U.S. Says It Secures Higher Prices on Venezuelan Crude as Oil Benchmarks Gain

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Thursday that the United States is realizing roughly 30% higher prices on sales of Venezuelan crude than Venezuela obtained just weeks before the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. special forces earlier this month. The comments underscore shifting dynamics in heavy crude trade flows and potential tightening in global supply, developments that are closely watched in benchmarks such as Oil – US Crude (WTI) and Oil – Brent Crude, as higher realized prices can reflect both improved market access and firmer demand conditions.

Over the past month, WTI has advanced about 6.25%, while Brent has gained roughly 6.88%, signaling a generally supportive backdrop for crude despite geopolitical and policy uncertainty around Venezuelan supply. From a short-term perspective, both WTI and Brent currently show a 1-day technical stance of Buy and Buy, respectively, suggesting near-term momentum remains constructive for prices. Investors can explore more updates, prices, and analysis across global markets at Commodities.