Venezuela crude production reached 1.221mn b/d in July, an increase of 11pc from a year earlier but a dip of 3pc from June, according to state-owned PdV data seen by Argus.
The figures include condensates, natural gas liquids and other byproducts.
Venezuela is still reeling from twin earthquakes that killed thousands on 24 June. Even if the damage mostly spared the oil industry, acting President Delcy Rodriguez warned Venezuelans on Wednesday night that more trouble lies ahead. A hotter-than-usual August that Rodriguez attributed to the El Nino climate phenomenon means possible further rationing of water and electricity.
Frequent power outages and delays in restarting service to earthquake-hit areas has led to protests that expanded to the affected Los Palos Grandes neighborhood on Wednesday evening, joining protestors in Carabobo and other parts of Venezuela.
Rodriguez's rationing warning came one day after the top US envoy to Venezuela, John Barrett, toured Venezuela's largest hydroelectric plant Guri with officials from state electricity monopoly Corpoelec. Improved electrical service to support oil production has been a key US demand since the first day of new cooperation between Washington, DC, and Caracas brought about by the violent arrest of former leader Nicolas Maduro on 3 January.
PdV did not break down production figures by operational areas but gas processors' association AVPG estimated July production in western Venezuela at 361,000 b/d, higher than the 347,110 b/d the oil ministry reported in June.
