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Venezuela grants North American Blue Energy Partners 100-year concessions for 17 oil fields, White House says
On Monday, the White House released terms granting North American Blue Energy Partners 100-year concessions for 17 oil fields in Venezuela, with acting President Delcy Rodríguez authorizing the agreement covering reserves of 65 billion barrels.
President Donald Trump is pushing to expand Venezuelan oil production following the January 2026 military mission that captured former President Nicolás Maduro, shifting control of fields previously owned by Russian or Chinese firms.
Led by businessman Alejandro Betancourt, NABEP will invest up to $100 billion in infrastructure, with the Pentagon receiving a 35% equity stake and the State Department securing rights to purchase 20% of output at cost.
Washington is sponsoring reconciliation talks between the 2015 National Assembly and interim authorities, yielding judicial reforms and political prisoner releases, while the White House claimed the deal comes at "zero cost" to the U.S.
Energy advisers caution that the agreement carries significant political risk, as future administrations in Venezuela or the United States could challenge the concessions and jeopardize the long-term energy project.