Environmental experts are raising alarms about the U.S. effort to modernize Venezuela’s oil infrastructure and boost production. They warn that this could worsen years of ecological harm and significantly increase pollution in a country already facing serious environmental challenges due to its oil industry.
Recently, U.S. pressure on Venezuela heightened after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. is now trying to take control of Venezuelan oil exports, which are crucial to the country’s economy. They have seized tankers accused of violating sanctions and plan to redirect oil exports under their oversight.
The Trump administration aims to sell between 30 million and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude but hasn’t provided a timeline. These revenues would be managed in U.S. accounts and claimed to benefit both Americans and Venezuelans. However, analysts highlight a long road ahead. Restoring Venezuela’s aging oil infrastructure will demand significant investment, possibly tens of billions of dollars.
“You have storage facilities collapsing, broken wellheads, and crumbling infrastructure,” says Paasha Mahdavi, a political science professor who studies energy issues.
Venezuela holds an estimated 300 billion barrels of oil, the largest reserves worldwide. However, the extraction of heavy crude oil there leads to higher emissions compared to other types of oil. This is due to the energy-intensive methods required for extraction and the increased use of natural gas, which produces methane—a potent greenhouse gas.
Reviving the oil sector risks exacerbating environmental issues. Between 2016 and 2021, nearly 200 oil spills occurred, most going unreported. Satellite imagery shows Venezuela has lost around 2.6 million hectares of tree cover—nearly the size of Vermont—due to agriculture, mining, and oil extraction.
A 2025 report from the International Energy Agency indicates that Venezuela’s methane emissions are significantly above global averages, with flaring rates ten times higher than elsewhere. The White House claims that U.S. companies involved in Venezuelan oil have high environmental standards. They suggest that American investment could improve local environmental conditions.
Yet experts disagree. Many predict that increasing oil production will only worsen pollution and climate risks. A modest rise in output, such as an additional million barrels daily, could emit 360 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. This is akin to the emissions from about half of all gasoline-powered cars in the U.S., not accounting for the emissions from burning the oil once produced.
Venezuelan oil production is among the worst maintained globally. Patrick Galey of Global Witness points out that years of underinvestment have led to old pipelines and heightened risks of spills and leaks. Rapidly increasing production could prioritize output over pollution control, compounding environmental damage.
On the flip side, there is potential for modernization. Kevin Book from ClearView Energy Partners argues that new investment might improve efficiency and environmental performance. If advanced technologies for methane capture and emissions management are employed, this could lessen some of the negative impacts.
In recent discussions, U.S. officials have not emphasized environmental concerns. Instead, they focus on oil sales and revenue control. President Trump has often dismissed the scientific consensus on climate change, rolling back many previous environmental protections.
Turning to experts on the ground, Antonio de Lisio, an environmental researcher in Venezuela, notes that oil extraction has historically led to pollution that remains largely unaddressed. The geography of Venezuela—with slow-moving rivers in oil production regions—can worsen the effects of spills.
De Lisio highlights that energy-intensive processes for heavy crude pose additional environmental risks. Areas like Lake Maracaibo, heavily drilled for over a century, face severe pollution. As the oil industry struggles, the true social and environmental costs remain uncalculated. “If those costs were fully accounted for, continuing oil production would not seem viable,” he states.
As the U.S. seeks closer ties with Venezuela over oil, the long-term effects on the environment and local communities become crucial themes in the conversation.
For more insights on environmental impacts related to oil production and climate change, consider visiting the International Energy Agency.
