The return of Venezuelan crude to international markets could support efforts to restart refinery operations in Trinidad and Tobago, the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago said in a statement on April 20, pointing to renewed shipments into the United States as a key signal.
The Chamber highlighted a recent cargo delivery reported by the BBC, noting the arrival of the tanker Minerva Gloria near Chevron Pascagoula refinery, carrying 400,000 barrels of Venezuelan crude.
“The shipment points to Venezuelan oil returning to major U.S. refining systems… For Trinidad and Tobago, the significance of this development is that it is a potential option to support the country’s refining ambitions,” the Chamber said.
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On April 1, Reuters reported that Venezuela’s monthly oil exports surpassed one million barrels per day in March 2026, the highest level since September 2025.
The Energy Chamber said production numbers revive the prospect of Venezuelan crude as a potential refinery feedstock, noting that while production figures “do not point to a full sector recovery,” they indicate parts of Venezuela’s oil industry are active enough again to influence refiners, traders, and neighbouring markets.
“That matters as Trinidad considers restarting the Guaracara refinery, which will depend on a mix of domestic and imported crude, with Venezuelan barrels among the options that can potentially be considered,” the Chamber added.
According to the Energy Chamber, Trinidad and Tobago once relied heavily on Venezuelan crude to supply its refinery operations, with imports in 2000 reaching more than 18 million barrels. These volumes helped sustain operations at the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery, which depended on foreign crude as domestic production declined.
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However, that supply relationship weakened over time and eventually came to a halt in 2009, forcing Trinidad to source crude from other regions. The Chamber has noted that a renewed or revitalized Venezuelan oil sector could once again become a potential supplier if refinery operations are restarted.
