Chevron shares rose 1.8% on Friday, closing at $162.11, as investors digested the company’s assertion that it can quickly boost production in Venezuela. At a White House meeting, Vice Chairman Mark Nelson pointed to Chevron’s century-long presence in Venezuela and its unique position as the only U.S. oil major still active there. He claimed Chevron could immediately double crude “liftings” — the volumes loaded for sale — from its joint ventures with PDVSA, the Venezuelan state oil firm. Nelson added, “We are also able to increase our production within our own disciplined investment schemes by about 50% just in the next 18 to 24 months.”
