The recent U.S. operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has positioned America to exert major influence over the world’s largest oil reserves.
Venezuela sits on an estimated 300 billion barrels of oil about four times the size of U.S. reserves and roughly 20% of the world’s total.

While the country’s potential wealth is immense, much of its crude is heavy or extra-heavy, making it expensive and technically challenging to extract. Years of underinvestment, political instability, and U.S. sanctions have left infrastructure in need of significant repair.

President Donald Trump indicated over the weekend that he plans to engage major U.S. energy companies to rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry. “We will have our very large United States oil companies invest billions of dollars to fix the broken infrastructure and generate profits for the country,” Trump said during a Mar-a-Lago news conference.

Chevron remains the only U.S. oil company currently operating in Venezuela. The company emphasized that it is complying with all applicable laws and prioritizing the safety of employees and assets. ConocoPhillips said it is closely monitoring the situation and assessing potential impacts on global energy markets, while ExxonMobil has not yet commented.

Analysts point out that similar conditions have locked reserves in other countries such as Iran and Libya. U.S. involvement in Venezuela could unlock vast resources, though experts warn that rebuilding production will require time, investment, and careful management of political risks.