Americast Can the US really rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry?
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Jan 10, 2026 Robert Bryce, an energy writer and analyst, dives into the complexities of reviving Venezuela's oil industry, post-Maduro capture. He discusses the historical context of Venezuela's oil prosperity and how Chávez's reforms led to decline. Bryce emphasizes the U.S. motivations surrounding oil and the geopolitical stakes involving China and Russia. He articulates the challenges private companies face, including security risks and past expropriations. With the backdrop of an electricity crisis, he warns that without careful governance, rebuilding efforts could mirror Iraq's failures.
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Intervention Framed Around Oil Control
- The Trump administration openly frames intervention in Venezuela around seizing oil and controlling its revenue flows.
- Robert Bryce warns this is explicitly geopolitical gun diplomacy focused on oil, not just democracy promotion.
Venezuela's Heavy Oil Is Strategically Valuable
- Venezuela holds enormous heavy crude resources crucial for long-term US energy security.
- Bryce says Gulf Coast refiners are optimized for heavy sour crude, making Venezuelan oil strategically valuable.
Crude Quality Shapes Refining Economics
- Crude quality matters: heavy sour crude yields more diesel and jet fuel than US light sweet shale oil.
- US refiners' high Nelson Complexity Index makes Venezuelan grades particularly valuable to them.