January 8, 2026–Written by Daniel Graeber for IIR Energy (Sugar Land, Texas)–The break-even price for Venezuelan crude oil is likely the highest for major global producers, which adds further complications to U.S. President Donald Trump’s ambitions to overhaul a delipidated industry.
Various media outlets are reporting that Trump said that interim leaders in Venezuela will hand over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S. That, in turn, would be sold on the open market, with Trump saying “the money will be controlled by me … to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States.”
