United States involvement in the Venezuelan oil industry

For the history of Venezuela's petroleum industry, see History of the Venezuelan oil industry.

The United States has had considerable involvement in the Venezuelan petroleum industry, beginning in the 1920s near the discovery of oil in the country and continuing beyond the nationalization of oil in the 1970s. Originally one of the largest suppliers of oil to the United States, import of Venezuelan crude oil has dropped significantly due to compounding sanctions from the United States government, starting in 2014 and all but ceasing oil trade by 2025. These sanctions have negatively affected Venezuelan oil production.

Since late 2025, the United States has expressed an extraordinary interest in Venezuelan oil and has carried out blockades and strikes against Venezuela, culminating in the January 3 strikes, the results of which on the petroleum industry are still unknown.

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