Reshuffle in Caracas
New appointments show Maduro plans to hold his course
Venezuela's epic economic distortions and political entanglement have long delayed oil and gas industry investment. Yet over the past two years, oil minister and PdV president Eulogio del Pino have begun to revive enthusiasm in the country's Orinoco Oil Belt, some marginal oilfields and, especially, in Venezuela's offshore natural gas sector. But del Pino and his team have faced an uphill battle coordinating with President Nicolás Maduro's patchwork cabinet. Oil-policy adjustments and commercial negotiations with investors must be accompanied by both macroeconomic and other reforms. Big deals require a big picture government buy-in. To date, with marginal political clout, the oil ministry ha
Also in this section
6 February 2026
The long close relationship between key supplier Qatar and pivotal buyer Japan becomes even deeper following new landmark deal
6 February 2026
Partnerships across the LNG value chain have evolved over time, growing in both complexity and importance, according to panellists at LNG2026
6 February 2026
Nigeria's mega-refinery is still trying to solve many challenges, all while its owner talks up expansion
5 February 2026
While broadly supportive of EU efforts to tackle methane emissions, representatives of the gas industry warn it could deter supply contracting if timelines and compliance requirements are not made more pragmatic
