Increased supply from Venezuela could help drivers at the pump—but it might strain the industry.
Oil prices gained slightly on Thursday, rebounding from two days of declines, as a larger-than-expected draw in U.S. crude inventories provided some impetus for investors to buy futures while they monitor developments in Venezuela.
Uncertainty over Venezuela's oil exports could tighten supply of seaborne crude in the near term, TD Securities said.
Trump says Venezuela will purchase American products with revenue from oil deal
A guide to what's happened with Venezuela's crude-oil production and exports since President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela.
Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA said on Wednesday it is progressing in negotiations with the United States for oil sales, as a board member for the company told Reuters the U.S. will need to buy cargoes at international prices.
For more than two weeks, Sky News' Data and Forensics team has plotted the movements of the US-sanctioned oil tanker Marinera.
President Donald Trump reserves the right to use military force to protect U.S. oil workers in Venezuela, the White House said. Trump prefers diplomacy but he will do what is in the best interests of the U.S. energy industry, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Oil companies will need assurances that outlast Trump's time in White House.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Wednesday that Mexico is not sending more oil to Cuba than it has historically, but amid recent events in Venezuela, Mexico has turned into an "important supplier" of crude to Cuba.
US forces seized two more sanctioned oil tankers, the M/V Bella 1 and the M/T Sophia, as part of its energy quarantine of Venezuela. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi says the ships were part of Russia's "ghost fleet.
Britain provided support to the United States in its operation to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic, the Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday.