Here are responses from AI, the WSJ, and an energy investor who posts on my blog.
How Fast the Ramp Up?
Current output is around 800,000 to 1.1 million barrels per day (less than 1% of global supply), down sharply from peaks of over 3 million bpd in the past due to years of underinvestment, mismanagement, and sanctions. With the recent political changes (Maduro’s removal on January 3, 2026), President Trump has signaled strong U.S. involvement, including potential investments by American oil companies to rebuild infrastructure. However, experts across sources agree there’s no quick ramp-up:
- Short-term (2026) — Production might stay flat or even dip temporarily due to ongoing disruptions (e.g., export blockades and storage issues). Goldman Sachs forecasts it remaining around 900,000 bpd in 2026.
- Medium-term (2–5 years) — Some optimistic estimates suggest a return to 1.5–2 million bpd could be possible in 2 years with stable governance and existing operators (like Chevron) scaling up. More realistic views point to meaningful increases taking 5–7 years as infrastructure is repaired.
- Long-term (to higher levels like 2–3+ million bpd) — This could take a decade or more, requiring $100–110 billion in investments (per Rystad Energy and analysts like Francisco Monaldi).
The oil is mostly heavy crude from the Orinoco Belt, which is expensive and complex to extract/process, and the industry’s infrastructure is severely decayed (pipelines unreplaced for decades). Political stability, legal reforms, and massive capital will be key factors.
In summary, significant new production won’t flow quickly—think years to decades for a major boost, not months. If things stabilize smoothly, we could see gradual improvements starting in the next couple of years.
A Huge Challenge Awaits
The above answer is from Grok. The Wall Street Journal has a similar answer.
Please consider Trump Wants to Unlock Venezuela’s Oil Reserves. A Huge Challenge Awaits.
“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” he said.
But getting foreign companies to flock back to Venezuela will be a massive challenge. Chevron is the only major U.S. oil company there and is the country’s largest foreign investor. Other oil executives will be forced to gauge the stability on the ground in a country where the industry has fallen into disarray after more than two decades of mismanagement and corruption.
The other obstacle facing Trump’s effort to put more of Venezuela’s viscous crude into the global market is that the world doesn’t have much of an appetite for more oil. U.S. oil prices are languishing below $60 a barrel, a level that discourages investment for most American producers. Global supplies are expected to continue rising this year.
“One thing that works against it is the price of oil,” said Ali Moshiri, the former head of Chevron’s operations in Latin America and Africa. “In the environment we’re in, if you’re going to invest, do you put it in the Permian [Basin in the U.S.] or do you put it in Venezuela? That’s going to be a tough choice.”
Venezuela has produced some 900,000 barrels of oil a day this year, with Chevron pumping about one-third of that. The type of crude Venezuela produces is thicker than most oil consumed on the global market, and refiners from the U.S. Gulf Coast to China and India can wring more profit out of it than other grades of crude, making it highly attractive for fuel makers.
ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil pulled out of Venezuela in 2007 after then-President Hugo Chávez nationalized their assets. Conoco later sued the Venezuelan government for more than $20 billion; Exxon sued for $12 billion. The companies were awarded fractions of their losses in protracted arbitration proceedings. Conoco and Exxon didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Orlando Ochoa, a Caracas-based economist and a visiting fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, described the Herculean task of jump-starting the moribund energy industry, which has seen tens of thousands of trained professionals flee the country under Maduro’s authoritarian rule.
He said that includes drafting a broad economic stabilization plan to attract the financing Venezuela badly needs from multilateral lenders to rebuild infrastructure and rusted oil-field installations. Local laws need to be modified to allow private energy firms to operate without state overreach, he added. And the government has to restructure some $160 billion in debt and settle pending arbitration cases with foreign companies to convince them to come back.
“What the U.S. needs to do is to implement a form of a Marshall Plan,” said Ochoa, referring to the economic program that helped rebuild Europe after World War II. “This is about much more than coming into the oil and gas sector just to extract crude from the ground.”
“It used to be to the victor belong the spoils,” Trump said in a 2016 presidential forum. “Now, there was no victor there [in Iraq], believe me. There was no victor. But I always said: Take the oil.”
Energy Comments
PapaDave, an energy investor and commentator on my site, offered these thoughts.
Regarding Venezuela’s massive oil reserves of 303 billion barrels. Most of it (86%) is pretty undesirable. It is too heavy and requires special refineries to process. There isn’t much interest in that oil. Of the remaining 45 billion barrels of more useful oil, it will take a decade to rebuild the infrastructure necessary to make use of it. And I don’t know who will take the risk of spending the capital necessary to rebuild it.
US companies, like Chevron, will be cautious in committing much more investment in this region, based on their past experiences with regime change. Most companies like some political certainty, and “rule of law” before committing capital. Neither exists here.
Note: The US itself is becoming a region of political uncertainty, and the “rule of law” is disappearing right in front of us. A recent example is Trump cancelling 6 federally approved offshore wind projects. One company, Orsted, is suing, as they had already spent billions and their project was 87% complete. The US as a destination for investment is sliding down a slippery slope.
If the US wants more oil, it is readily and cheaply available from Canada. It’s better oil. There’s more of it. Our refineries are designed to use it. It’s cheaper to produce than in Venezuela. It’s much closer and easier to ship south through pipelines. We should be invading them instead. [Mish comment. That last sentence was sarcasm.]
There are different levels of “heavy”.
WTI is typically light with viscosity of around 40 API. WCS (Canadian) is heavy at viscosity <20 API. 86% of Venezuelan oil is extra heavy and sour <8-10 API (though 14% is just heavy).
This may appear to be a “strategic” move, but it doesn’t really make much sense after our experience with similar strategic moves in Libya and Iraq. Trillions spent for almost zero benefit.
My long term concern is how this will isolate the US as we rely on fear to get our way. Successful relationships rely on win-win outcomes; not win-lose.
The last century was dominated by the US as we aspired to be the shining example of democracy and freedom, and inspire the rest of the world to follow our lead. We have now abandoned that and we will all suffer as a result.
Who Knew What, When?
Regarding Greenland
Question of the Day
“If you’re right of center and don’t reject Trump, what principles do you have left?”
Related Posts
January 4, 2026: Is Venezuela’s New President the Puppet Trump Says She Is?
Delcy Rodríguez “was quite gracious,” said Trump. Rodríguez then blasted Trump.
If she is not the puppet Trump demands (or even if she is and the military will not go along) things are going to quickly get very messy.
January 4, 2026: Trump Now Says “We Need Greenland for National Security” and the EU Knows That
Trump is seriously out of control and more so every day.
But I always said: Take the oil.” Now it’s take the minerals.
There is no respect for the rule of law or the Constitution from anyone in this administration.
It really doesn’t seem to make sense? From what I have read Venezuelan Oil costs on average 50 dollars a barrel to produce. So when you take into account the fact that the oil companies get part of the profit, Venezuela gets a larger part of the profit and of course Trump wants his share, you would need a pretty high price of oil for a long period before you see any sort of ROI on all of the money that would have to be invested. Add to this the fact that Trump is long gone in 3 years, what happens when the next Dictator decides to boot out the US oil companies? They would no longer have Trump to run back to. I also read it’s a higher Sulphur oil vs Alberta heavy crude and because of this more involved to refine.
I believe Alberta sends less than 20% of their heavy crude to the Gulf Refineries, the majority goes to the Midwestern refineries, someone can correct me if I’m wrong.
https://neosciencehub.com/thermodynamic-limits-energy-return-on-investment-in-heavy-oil/
Most Gulf Coast refineries have traditionally received the heavy oil they need from Mexico and Venezuela. As these sources have declined over that last decade, the refineries have switched to oil from Brazil, Guyana, Columbia, Canada, and the Middle East. The refineries have also upgraded their facilities in order to utilize a bit more of light Permian oil.
Canada exports 4-5 mbpd to the US. Most Canadian oil goes to the US midwest PADD2 region (4 mbpd). Some goes to the gulf coast and the west coast. But the amounts are small.
Venezuelan oil costs range from $25-$40 to get out of the ground. However, that does not include the cost of the infrastructure rebuilding that will also be needed to get that oil to market.
In addition, recovery rates of Orinoco oil are only 10% vs recovery rates as high as 90% for Canadian oil sands. Current extraction techniques waste most of the Orinoco reserves.
Looks like taco and family are now in the oil business.
Ah, predictions. In March, the Associated Press “reported” this: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects egg prices to rise 41% this year over last year’s average of $3.17 per dozen.” That would have been $4.47.
Now what actually happened? In November, eggs at retail were $2.86. At wholesale, about $2.15. Today, at wholesale, 55 cents. So now you think it will take forever in Venezuela. We shall see about that.
And this from “Papa Dave,” the putative expert here: “If the US wants more oil, it is readily and cheaply available from Canada. It’s better oil. There’s more of it. Our refineries are designed to use it. It’s cheaper to produce than in Venezuela. It’s much closer and easier to ship south through pipelines.”
Um, no. Alberta is cold, and the oil has to be shoveled. Venezuela is hot, and it can be pumped. Refineries in TX and LA were designed to handle it. Not only that, but VZ’s oil fields are close to the Caribbean, and (as demonstrated just recently) the oil is easily loaded onto tankers and taken to Houston. Canadian bitumen is much harder to move.
It’s not “better oil” at all. Other way around. And there’s not more of it. There’s less. Venezuela has more, but doesn’t produce more. That will change.
“Alberta is cold, and the oil has to be shoveled. Venezuela is hot, and it can be pumped.”
Nope. As I mentioned earlier, only 14% of Venezuelan oil is conventional heavy oil that can be “pumped”.
The remaining 86% of Venezuelan oil in in the Orinoco belt.
The Orinoco is unlike almost any other oil province on Earth — the crude is extra‑heavy (≈8° API), extremely viscous, and almost solid at surface conditions. That means it cannot flow on its own and requires specialized extraction methods.
🛢️ How Orinoco extra‑heavy oil is extracted
1. Wells are drilled into shallow Miocene formations
The Orinoco Belt’s producing zones — such as the Oficina Formation in the Carabobo block — are shallow, onshore, sandstone reservoirs.
These reservoirs contain:
• 8–9° API extra‑heavy crude
• Very high viscosity (thousands of centipoise)
This crude does not flow naturally, so artificial lift is mandatory.
2. Artificial lift is used immediately — especially Progressive Cavity Pumps (PCPs)
The primary extraction method is progressive cavity pumps, often bottom‑drive PCPs, which are specifically designed for extremely viscous crude.
The OnePetro paper describes this directly:
• Traditional Orinoco production used rod pumps and top‑drive PCPs
• Newer wells use bottom‑drive PCPs to lift extra‑heavy oil (8° API, 2,000 cp viscosity) from vertical and deviated wells
PCPs are ideal because:
• They can handle thick, tar‑like crude
• They tolerate sand production
• They deliver steady flow at low gas‑oil ratios
This is the core extraction technology in the Orinoco.
3. The oil must be diluted or heated to move through pipelines
Once at the surface, Orinoco crude solidifies quickly. Venezuelan researchers note that extra‑heavy crude “moves underground, but as soon as it appears on the surface, it solidifies”.
To transport it, operators use:
✔ Diluent blending
Light oil or naphtha is mixed with the crude to reduce viscosity.
✔ Heating
Some fields use heated flowlines or steam‑assisted facilities.
✔ Chemical surfactants
Newer Venezuelan technologies (e.g., Intesurf®) aim to improve flow by altering surface tension.
4. Upgraders convert the tar‑like crude into synthetic oil
At the José Upgrading Complex, extra‑heavy crude (≈8.5° API) is upgraded to 16–32° API synthetic crude before export.
Upgrading involves:
• Coking
• Hydroprocessing
• Removal of sulfur and metals
• Breaking long hydrocarbon chains
Without upgrading or diluent, Orinoco crude cannot be exported.
So, to summarize, you’ve exposed another maga myth – and you can guarantee, Taco believes it. And Taco would also compare the egg industry to the oil industry – ha ha. Hoot of the day.
Yet another case of ~ Fire, Ready, Aim by Trump and his marry band of thieves and grifters.
Of course there is no plan, just another incoherent act of ridiculous bullying by our very own Pedophile in Chief.
Distracting America from failed doge savings, endless wars, Epstein, predatory insurance premiums, pardoning the Honduran Drug Lord for personal gain, threats against our trading partners, the destruction of the dollar as a currency, the massive budget deficit, gutting the SEC, the DOJ and the Pentagons legal staff.
I hear that the Kangaroo population is out of hand at Mirage a Lago.
Theft of resources by a war criminal is not a good incentive for investment.
So, um, why exactly would anyone invest in Venezuelan oil production when Trump will be out in 3 years and a Democrat in? Especially when the Democrat simply removes any American protection for those investments.
Why would they make investments when their ability to ship oil depends entirely on the momentary whims of Trump?
Embargoes are their management tool
china and russia will probably make out great after USA citizens pay to modernize the oil down there with our troops guarding. we’ll retreat in a decade or so leaving the equipment and china and russia will reap the bounty. like persia has done in iraq.
Chinese companies are actively involved in drilling and investing in Venezuela’s oil sector, particularly with private firm China Concord Resources Corp (CCRC) investing over $1 billion in a 20-year deal for two oilfields, aiming for significant production increases, challenging U.S. sanctions and solidifying China’s role as Venezuela’s primary oil buyer. This follows earlier state-backed Chinese investment, with a focus now shifting due to U.S. sanctions, though China remains a key partner.
NARCO TERRORISM IS THE NEW WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. THE STOOOOOOPID HURTS
US taxpayers will foot the bill to fix the infrastructure. Big oil companies and special interest groups will reap the rewards.
Hmmm
I’d guess that Trump hasn’t heard of Guyana (next door to VZ)
They have discovered 11 billion barrels of oil and are currently pumping around a million barrels a day (1.4 million by 2027)
It’s light, sweet crude with a break-even cost of $25-$32 a barrel–well under the cost of most oil in the world
And Guyana is a small country easily dominated by big oil.
With none of the social issues that will come with VZ
Two points to this:
US oil production is noncompetitive (don’t buy those oil company bonds for ND oil production that are being offered everywhere!)
Going after VZ for drugs and oil is pretty dumb–it’s a massive complication without reward
Shhhhhhhh! Don’t Tell Trump about any other nations that are wealthy in resources but have little to no military. He will invade and steal it like a bully stealing a purse from a wheelchair bound grandmother.
Might makes right in the MAGA world.
my understanding is: Maddy & the Vens were heavily plotting a Guyana takeover, whether by arms or pol subversion. In sum, Madero with his shit oil was in no position to ignore Guyana. True or not, I don’t know, but yet another quiet twist.
This is real colonial era again.
False flag. Attack. Occupy. Enslave. Take the resources. Give them paper money.
Can’t pretend anymore.
The US illegally invades a sovereign country with the intention of stealing its natural resources and most of the country just yawns like it’s perfectly normal. The security state and its propaganda network has accomplished its objectives.
Nah, everybody going to vote out Republicans in the mid-terms, elect a Democratic president in the next election, then everyone involved in this will be prosecuted and imprisoned.
We’re not yawning.
We’re waiting for the next election.
How long until China is ramping up production there?
They are already there. Trump will probably kick them out.
They are. And before Trump got there.
Doubt anyone is kicking China out.
Joint effort.
so many nostradamus’ predicting future events.
Thank Mish, very insightfull.
= how it happened
i think USA bought out all local military, and only people who tried fight were couple dozen inside house/palace (from Cuba I read )
so basically USA military just landed in the night 100 meters in front of Maduro’s place and killed everybody in front!
====
i would not be surprised that maduro had active cell phone (hacked) on him, so USA could pinpoint his location up to 2 meters
alx
=the guerrilla war
you AMERICANS THINK 30 MIL people in Venezuela would sit on own ass11es and see how gringos stealing oil?
please
Imagine a couple of million gun-toting Venezuelans having one rule: go out, hide somewhere, shoot one American, and take off. Doesn’t matter if you kill or just injure them. And don’t get shot yourself. Just a quick in, bang, and out. When tens of thousands of Americans are being shot weekly, this will get wrapped up quickly.
Idiots here think the U.S. will steal the oil. We won’t. By the way, Venezuela was the richest country in South America into the 1990s when the communists that people here seem to love came to power. Now it’s the poorest. You think the Venezuelan majority wants that to continue? Tell me: Are you this stupid all the time, or just today?
Well its does sound like the China bound ships made it out of Venezuela waters with full loads from prior contracts without any disturbance from our ships.
That passes as good news this morning. WW3 avoided for a few hours anyway
please.. what a drama queen!!
even of USA took over ships, nothing would happen
china consumes what 10* 15 mil barrels per day? it is drop in bucket
I guess you missed the sarcasm in there.
If U.S. took over those ships the drama would be all over here on this site I can guarantee you that.
i guess
chinese are known to be cold tempered.
Not # 1 Son, per Pops.
Ya, the US will be pumping lots of stolen oil just as soon as the guerrilla war is over & the bodies are buried.
This is an assumption on your part. As far as I can tell, the vast majority of Venezuelans welcome a change from Maduro.
FYI, he is the reason why 600,000 Venezuelans ESCAPED to the US.
If and when its over, does this mean we can finally send the Venezuelan gangster’s roaming around the states back home?
Asking for a friend.
There were mass street protests yesterday against the US.
The way ICE is treating Venezuelan refugees in the US I wouldn’t count on them for any support.
Also Trump doesn’t even want the democratically elected leader involved.
China & Russia are probably looking at Venezuela as a way to bog down the US in another endless war.
two things can be true
they’re glad Maduro is gone
AND
they don’t want to be under the thumb of the US
don’t be so obtuse
Chavez was hugely popular. Maduro less so, but still generally popular. The Venezuelans who left were the ones who hated Maduro, or were impoverished by American sanctions, the one’s who stayed are pro-Maduro.
=n as the guerrilla war is over
how did Vietnam/iraq/afganistan guerrilla war end?
Evidently not bad enough since the US wants to get bogged down in yet another guerrilla war. This time featuring fpv drones.
yeah. i was actually surprised that Russians did not send couple dozens fpv units to hep maduro!
they are battle tested in Ukraine ,it is cheap, and USA would have real problems fighting those in ground in jungles!
i guess it was agreement putin -trump!
=====
as we say in Russia
MOTHERLAND ALWAYS LEAVE YOU BEHIND!
“i guess it was agreement putin -trump!”
That is exactly why on a different thread yesterday I said indirectly the same thing. I think I questioned if know one else was in on this or taken by surprise? I probably should have said others were notified
I would not be surprised if Both Putin & Xi were informed
US majors were essentially stealing billions of dollars of oil from the people of Venezuela. They all know that. The fictitious prices they were demanding for their footprints in Venezuela? They would roar back into Venezuela if those valuations were true, but they were fictitious. They neglected to offset with the boot and the loot. ExxMob just paid 60 billion for Pioneer. The caribou are resting easy. US oilmen are starting to choke on their Black Gold. The world outside of the haplessly led USA is going with BYDs. They don’t use much oil. Steal baby, steal!
Love to buy a BYD!
Where exactly did you get this information?
“US majors were essentially stealing billions of dollars of oil from the people of Venezuela. They all know that.”
Here is a slightly different version from Wikipedia
“Gómez did not tax the oil companies and that Venezuela did not benefit from oil production, but this is only a half-truth. The Venezuelan government derived considerable income from the concessions and from taxes of one sort of another, but the original fiscal laws which applied to the oil companies were hammered out between the government and American lawyers.
The laws were relatively lenient, but Gómez, who had an acute business sense, understood that it was necessary to create incentives for investors in the Venezuelan oil fields, some of which were very accessible but others were deep in jungles.
Oil income allowed Gómez to expand Venezuela’s rudimentary infrastructure and the overall impact of the oil industry on Venezuela was a modernizing trend in the areas where it operated.
But in a wider sense, the Venezuelan people, except for those who worked for the oil companies and lived badly but had a steady income, benefited little or not all from the country’s oil riches.
Acute business sense. Lol.
Glad you quoted PapaDave – I was just going to reference him.
You might want to look into Venezuela reserves of gold and “coltan” minerals
I do not consider you or old Dave to be source worthy. I remember in the first Gulf War when Iraq torched hundreds of wells in Kuwait. Experts said it would be years for wells to be back online. They were back online in 24 months. Generally the future is random and unpredictable especially the oil business.
24 months is two years. and now the persians control that oil……….after the first war we liberated kuwati princelings who were in paris at discos…….and WMD war in iraq………….cost the us in currency and debt. remember when 100USD was baller money during the first gulf war. the idiots have payed dearly. keep working lumpenproles. the C suite fellas need more villas.
Question. And not that this changes anything or makes it right and leaving apprehending Maduro as a separate issue but with respect to Venezuela, specifically the oil & the country, wasn’t China & Russia doing the same thing everyone is accusing the United States of doing?
I have seen that accusation floating around the internet. Now I know the internet is a dangerous thing lol
Before making this comment, you should compare the state of Kuwait’s oil infrastructure at the time of Iraq’s invasion to Venezuela’s at the time of the US invasion.
Old Dave? Does that mean I am young Dave? Wow, that made my day!
PS: Papa Dave is a very bright man.
America the Rogue State
https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/america-the-rogue-state
dont forget all local S. America drugs cartels,. they are gonna have field day out of it!!
why negs??
you AMERICANS THINK 30 MIL people in Venezuela would sit on own ass11es and see how gringos stealing oil?
please
Waiting for evidence of your claim?
= USA operated oil fields
I can see Russians /Chinese clapping their hands .. saying DO IT!!!!!
send in money. weapons, instructors via border countries, organise local shadow forces who would kill foreigners, destroy properties, and organise whole sabotage movement!!!
=====
I think lots of locals will be interested in those activities! money !!!
THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN WHOLE YEAR WARM CLIMATE in huge country w/ ocean access and whole year covered surface w/ trees!
Vietnam SENDS HELLO!!!!!
alx
ps
and dont forget all local S. America drugs cartels,. they are gonna have field day out of it!!
why negs????
you AMERICANS THINK 30 MIL people in Venezuela would sit on own ass11es and see how gringos stealing oil?
please
The U.S. was founded as a republic (a government by elected representatives) but also developed imperial characteristics and ambitions from its inception, with founders like Jefferson envisioning an “empire of liberty” through territorial expansion, making it a complex “imperial republic” rather than a pure republic or a traditional empire with an emperor. It sought liberty from monarchy but embraced expansion and influence, creating a unique system that some scholars describe as imperial due to its global reach and power projection, despite lacking a king.
Founding as a Republic:
Against Monarchy: The Founding Fathers rejected European monarchies, establishing a system based on representative government (a republic) with checks and balances to prevent “mob rule” or tyranny.
Republican Ideals: The Constitution guaranteed a republican form of government, emphasizing liberty, limited powers, and citizen representation.
Imperial Aspects & Ambitions:
“Empire of Liberty”: Thomas Jefferson and others saw the U.S. expanding across North America, creating a vast republic, which some call an “empire of liberty”.
Territorial Expansion: From the start, the U.S. focused on expanding its territory and influence (e.g., westward expansion, Manifest Destiny).
Global Influence: The U.S. developed significant global military and economic power, leading many to label it an “American Empire” due to its worldwide presence and interventions, even without a monarch.
Conclusion:
The U.S. wasn’t founded as a traditional empire (ruled by an emperor) but as a republic that, through its expansive nature and growing global power, evolved into something that functions, in many ways, like an empire, challenging simple definitions.
DUMBED DOWN FOR THE MODERN AMERIKANS. LET’S ALL VOTE TO BE A WAR MONGERING EMPIRE. JEFFERSON, MADISON ,WASHINGTON AND THE OTHER HUCKSTERS…………..
Any US company that starts stealing oil from Venezuela will eventually face boycotts and a whole lot of bad press and there is always the risk that after Trump leaves office in 302 days, Venezuela will simply re-nationalize all the oil assets.
Perhaps this whole thing is more about keeping the oil out of the hands of China than bringing it into the US. As I recall, that’s what caused Japan to attack the U.S. in 1941.
China’s best move is to invade Taiwan and keep chips from the U.S.
good analysis.
Any US company that starts stealing oil from Venezuela will eventually face boycotts and a whole lot of bad press
===
bad press???
courts in all countries all over world! more likely!
That too, there will be endless lawsuits about stealing oil and those oil companies will need to carry those liabilities on their books. I guess oil companies will decide if the risk is worth it.
it’ll probably be Exxon and Chevron and Conoco… you can’t boycott them unless you don’t need gas or oil to begin with.
I still recall the fear during the last chip shortage.
382 days
The US’ best move is to relocate Taiwanese people, equipment, and technology to the Southern region of the US.
As for the US ‘stealing’ oil, how much oil did US oil companies steal from Iraq? Here’s an AI answer:
“U.S. oil companies did not “steal” oil in a legal sense. Instead, the post-war environment allowed for contracts and opportunities to develop Iraq’s oil fields. The extent of extraction and profits can vary significantly in different accounts and analyses.
The overall estimates regarding the amount of oil produced or exported by Iraq after the Gulf War involve discussions about the lengths and specifics of contracts signed, the state of Iraq’s oil infrastructure, and international sanctions at the time.
In the years following the war, Iraq’s oil production was gradually restored, with figures reaching around 2.5 million barrels per day by the late 1990s, mainly under the Oil-for-Food Program established by the UN.”
That won’t happen because the racists and bigots won’t allow immigrants in but then again Trump could make Taiwan the 51st state and problem solved.
But in the end, we allow more immigrants, both illegal and in migrant form and from more cultures than any other country on the globe
Per capita or just total number?
Fair on number of people
But on culture? Name me the country that has absorbed more cultures into their country. Don’t care about per capita on that one.
We pretty much have someone from every country in the world somewhere in America. I am not saying they are all up to know good.
Just saying. Its like when the Chinese call us racists? Oh really?
Did they just take in 16 million people from over 100 countries under Biden Admin?
No, because they are not as dumb as we are.
Development of anything takes time this is storage for future use case closed…
good for china.
No good for Koch right now we don’t need oil the ships are full the salt caves need repair no jobs no money that’s why i said future use…
Could people stop this constant obsession with stealing other nation’s minerals? Developing mines takes many years of development and accepting huge losses for years. If you doubt this, look at many start up mines on Wall Street, there’s plenty and their stock prices are long term depressed. If you like piracy, try something esle.
the human primate ain’t changing. the typical human demands to be ruled by a silver back strong man, and to be subservient. the strong men that rape, plunder and kill are heroes. look around and see statues in all empires or nations left over from those empires. trump is amerikan as apple pie. the nit wits just don’t understand anrhopology
= with stealing other nation’s minerals? De
what is fun in life w/out stealing?
what else 5 stars generals would do sitting as11ses in pentagon? obv nobody is interested in fighting Russia in ukraine!!
it has been raining for 2 days straight in S. Russia and pretty much everything and everybody in mud up to eyeballs!!!!!
It’s a lot cheaper if you declare the local population terrorists and use them as slave labor.
I don’t understand. If you’re car isn’t running well and I steal it, it shouldn’t be an issue as long as I invest in it to get it running?
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED trump in flight suit on carrier.
They don’t make flight suits that fat.
That would be funny, though.
Now that I think about, Baron Harkonnen had one.
The last three paragraphs in PapaDave’s commentary are so very spot on. Trump snubbed Canadian heavy oil from Alberta primarily stating to the effect we had all the oil in America that we needed ignoring the Canadian heavy oil was from a friendly ally that he personally greased skids for the Keystone pipeline permits to transport it to the US. Since he cannot be wrong on anything, we now kidnap an unfriendly foriegn leader so we can steal similar heavy oil from his country at much higher cost and on a much longer delivery schedule due to upstream and midstream infrastructure deterioration. As PapaDave stated, this oil source does not come due to joint negotiations with terms favorable to both nations, but under fear tactics that undermine our status for trade with every nation for every product and service.
That is not America first, it is America the bully Mr. President. You were right to expedite the permitting of Keystone for Canadian oil, wrong to later dis Canadian oil and now wrong to steal Venezuelan oil at much higher cost and extended delivery conditions when we have all the oil we need.
This not about Oil but Epstein and a bad economy.Trump says US would rule Venezuela over,but Rubio says the opposite.
Jesus can we stop with Epstein files already???
That is the last thing this is about
You do not seem to realize the impact of Epstein Files on Trump.
That is exactly what this is about.
Squeal more, piggie!
LOL………. You know who was happier than them all? Somali Waltz
Well until he could not take it any more and is no longer running for a 3rd term and ran away from reporters till tomorrow anyway.
Epstein files, come on man!
It’s reasonable to assume there’s no plan for meaningful near-term support for the Venezuelan population funded by the US taxpayer, at least not before oil revenues eventually come back online.
But the country is already in freefall, and it’s hard to see how that doesn’t accelerate in the short term. If people experience only further hardship while watching oil leave the country, the dominant narrative won’t be “recovery” but “foreign extraction” — a perception that outside actors will eagerly reinforce.
Chávez’s purge of domestic oil expertise means the restart will necessarily look foreign-run. Without visible benefits to the population, US oil companies won’t be symbols of reconstruction; they’ll be seen as occupiers, making the security environment extremely difficult without boots on the ground.
A brave Oil exec who takes this on. Perhaps we are looking at “RedCap Energy” – a Trump group company.
We are lucky if there is a concept of a plan for the after party.
Short sighters in charge saw only the big oil prize…
and the sexy hot photo op reaching out to grab it.
$100 Billion needed as per reports. 10 Billion per year.
before iraq invasion it was less 100 bil overall cost! if that
eventually it was $ 5 trln!
From what I have read, roughly 10 Years to be fully operational and with steady usable flows of oil.
Of course that is contingent on financial resources and by whom. We are talking $Billions of investments required first, and with oil payback included.
Ask Koch how much he has…
Ah, but that’s not the issue. Many lost Billions last time, and are them or anyone else might be a tad skeptical.
Perhaps a deal requiring the Taxpayers to pony up immediately upon failure to get paid?
Remember all opinions on the table…
Indeed