Venezuela oil flows tumbling, tensions spiral
Venezuela's oil production is tumbling and tensions are spiraling as the double blow of collapsed oil prices and coronavirus descends across the Opec country.
Crude output has now fallen to around 500,000 b/d, as some fields are shut in, others are curtailed and more workers abandon operations to shelter from contagion.
National oil company PdV and its minority partners had been sustaining production of around 700,000-800,000 b/d for months despite escalating US sanctions and related export and storage bottlenecks.
According to oil industry participants, at least 150,000 b/d of medium and heavy crude is at risk of closure around Lake Maracaibo, the heart of PdV's western division, because it is no longer economic to produce, oil industry participants tell Argus.
The western division has struggled to stay afloat for years because of a lack of stable power supply and a host of other operational problems such as labor flight and equipment theft.
The main surviving projects, PetroBoscan with minority partner Chevron and PetroZamora with Russian partners, are now winding down or closed altogether.
In PdV's eastern division headquartered in Monagas state, an explosion and fire at around 2:30am ET at a gas separation unit in the El Carito flow station at the Punta de Mata district has knocked out at least another 35,000 b/d, plus 150mn cf/d of gas.
The eastern division had already been subject to curtailments of around 150,000 b/d because of logistical constraints.
PdV's Orinoco division, which had been producing roughly 500,000 b/d of extra-heavy crude, is now down to as low as 200,000 b/d, Argus is told.
The Orinoco oil belt supplies upgrading and blending plants at the Jose complex. The only two of these plants that are still partially operating are PdV's PetroPiar upgrader with Chevron and PdV's PetroSinovensa blending plant with Chinese state-owned CNPC.
PdV's three other upgraders — PetroCedeno with Total and Equinor, PetroMonagas with Russia's state-controlled Rosneft and wholly owned Petro San Felix — have long been shut down.
Following years of mismanagement, corruption and sanctions, Venezuela is considered the least equipped of any Latin American country to control the spread of the coronavirus. The official caseload is still only in the double digits, while all large neighboring countries now have hundreds.
Looting has broken out in several Venezuelan cities, and fuel is running out, impeding limited food and aid delivery.
Talking to the enemy
Faced with potential catastrophe, quiet talks are underway between Venezuela's US-sanctioned government and neighboring Colombia to coordinate health assistance through international organizations, Argus has confirmed with two sources. The contacts are an extraordinary departure from years of hostility. Colombia is among the more than 50 nations that recognize Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president, in place of Nicolas Maduro who maintains control on the ground.
The talks reflect growing dread in Bogota that a meltdown in Venezuela would reverberate in Colombia. The two countries share a porous border of more than 2,000km. An estimated 2mn Venezuelan migrants are already in Colombia, which closed its official border crossings with Venezuela earlier this month.
Despite overwhelming need, Venezuelan opposition efforts to bring in aid independently of the Maduro government are hamstrung by limited international recognition, political infighting and logistical hurdles.
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US reimposes Venezuela oil sanctions
US reimposes Venezuela oil sanctions
Washington, 17 April (Argus) — The US administration today reimposed sanctions targeting Venezuela's oil exports and energy sector investments and set a deadline of 31 May for most foreign companies to wind down business with state-owned PdV. The US decision rescinds a sanctions waiver issued last October, which allowed Venezuela to sell oil freely to any buyer and to invite foreign investment in the country's energy sector. The waiver, which was due to expire on 18 April, was tied to Caracas' agreement to hold a competitive presidential election and to allow opposition politicians to contest it. Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro's government reneged on that deal by refusing to register leading opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado or an alternative candidate designated by her, a senior US official said. The US considered the potential effects on global energy markets and other factors in its decision, but "fundamentally, the decision was based on the actions and non-actions of the Venezuelan authorities," the official said. The separate waivers granted to Chevron and to oil field service companies Halliburton, SLB, Baker Hughes and Weatherford will remain in place. Chevron will be allowed to continue lifting oil from its joint venture with PdV, solely for imports into the US. US-bound Venezuelan crude volumes averaged 133,000 b/d last year. Chevron said its Venezuela output was 150,000 b/d at the end of 2023. Argus estimated Venezuela's crude output at 850,000 b/d in March, up by 150,000 b/d on the year. PdV said it will seek to change terms of its nine active joint ventures , starting with Spain's Repsol, in an effort to boost production. The reimposition of sanctions will primarily affect Venezuelan exports to India and China. India has emerged as a major new destination for Venezuelan crude since the US lifted sanctions in October, importing 152,000 b/d in March. There are two more Venezuelan cargoes heading to India and are expected to arrive before the 31 May deadline. The VLCC Caspar left the Jose terminal on 14 March and was expected to arrive at a yet-unknown west coast Indian port on 26 April. The Suezmax Tinos left Venezuela on 18 March and was due at Sikka on 30 April. By contrast, Chinese imports of Venezuelan Merey, often labeled as Malaysian diluted bitumen, have been lower since October. Independent refiners in Shandong, which benefited from wide discounts on the sanctioned Venezuelan crude, cut back imports to just a fraction of pre-relief levels. By contrast, state-controlled PetroChina was able to resume imports. The Merey discount to Brent already widened in anticipation of a possible reimposition of US sanctions. Reprieve expected for European companies Separate US authorizations previously issued to Repsol and to Italy's Eni to allow oil-for-debt deals with PdV and to enable a Shell project to import natural gas from Venezuela's Dragon field to Trinidad and Tobago are expected to remain in place. The US sanctions enforcers as a rule do not disclose the terms of private sanctions licenses, and the European companies were not immediately available to comment. The US would still consider future requests for sanctions waivers for specific energy projects, another senior official said. Repsol imported 23,000 b/d of Venezuelan crude into Spain last year and 29,000 b/d so far this year, according to Vortexa data. The last cargo to arrive was on 15 April. Hope springs eternal The US administration says it will consider lifting the sanctions again if Maduro's government allows opposition candidates to participate in the July presidential election. The US action today "should not be viewed as a final decision that we no longer believe Venezuela can hold competitive and inclusive elections," a third senior official said. "We will continue to engage with all stakeholders, including Maduro representatives, the democratic opposition, civil society and the international community to support the Venezuelan people's efforts to ensure a better future for Venezuela." By Haik Gugarats and Kuganiga Kuganeswaran Chinese imports of Venezuelan crude Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US House advances Ukraine, Israel aid bills
US House advances Ukraine, Israel aid bills
Washington, 17 April (Argus) — The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives is preparing to advance a bill to extend military and economic aid to Ukraine, as Kyiv has complained about critical shortages of ammunition on the battlefield and has resorted to aerial attacks against refineries in Russia. The House is also advancing a separate bill to extend military aid to Israel and to pay for the rising cost of US operations in the Middle East, including the cost of providing maritime protection from the Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Yet another bill would extend military aid to Taiwan and other US partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific region. The US Senate in February approved a bill providing around $60bn in military aid for Ukraine, $14bn for Israel, and $9bn in humanitarian aid to Gaza and other global crisis spots. House speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has, in effect, deconstructed the Senate bill into individual components in an effort to facilitate their passage in a chamber where his party has a two seat majority and the Republican lawmakers allied with former president Donald Trump oppose aid to Ukraine. In an effort to secure the Republican caucus' assent to the three foreign aid bills, Johnson is also planning to advance a separate bill including a hodgepodge of his party's policy priorities, such as a ban on social media network TikTok and sanctions against Iran. Yet another bill would advance draconian restrictions on immigration and strengthen the security of the US-Mexico border. None of the bills released today would require President Joe Biden to reconsider his pause on the issuance of new LNG export licenses. Johnson's legislative proposal has immediately drawn opposition from some members of his party, two of which said they would move to oust him as speaker. Johnson assumed his position after his predecessor Kevin McCarthy was ousted in October following a compromise government funding deal with House Democrats. "Every true conservative America First patriot in the House should vote against the rule for this borrowed foreign aid bill with no border security!" congressman Bob Good (R-Virginia) said via X social network. The foreign aid bills will have to have the backing of the Democratic caucus and a sufficient number of Republicans in order to pass. Biden said he supports the three foreign aid bills proposed by Johnson. "The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow," Biden said. The majority-Democratic Senate leaders likewise have signaled willingness to consider separate aid bills so long as those do not significantly differ from the version passed by the Senate. The only major differences in the House version of the Ukraine aid bill is a requirement that the US provide no more than 50pc of the total economic assistance extended to Ukraine by western countries, as well as a requirement for Ukraine to repay the $9.5bn in direct economic support under the bill. Congress since February 2022 has allocated $114bn in aid to Ukraine, including $66bn for military supplies. The EU in the same period has allocated $150bn to Ukraine, mostly in economic support. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
June deadline set for Citgo auction bids
June deadline set for Citgo auction bids
Houston, 17 April (Argus) — Bidders for Citgo's US refining assets have until 11 June to submit offers for the company's 805,000 b/d of refining capacity and associated assets, with a tentative sale hearing set for 15 July. Documents filed Tuesday in the US District Court for the District of Delaware set 11 June as the deadline for interested parties to submit final binding bids after non-binding bids were received 22 January. The court began the auction process for Citgo's parent PdV Holding (PdVH) in October, part of the process of satisfying debts owed by Venezuelan-state owned oil company PdV. The court will file a notice of a successful bid "as soon as reasonably practicable" following the 11 June deadline and selection of a successful bidder. No date has been set for the filing of objections to the sale or replies to the objections before the tentative 15 July hearing. The legal wrangling over Citgo is unlikely to conclude even if the Delaware court successfully executes the sale as 27 businesses have filed claims against Citgo amounting to more than $21bn. The scale of Citgo's operations in the US are also a challenge to any potential buyer. Few companies look ready to buy the company's three refineries, three lubricants plants and retail and midstream assets. The assets have been valued by various analysts anywhere between $6.5bn and $40bn, with a lofty valuation potentially deterring bidders. But the auction process itself has been the main cause for concern. Independent refiner PBF Energy's chief executive Matthew Lucey previously called the auction a "quagmire" , considering its ties to a complex geopolitical situation in Venezuela, saying he did not expect the sale to go anywhere in the near term. Marathon Petroleum expressed similar disdain. "We're not interested in the auction process," Marathon chief executive Michael Hennigan said on an earnings call in October . By Nathan Risser Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Idemitsu books rare US Gulf-Vancouver HVO cargo
Idemitsu books rare US Gulf-Vancouver HVO cargo
New York, 17 April (Argus) — Japanese oil company Idemitsu provisionally hired a medium range (MR) tanker to carry hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) from the US Gulf coast to Vancouver on 16 April, a sign of the growing HVO trade from the region into west coast North America. Idemitsu put the Stolt Sisto MR on subjects for a US Gulf coast-Vancouver voyage from 20-25 April at $2.35mn lumpsum. The fixture may be part of an agreement under which Vertex Energy supplies Idemitsu's California-based subsidiary, Idemitsu Apollo, with all of its renewable diesel production from its plant in Mobile, Alabama. The plant's exports are targeting "growing regional markets in the western United States and Canada", according to Vertex. High freight costs for US domestic shipments because of the Jones Act may be encouraging Idemitsu to focus on the Canadian market. In comparison, freight for a US-flagged MR on a New Orleans-Los Angeles voyage was equivalent to $4.34mn, nearly double the cost of a voyage to more distant Vancouver. "I think [demand from Vancouver] will keep expanding with the subsidies/grants," a shipbroker said. "There is not much production in Vancouver, just Parkland [refinery]." Canadian oil company Suncor typically books one MR vessel a month to carry HVO from the US Gulf coast to Vancouver, with two charters in October 2023 standing out as a particularly active month for the trade, according to ship fixtures compiled by Argus . But Idemitsu has been "jumping in on the action" in recent months, according to the shipbroker, provisionally hiring at least one MR tanker on the spot market in January and February before yesterday's deal. Vancouver buyers are also getting HVO from Asia-Pacific suppliers, and countries like South Korea could become increasingly competitive in the renewable trade overall as they ramp up their sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and HVO production in the coming years. Vancouver imported around 29,500 b/d of HVO in January 2024, including 16,612 b/d from the US, 7,548 b/d from South Korea, and 5,351 b/d from Taiwan, according to Kpler data. By Ross Griffith Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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