

Even oil investor Harold Hamm, a prominent wildcatter and major Trump donor, signaled he would need far more assurances before backing the administration’s reinvestment scheme."

Big Oil comes to the WH for a meeting and grandpa wanders off.🤣

Don't worry, Trump has a concept of a plan! 🤣

11 minutes ago, candide said:

Don't worry, Trump has a concept of a plan! 🤣

Except he doesn't realize none of these oilmen are planning to be part of his plan.

13 hours ago, swissie said:

The world economy is well supplied with oil. To get back the Venezualan oil production up to par will take a long time and cost 100 billion.

If I were a big oil CEO I would turn down the deal.

Donald wants lower oil prices for his voters and make his big oil buddies richer at the same time.

No can do.

just remember what Chavez did (nationalize) to some oil companies....it may happen again, very risky

3 hours ago, JAG said:

Gracious, that is a lot of money, you could build more than 40 big, beautiful ballrooms with that!

At the rate costs for that have escalated, the might be enough for just one.

Apparently Venezuela's crude oil is even less profitable than shale (fracking) oil. Not much of a bonanza.

8 minutes ago, JackGats said:

Apparently Venezuela's crude oil is even less profitable than shale (fracking) oil. Not much of a bonanza.

Bonanza? It's a complete s**t show, which is par for the course for the Trump administration.

He's completely lost it. For frack's sake end this clown show now!

5 minutes ago, BLMFem said:

He's completely lost it. For frack's sake end this clown show now!

Trump is so full of himself, he doesn't know when he has been made a fool of himself.

16 hours ago, Alan Zweibel said:

US oil groups warn they will need guarantees to invest in Venezuela

US oil companies want “serious guarantees” from Washington before they make splashy investments in Venezuela as President Donald Trump urges them to back his bid to reshape energy markets...

Major players in the energy sector and investors said the US would need to backstop big projects...

“No one wants to go in there when a random f***ing tweet can change the entire foreign policy of the country,” said one private equity investor who specialises in energy.

https://archive.ph/iuTCj#selection-1985.0-1985.170

In other words, in case of failure, the American taxpayer will be on the hook.

The goon will likely make them the same promises he made the American farmers, who are now going broke, selling their farms, auctioning off their equipment, and trying to find a different form of livelihood.

The big oil companies are probably too smart to believe anything Trump says.

It is estimated that it would require 100 billion dollars in investment and at least four years to get Venezuela back to the levels that they were at a while ago.

Trump is Making Canada Greater!

'Trump’s Venezuela Oil Grab Pushes Chinese Refiners to Canada'

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-08/trump-s-venezuela-oil-grab-is-pushing-chinese-refiners-to-canada

https://archive.ph/J8EFg

"China’s refiners, all but cut off from Venezuelan crude in the past week as the US positions itself for access to the world’s largest oil reserves, are eyeing a pricier alternative source — Canada.

Chinese inquiries around Canadian supply have increased since the snatching of President Nicolas Maduro at the weekend, traders said, with processors considering the country’s grades seen as among the best replacements for Venezuela’s Merey crude."

1 hour ago, BLMFem said:

Trump is Making Canada Greater!

'Trump’s Venezuela Oil Grab Pushes Chinese Refiners to Canada'

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-08/trump-s-venezuela-oil-grab-is-pushing-chinese-refiners-to-canada

https://archive.ph/J8EFg

"China’s refiners, all but cut off from Venezuelan crude in the past week as the US positions itself for access to the world’s largest oil reserves, are eyeing a pricier alternative source — Canada.

Chinese inquiries around Canadian supply have increased since the snatching of President Nicolas Maduro at the weekend, traders said, with processors considering the country’s grades seen as among the best replacements for Venezuela’s Merey crude."

Canada dealing with China would probably be declared "not very nice, not very nice, very mean" and become a "causus belli". Remember you are dealing with a stable genius!

Any Canadian speedboat enthusiasts had better be jolly careful, don't want to be on the receiving end of one of Whisky Pete's double taps!

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1424095435732733

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The goon will likely make them the same promises he made the American farmers, who are now going broke, selling their farms, auctioning off their equipment, and trying to find a different form of livelihood.

The big oil companies are probably too smart to believe anything Trump says.

It is estimated that it would require 100 billion dollars in investment and at least four years to get Venezuela back to the levels that they were at a while ago.

Soo let’s see lmao 🤣 the Donald wants the oil companies to invest in repairing their oil infrastructure so trump can flood the market with oil killing their markets just to curry favor with the magga crowd lmao 🤣 oh boy!!there’s some magical thinking for ya!!me thinks the oil guys are just a bit more pragmatic than your average trump voter ehh??+they only have to look at what he’s done to our agricultural sector.trumps in waaayyy over his head in my view.time for a change.

30 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Next he'll be saying what business does China or other countires have buying various natural resources from Brazil or other South American nations.

9 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The goon will likely make them the same promises he made the American farmers, who are now going broke, selling their farms, auctioning off their equipment, and trying to find a different form of livelihood.

The big oil companies are probably too smart to believe anything Trump says.

It is estimated that it would require 100 billion dollars in investment and at least four years to get Venezuela back to the levels that they were at a while ago.

Trump will tell one lie after another to cover his screw ups. The oil companies will pretend there is a possibility of working in Venezuela, but they're not serious. They know better.

On 1/9/2026 at 10:35 PM, Alan Zweibel said:

US oil groups warn they will need guarantees to invest in Venezuela

US oil companies want “serious guarantees” from Washington before they make splashy investments in Venezuela as President Donald Trump urges them to back his bid to reshape energy markets...

Major players in the energy sector and investors said the US would need to backstop big projects...

“No one wants to go in there when a random f***ing tweet can change the entire foreign policy of the country,” said one private equity investor who specialises in energy.

https://archive.ph/iuTCj#selection-1985.0-1985.170

In other words, in case of failure, the American taxpayer will be on the hook.

I worked for many years in an internatioal corporate director position for one of the US oil giants mentioned, in the US, mexico, Germany, China, Japan, Sth Korea, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

One of there very serious unbendable policies was to never get involved in politics in any way shape or form, even if there were opportunites to make very big revenues, margins and presence.

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

I worked for many years in an internatioal corporate director position for one of the US oil giants mentioned, in the US, mexico, Germany, China, Japan, Sth Korea, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

One of there very serious unbendable policies was to never get involved in politics in any way shape or form, even if there were opportunites to make very big revenues, margins and presence.

Getting involved in politics almost always comes with owing favors and the obligation never ends. The more you give the more they demand.

Also, what happens if you back the wrong person or wrong party; read regime change.

I can see Qatar asking for the airplane back .what happened to drill baby drill in America? Not in everyone's interests to over supply

It was never about "getting" their oil - it was about making sure China doesn't get control of it (while rendering their $100+ billion loans worthless) and keeping the oil price low to keep screwing the Russian economy.

Having to guarantee no nationalization over the next decades will be expensive. Trump might just want 5% for himself but how can he put Venezuela first?

1 hour ago, Gsxrnz said:

It was never about "getting" their oil - it was about making sure China doesn't get control of it (while rendering their $100+ billion loans worthless) and keeping the oil price low to keep screwing the Russian economy.

What amazed me is how MAGA supporters denounced the neocons for lying America into the Iraq war but have no problem with the Trump administration lying its way into whatever this situation in Venezuela turns out to be. Clearly, the cocaine connection was merely a pretext. And why should it even be an issue that the Chinese get "control" of Venezuelan oil. What does "control' even mean in this context?

1 hour ago, Alan Zweibel said:

What amazed me is how MAGA supporters denounced the neocons for lying America into the Iraq war but have no problem with the Trump administration lying its way into whatever this situation in Venezuela turns out to be. Clearly, the cocaine connection was merely a pretext. And why should it even be an issue that the Chinese get "control" of Venezuelan oil. What does "control' even mean in this context?

Knowing the mentality of MAGA supporters, it shouldn't be much of a surprise. They will defend Trump no matter what.

4 minutes ago, Hawaiian said:

Knowing the mentality of MAGA supporters, it shouldn't be much of a surprise. They will defend Trump no matter what.

He also expressed confidence that his loyal base will support him after he ran on an “America First” platform.

“MAGA loves it,” Trump said. “MAGA loves what I’m doing. MAGA loves everything I do. MAGA is me. MAGA loves everything I do, and I love everything I do, too.”

https://www.nj.com/politics/2026/01/trump-lays-out-whats-next-for-venezuela-maga-loves-everything-i-do.html

Trump gets almost everything wrong. But this time, he's got it almost exactly right.