Venezuela to host its largest international energy investment summit | Energy Capital Power Corporate

Venezuela will host its largest international energy investment summit October 26-29, 2026 in Caracas, bringing together U.S., Venezuelan and international oil companies, investors, financiers and technical service providers to promote short-term investment opportunities in the country’s energy sector, which is in full recovery.

With official support from the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and national oil company PDVSA, Venezuela Energy Week 2026 aims to accelerate the deployment of capital into one of the world’s largest hydrocarbon reserves.

Venezuela holds more than 300 billion barrels of proven oil reserves – the largest in the world – as well as more than 195 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. With current production at around 1 to 1.1 million barrels per day, the government has set a strategic goal of reducing production to 3 million barrels per day through progressive investments, field rehabilitation and increased private sector participation.

The recent 2026 reforms in the hydrocarbons sector are fundamentally reshaping the commercial framework. They include a reduction in the tax burden, the expansion of production sharing mechanisms, strengthening arbitration protections and increased operational control for foreign partners. For international investors, these changes mark a move towards contractual structures more aligned with international standards and better visibility on capital recovery.

The investment case is based on scale, potential for speed to market and significant added value potential on existing sites. Venezuela’s producing basins – particularly the Orinoco Oil Belt, Maracaibo Basin and Eastern Venezuela Basin – offer a combination of undeveloped megaprojects and mature assets ripe for enhanced recovery. Priority opportunities include large-scale developments in the Orinoco belt, notably in JunÃn, Carabobo and Ayacucho; the rehabilitation of existing installations in the Maracaibo basin; the reactivation of closed wells thanks to new drilling programs; and heavy crude upgrading and blending infrastructure to support export growth.

At the same time, underutilized refining capacity and limited midstream infrastructure open up short-term investment opportunities in reclamation, logistics and export systems. Refining capacity of nearly 1.3 million barrels per day is currently operating at approximately 35% of utilization, creating immediate opportunities in refinery rehabilitation, midstream logistics, storage and export terminal expansion.

Gas monetization is emerging as a key growth segment, with offshore developments such as the Dragon and Cocuina-Manakin fields positioning Venezuela as a future supplier to regional and global LNG markets. Infrastructure for capturing, processing and transporting associated gas remains underdeveloped, providing additional entry points for technical and financial partners.

The overall rehabilitation of the sector is expected to require up to $100 billion in investment, with around $10 billion per year over the next decade to restore production capacity, modernize infrastructure and expand exports.

Venezuela Energy Week 2026 will feature dedicated investment streams focused on upstream technical opportunities, business structuring, infrastructure integration and digital optimization, including AI-assisted field management and energy system modernization. The program will also include discussions on workforce development and local participation in the evolving oil and gas sector, supported by dedicated “Youth in Energy” sessions. This track will highlight emerging talent, early-career professionals and leaders of the next generation across the energy value chain, with a focus on skills development, innovation and intergenerational knowledge transfer.

With participation from leading industry bodies, the event will align technical expertise with capital deployment strategies, strengthening its position as a gateway for U.S. and international investors considering re-entering the market.

The program will conclude on October 29 with carefully selected site visits to key upstream and downstream assets, providing investors with direct exposure to operational conditions and project status in Venezuela’s main producing regions.

As global energy markets rebalance and security of supply remains a strategic priority, the reopening of Venezuela represents a high-impact, large-scale opportunity for investors operating in a complex but increasingly supportive environment to investment.

The summit is organized by Energy Capital & Power. For participation possibilities:

For more information, visit venezuelaenergyweek.com.