WASHINGTON, D.C. — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that U.S. refineries are uniquely positioned to process Venezuela’s heavy crude oil, framing the capability as a central pillar of the Trump administration’s strategy following the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” Rubio argued that refineries along the U.S. Gulf Coast — recently rebranded by the administration as the Gulf of America — are better equipped than most global facilities to handle Venezuela’s dense, sulfur-heavy crude. Much of Venezuela’s oil originates in the Orinoco Belt, the world’s largest petroleum accumulation, where extraction and refining require complex processing and blending.
Rubio said the administration expects “dramatic” interest from companies outside China and Russia and suggested the U.S. would use an oil “quarantine” to pressure Venezuela’s new leadership to comply with American demands. He described the approach as giving Washington “tremendous leverage” over the country’s economic future.
Industry analysts note that U.S. refineries already import heavy crude from Canada and Mexico to keep specialized facilities operating at capacity, exporting much of the refined product abroad. Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy said U.S. refineries are among the most sophisticated globally and could expand further if Venezuelan supply becomes reliable.
Still, experts caution that decades of underinvestment, mismanagement at state oil company PDVSA, and lingering sanctions could complicate any rapid restart. Analysts at Wood Mackenzie estimate Venezuela could reach two million barrels per day within two years under favorable conditions, though higher output would require substantial new investment.
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