Shipping data shows that Venezuelan oil exports jumped to a record?800,000. barrels per day in January under the control of the United States, from 498,000 barrels per days in December. This was after the capture by the U.S. of President Nicolas Maduro, and the lifting of an oil embargo on the country which allowed traders to carry the majority of exports.

Last month, the United States regained their position as the main destination for Venezuelan crude, with 284,000 barrels per day (bpd) shipped there. Of this, 220,000 were shipped by U.S. major Chevron. This is a significant increase over the 99,000 barrels per day it sent in the previous month.

The data shows that trading houses Vitol & Trafigura export 12 million barrels of Venezuelan fuel and crude oil under U.S. licences in January. These were mainly shipped to storage terminals in the Caribbean. From there, they began to market and sell cargoes in the U.S.A., Europe, and India. The data showed that Vitol and Trafigura exported about 12?million barrels of Venezuelan crude and fuel oil?under U.S. licenses, or 392,000 bpd in January. They mainly shipped to storage terminals?in the Caribbean from which they began exporting and marketing cargoes to customers in the United States, Europe and India.

(source: Reuters)