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Oil Industry News 3 January 2026 - 5 January 2026

Trump’s Venezuela Oil Takeover Push: PDVSA Cuts Output, Chevron and U.S. Refiners in Focus

Trump’s Venezuela Oil Takeover Push: PDVSA Cuts Output, Chevron and U.S. Refiners in Focus

NEW YORK, Jan 5, 2026, 02:44 ET — Market closed Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA has started trimming crude output as a U.S. oil embargo — a government-ordered ban on trade — has choked off exports and squeezed storage capacity, sources familiar with the situation said. Reuters The cuts land as President Donald Trump moves to place the oil-rich nation under temporary American control after the U.S. captured President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend, putting Venezuela’s oil policy — and who ultimately controls the barrels — at the center of the market’s next move. Reuters Why this matters now: Venezuela’s
5 January 2026
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Venezuela oil exports hit zero after U.S. strike as PDVSA cuts output; Chevron shipments stall

Venezuela oil exports hit zero after U.S. strike as PDVSA cuts output; Chevron shipments stall

CARACAS, Jan 5, 2026, 02:46 ET — Market closed Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA has started cutting crude production as it runs short of storage space under a sweeping U.S. oil embargo and tanker blockade that has pushed exports to zero, people familiar with the matter said. More than 17 million barrels of crude and fuel are stuck on ships waiting to depart, according to tanker-tracking data. Reuters The move matters for markets because Venezuela’s oil sales are the country’s main source of hard currency, and PDVSA’s forced shut-ins risk spilling into refining and domestic fuel supply in the coming
5 January 2026
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Chevron caught in Venezuela oil clamp as PDVSA cuts output under U.S. embargo

Chevron caught in Venezuela oil clamp as PDVSA cuts output under U.S. embargo

NEW YORK, Jan 4, 2026, 15:11 ET Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA has begun cutting crude output as storage fills after a U.S. export embargo — enforced through a blockade of sanctioned tankers — halted oil exports, the country’s main source of revenue, sources said. Chevron-chartered tankers that had kept moving under a U.S. authorization have not left Venezuelan waters since Thursday, while PDVSA has struggled to import diluents — lighter oil and naphtha used to thin extra-heavy crude for transport. Reuters The export freeze puts a key OPEC supplier’s cash flow and operations at risk just as Washington’s pressure
4 January 2026
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U.S. seizes Venezuela’s Maduro after strikes, setting up oil and diplomacy fallout

U.S. seizes Venezuela’s Maduro after strikes, setting up oil and diplomacy fallout

WASHINGTON, Jan 4, 2026, 12:38 ET Venezuela’s ruling bloc said it remained unified behind President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday, a day after the United States attacked Venezuela and took Maduro and his wife into custody. With Maduro held in a New York detention center awaiting a court appearance on Monday on drug charges, ministers in Caracas said the detentions were a kidnapping and kept running the state as some residents cautiously stocked up on essentials. The seizure has injected fresh geopolitical risk into markets set to reopen on Monday, and raised questions about whether Washington can stabilise an oil producer
4 January 2026
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Venezuela oil exports freeze after U.S. Maduro raid: PDVSA warns of output cuts

Venezuela oil exports freeze after U.S. Maduro raid: PDVSA warns of output cuts

NEW YORK, January 4, 2026, 12:39 ET Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA has asked some joint ventures to cut crude output as exports remain frozen after U.S. forces captured President Nicolas Maduro in a raid on Saturday, three people close to the decision said on Sunday. The move includes shutting oilfields or well clusters as onshore stocks rise and PDVSA runs short of diluents — light petroleum liquids used to thin extra-heavy crude so it can be shipped.  Reuters The export standstill matters because oil sales are Venezuela’s main source of hard-currency revenue, and storage fills quickly when tankers cannot
4 January 2026
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Exxon stock today: Venezuela shake-up and OPEC+ decision put XOM in focus for Monday

Exxon stock today: Venezuela shake-up and OPEC+ decision put XOM in focus for Monday

NEW YORK, Jan 4, 2026, 11:36 ET — Market closed Exxon Mobil Corp shares will be in focus when U.S. markets reopen on Monday after President Donald Trump said American oil companies were ready to spend billions of dollars to revive Venezuela’s oil infrastructure following the capture and removal of President Nicolas Maduro. Chevron is the only U.S. major currently operating in Venezuela, while Exxon and ConocoPhillips exited after projects were nationalized nearly two decades ago. “There are still many questions that need to be answered about the state of the Venezuelan oil industry, but it is clear that it
4 January 2026
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Valero stock (VLO) in focus after U.S. strike in Venezuela freezes oil exports

Valero stock (VLO) in focus after U.S. strike in Venezuela freezes oil exports

NEW YORK, Jan 4, 2026, 08:47 ET — Market closed Valero Energy Corp (VLO) shares are on watch for Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump’s strike in Venezuela paralyzed the country’s oil exports, with no tankers loading at the main port of Jose, sources told Reuters. Valero closed up 1.5% on Friday at $165.31. ( Reuters) The disruption matters for Gulf Coast refiners because many plants were built to process heavy crude — the type Venezuela produces — into transport fuels. Any shift in those barrels can move the price of heavy crude relative to lighter oil, changing refiners’ feedstock
4 January 2026
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Exxon Mobil stock: what to watch after U.S. strike on Venezuela and Trump oil-company push

Exxon Mobil stock: what to watch after U.S. strike on Venezuela and Trump oil-company push

NEW YORK, Jan 4, 2026, 08:36 ET — Market closed Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) will be in focus when U.S. markets reopen on Monday after President Donald Trump said U.S. forces struck Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro. Trump later said U.S. oil companies would help rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry, thrusting the sector into the center of the weekend’s geopolitical shock. ( Reuters) The development hit with U.S. equity markets closed, leaving investors to price it through oil when trading resumes. For Exxon, which is not currently operating in Venezuela, the near-term transmission is crude prices and policy headlines, while any
4 January 2026
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Phillips 66 stock in focus after U.S. strike in Venezuela jolts crude flow outlook

Phillips 66 stock in focus after U.S. strike in Venezuela jolts crude flow outlook

NEW YORK, January 4, 2026, 08:39 ET — Market closed Phillips 66 shares will be in focus when U.S. trading resumes Monday after the United States seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a Saturday operation that threatens to reshape crude flows and refinery economics. The refiner’s stock last closed at $130.57, up about 1.2%.  MarketWatch The weekend escalation matters now because it landed when markets were shut, forcing investors to reprice energy names at the next open with limited price discovery in between. For refiners such as Phillips 66, the key swing factor is whether Washington’s policy leads to a
4 January 2026
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Guyana’s oil boom fuels Georgetown makeover and eco-tourism push as university picks new chancellor

Guyana’s oil boom fuels Georgetown makeover and eco-tourism push as university picks new chancellor

NEW YORK, January 4, 2026, 04:06 ET Guyana is pouring cash from its offshore oil boom into hotels, roads and “ecotourism” — low-impact travel centered on nature and local communities — as it tries to draw more visitors beyond its small Caribbean-facing capital, Travel and Tour World reported on Saturday. The push matters now because Guyana’s new oil income is rapidly changing what the country can build and how fast. Tourism operators and policymakers face a narrow window to expand capacity without damaging the rainforests and wildlife that make the pitch credible. It also comes as the government highlights investment
4 January 2026
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Phillips 66 stock in focus after U.S. strikes Venezuela and Maduro’s capture raises oil-supply questions

Phillips 66 stock in focus after U.S. strikes Venezuela and Maduro’s capture raises oil-supply questions

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 18:26 ET — Market closed Phillips 66 shares are set to be in focus when U.S. markets reopen after President Donald Trump said U.S. forces attacked Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday. Maduro is expected to appear in Manhattan federal court on Monday and the U.N. Security Council is due to meet over the U.S. action, Reuters reported.  Reuters The developments matter for refiners because Venezuela’s crude is predominantly heavy oil — a thicker, lower-quality grade that many complex Gulf Coast refineries are built to process. Shifts in heavy-crude availability can quickly move
4 January 2026
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Chevron stock in focus after U.S. strike captures Venezuela’s Maduro, putting CVX’s Venezuela oil flows under a microscope

Chevron stock in focus after U.S. strike captures Venezuela’s Maduro, putting CVX’s Venezuela oil flows under a microscope

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 18:21 ET — Market closed Chevron (NYSE: CVX) was in focus on Saturday after President Donald Trump said U.S. forces struck Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro. The stock last traded at $155.90, up 2.3% from the previous close, after ranging from $151.25 to $155.96 in Friday’s session.  Reuters Chevron said it was focused on employee safety and the integrity of its assets in Venezuela, where it is the only U.S. oil major still operating and exports around 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) of heavy crude from joint ventures with state oil company PDVSA. In
4 January 2026
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ExxonMobil stock in focus after U.S. strike on Venezuela as Trump flags “billions” oil rebuild

ExxonMobil stock in focus after U.S. strike on Venezuela as Trump flags “billions” oil rebuild

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 18:28 ET — Market closed Exxon Mobil will be in focus when U.S. markets reopen after President Donald Trump said America’s biggest oil companies, including Exxon, would spend billions to rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry following Saturday’s U.S. operation that captured President Nicolas Maduro. Trump said the U.S. oil embargo remains in effect and that an American military presence would stay until Washington’s demands were met, Reuters reported. Peter McNally, global head of sector analysts at Third Bridge, said “it will take tens of billions of dollars to turn that industry around.”  Reuters Exxon shares closed
4 January 2026
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Valero stock set for Venezuela test as U.S. attack triggers oil embargoValeroValero stock set for Venezuela test as U.S. attack triggers oil embargo

Valero stock set for Venezuela test as U.S. attack triggers oil embargoValeroValero stock set for Venezuela test as U.S. attack triggers oil embargo

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 6:30 PM ET — Market closed Valero Energy Corp shares will be in focus when U.S. markets reopen on Monday after the United States attacked Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump said. The move matters for Valero because Washington’s action has tightened the screws on Venezuela’s oil flows, a source of heavy crude used by U.S. Gulf Coast refineries. Venezuela’s oil exports are now paralyzed, with port captains not authorizing loaded tankers to depart, four sources close to operations said. With the market closed for the weekend, Valero (VLO)
4 January 2026
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BP stock jumps 3% to start 2026 as oil traders eye OPEC+ and BP’s next results

BP stock jumps 3% to start 2026 as oil traders eye OPEC+ and BP’s next results

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 17:26 ET — Market closed BP’s U.S.-listed shares rose about 3.2% on Friday, closing at $35.83, as energy names firmed in the first session of 2026. The move mattered because oil prices remain the biggest day-to-day driver for integrated majors like BP, with traders looking for clues on supply discipline after crude’s steep 2025 slide. Markets also begin the year with positioning around near-term oil catalysts, including an OPEC+ meeting this weekend, and the next round of company updates on earnings and shareholder returns. Oil prices settled slightly lower on Friday as investors weighed oversupply
4 January 2026
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Valero (VLO) stock price today: shares close higher to start 2026 as oil settles near $60

Valero (VLO) stock price today: shares close higher to start 2026 as oil settles near $60

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 16:59 ET — Market closed Valero Energy Corp shares rose 1.55% to close at $165.31 on Friday, the first trading day of 2026. U.S. equity markets were closed on Saturday. The early-year tape matters for refiners because investors are resetting positions after crude posted its steepest annual drop since 2020. Refining stocks often trade on expectations for fuel margins, not just the direction of oil. For Valero, attention is shifting to its late-January earnings update and management’s read on refining profitability heading into 2026. Traders are also watching crude supply signals ahead of an OPEC+
3 January 2026
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ConocoPhillips stock jumps 3.3% as oil steadies; Venezuela and OPEC+ headlines are next

ConocoPhillips stock jumps 3.3% as oil steadies; Venezuela and OPEC+ headlines are next

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 16:55 ET — Market closed ConocoPhillips (COP) shares rose 3.3% to close at $96.70 on Friday, after trading between $93.13 and $96.94. About 7.0 million shares changed hands. Yahoo Finance The rally put the Houston-based producer back within range of the $100 level as investors reopened positions after the New Year holiday. For oil-focused producers, shifts in crude prices and policy headlines can drive outsized moves in equities. That sensitivity matters now as the market weighs a potentially well-supplied oil balance against flashpoints that can disrupt supply. The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecast Brent would
3 January 2026
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Chevron stock (CVX) in spotlight after Trump vows billions for Venezuela oil reset

Chevron stock (CVX) in spotlight after Trump vows billions for Venezuela oil reset

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 15:01 ET — Market closed U.S. President Donald Trump said American oil companies were prepared to invest billions of dollars to restore Venezuela’s oil production after Nicolás Maduro was captured and removed by U.S. forces, putting Chevron’s Venezuela footprint back on traders’ screens ahead of Monday’s open. Chevron said it was focused on employee safety and the integrity of its assets, and said it continued to operate in compliance with relevant laws and regulations; Trump said a U.S. embargo on Venezuelan oil remained in effect. Reuters The stakes are high because Venezuela holds the world’s
3 January 2026
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Chevron stock in focus after U.S. strikes Venezuela; traders brace for sanctions and oil-policy whiplash

Chevron stock in focus after U.S. strikes Venezuela; traders brace for sanctions and oil-policy whiplash

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 12:44 ET — Market closed Chevron’s stock is set to stay in the spotlight when U.S. markets reopen after President Donald Trump said the United States struck Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro.  Reuters Chevron shares were last at $155.90, up 2.3% from the prior close, after trading between $151.25 and $155.96 in the most recent session. Why this matters now: Chevron is a joint-venture partner of Venezuela’s state oil company and has shipped Venezuelan crude under U.S. authorization despite sanctions. Any change in Washington’s approach can quickly alter flows, cash timing and headline risk. 
3 January 2026
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Exxon stock faces a Monday test after U.S. strikes Venezuela — what oil traders watch next

Exxon stock faces a Monday test after U.S. strikes Venezuela — what oil traders watch next

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 12:47 ET — Market closed Exxon Mobil’s stock is poised for an oil-led repricing when U.S. markets reopen after President Donald Trump said the United States attacked Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro in an overnight operation.  Reuters Why this matters now: for Exxon and its peers, crude prices are still the biggest near-term swing factor, feeding through to upstream profits and cash returns. A sudden shift in Venezuelan supply expectations can ripple quickly across energy equities. The market is closed, so Exxon investors cannot trade on Saturday’s headlines. The first clean read is likely
3 January 2026
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Stock Market Today

Applied Digital stock jumps 25% as AI data-center names rebound — what’s next for APLD

Applied Digital stock jumps 25% as AI data-center names rebound — what’s next for APLD

7 February 2026
Applied Digital Corporation shares jumped 25.52% Friday to $34.95, then slipped to $34.60 after hours. The company reported fiscal Q2 revenue up 250% to $126.6 million and signed leases for 600 MW of data center capacity in North Dakota. Applied Digital broke ground on a new 430‑MW campus in the southern U.S. in January. Financing includes a $100 million promissory note with 8% interest, paid in kind.
Eli Lilly stock pops as FDA targets cheap weight-loss copycats — what to know before Monday

Eli Lilly stock pops as FDA targets cheap weight-loss copycats — what to know before Monday

7 February 2026
Eli Lilly shares rose 3.7% to $1,058.18 Friday after the FDA said it would act against telehealth firm Hims & Hers for marketing a $49 compounded weight-loss pill. The move followed a sharp selloff Thursday when Hims announced plans to sell a version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy. Investors remain uncertain how aggressively regulators will police copycat drugs and pricing in the obesity drug market.
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