American companies will invest hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild Venezuela's energy industry, with Trump stepping in to provide protection and support

With U.S. support, Venezuela, just less than a week after “changing presidents,” is迎來 the largest-scale energy investment wave in history. U.S. President Donald Trump met with top executives from major oil companies at the White House last Friday (January), announcing that these companies will invest at least $100 billion in Venezuela under U.S. protection to rebuild the country’s fragile energy industry.

Key Meeting: Oil Giants Gather at the White House

Participants included ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods, ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance, Chevron Vice Chairman Mark Nelson, as well as representatives from Halliburton, Valero, Marathon, and other energy companies. The meeting was led by the White House and was not industry-initiated, indicating the Trump administration’s urgency to re-enter the Venezuelan market.

Hundred-Billion-Dollar Investment Kickoff, U.S. Promises Full Support

Trump explicitly stated that these investments will be protected by U.S. security and political guarantees, ensuring that companies “can recover their investments and also make good returns.” He emphasized that the U.S. will decide which companies can enter the Venezuelan market and that they will “reach agreements today or soon.”

Trump added that one of the benefits the U.S. can gain from this is “lower energy prices,” which is a positive for American consumers.

Why Venezuela? The World’s Largest Oil Reserves

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, approximately 303 billion barrels, accounting for 17% of global total. However, the country’s oil industry has been paralyzed by years of mismanagement and political turmoil, with daily production dropping from a peak of 3.5 million barrels in the 1990s to only about 800,000 barrels/day now.

Consulting firm Rystad Energy estimates that to restore capacity to 3 million barrels/day, at least $180 billion in long-term investment is needed, with ongoing investments projected until 2040.

Initial Bilateral Cooperation: Chevron as a Key Pilot

Currently, the only U.S. oil company still operating in Venezuela is Chevron, which operates through a joint venture with the state-owned PDVSA. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that Chevron’s on-site operations have become an important window for the U.S. to understand the situation and revealed that the government is working closely with the company to provide “fine-tuned support” for its expansion.

Wright pointed out that with minimal capital investment, Venezuela’s oil capacity could potentially increase by hundreds of thousands of barrels/day in the short term.

Exxon and Conoco: Re-entry Requires More Guarantees

However, for ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, which had assets expropriated by the Venezuelan government as early as 2007, returning to the market still raises concerns. Both companies had their assets confiscated, initiated arbitration, and won, and still have billions of dollars in unpaid debts from Venezuela.

Exxon CEO Darren Woods said, “Our assets have been expropriated twice locally, and for a third time, we need to see very significant changes.”

Energy Secretary Wright stated that although these debts will eventually be resolved, the Trump administration is currently more focused on stabilizing Venezuela’s economy through oil revenues.

Small Independent Oil Producers React Enthusiastically, Major Companies Watch

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said that although large oil companies are “slow to act and decision-making layers are many,” many independent and small oil producers are eager. He bluntly said, “Our phones are almost exploding; these companies want to enter Venezuela yesterday!”

U.S. Controls Export Revenues, Claims Not Stealing Oil

Wright emphasized that the U.S. has control over Venezuela’s oil export channels and manages export revenues through accounts led by the U.S. He said, “We need this leverage to push for the necessary transformation in Venezuela.”

Trump further stated that these revenues will be used exclusively to purchase “Made in USA” products, including agricultural products, medical equipment, energy equipment, and more.

He wrote on social media, “Venezuela has committed to only buying American-made goods and considers the U.S. a key partner.”

Trump Bets on “Venezuela Oil Revival Plan”

With political tensions easing and U.S. intervention assertive, Venezuela could re-emerge on the global energy stage. However, whether it can successfully attract capital and technology back depends on the political and economic developments in the coming months and the stabilization of international confidence.

If Trump’s vision can be realized, this trillion-dollar energy reconstruction plan will not only bring huge profits to U.S. companies but also have a profound impact on global oil prices and the geopolitical landscape.

This article Venezuela’s energy industry reconstruction with billions of dollars from U.S. companies, with Trump providing protection, first appeared on Lian News ABMedia.