Companies like Chevron, Vitol and Trafigura are in urgent, high-level discussions to secure tankers and logistics for exporting Venezuelan crude to the U.S. after Trump said Washington would handle up to ~50 million barrels of previously sanctioned oil. The scramble reflects real infrastructure challenges.

At the same time, Exxon is signaling it could contemplate a return to Venezuela if legal protections and energy laws are reformed, while Chevron is already moving tankers and unloading crude at U.S. ports under special authorization.