First Pass

14 stories from 7 sources

Venezuela oil deal puts control at center of energy politics

Day’s Recap

Supporting Articles

Venezuela says it will retain sovereignty under a new US oil agreement, with interim President Rodriguez stating that Caracas will receive $19 from every barrel sold to the United States. The arrangement sets out a direct revenue stream for the Venezuelan government while reopening oil trade with the US.

11:51 PMAl Jazeera

Many Venezuelans view a deal granting the United States majority control of the country's vast oil reserves as a new form of colonialism. The arrangement has provoked opposition because it touches national identity as well as control of a strategic resource.

9:00 AMThe New York Times

Venezuelan opposition figures called the agreement with the Trump administration potentially illegal, while government hardliners condemned it as a betrayal.

6:38 PMFinancial Times

Few details have emerged about the agreement between Washington and Caracas, which critics describe as a takeover of Venezuela's resources. The reported arrangement would give the United States substantial control over the country's oil reserves.

6:33 PMAl Jazeera

The federal government will control 55% of the company's effective output through a combination of equity ownership and oil production. That would give Washington an unusually direct role in a major Venezuelan energy asset.

1:31 PMFortune

President Trump says the United States and Venezuela have formed a joint venture giving the U.S. control over 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil. He says the arrangement will reduce petrol prices for Americans.

10:20 AMFinancial Times

Other Developments

A curated list of other prominent stories from this day.

Researchers found that iron-rich rocks in Western Australia can naturally produce hydrogen, and that the process may be intensified to generate much larger quantities. The formations beneath the Pilbara could become a major source of low-emission energy if scientists can scale the process.

6:05 AMScienceDaily

Offshore nuclear barges are being proposed as mobile power sources for ports, data centers, merchant ships, and military fleets. The concept could begin in California, where nuclear power is otherwise banned.

3:12 AMFortune

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