Venezuela’s crude oil exports surged to around 800,000 barrels per day (bpd) in January 2026, up sharply from about 498,000 bpd in December 2025, according to shipping data. The rise follows changes in the country’s political and trade landscape that have eased previous restrictions on its oil trade. 
The United States emerged as the largest single destination for Venezuelan crude last month, receiving roughly 284,000 bpd, with oil major Chevron accounting for about 220,000 bpd of that volume — more than double its December shipment volumes. 
International traders Vitol and Trafigura also played a significant role, exporting roughly 12 million barrels of Venezuelan crude and fuel oil in January — about 392,000 bpd — under U.S. licences. Most of these shipments were sent to storage terminals in the Caribbean before being marketed and sold to customers in the U.S., Europe and India. 
The rebound comes after a period of disruption tied to political tensions and trade restrictions, which had constrained Venezuela’s ability to ship oil globally. The renewed exports signal an uptick in Venezuela’s crude flows to international markets.