世界商业报道[biz.icxo.com]消息：美国埃克森－美孚公司和康菲石油公司２５日表态拒绝签署委内瑞拉奥里诺科重油带项目国有化的协议，这两大石油公司从委内瑞拉撤出的可能性增大。根据委政府国有化计划，奥里诺科重油带的外资控制项目必须转为由委国家石油公司控制的合资项目，且委方股份不低于６０％。５月１日起，委方开始接管奥里诺科重油带项目控制权，但埃克森－美孚和康菲石油公司一直未同意委政府的这一举动。
ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil refused on Tuesday to meet Venezuela’s deadline to reach an agreement on ceding control of their major oil production ventures, in what could be their imminent separation from billions of dollars in investments.
The possible rupture with the two companies was viewed by oil analysts as a sign that President Hugo Chávez was pressing ahead with efforts to assert greater authority over some of the most coveted oil reserves in the Western Hemisphere. It came after months of negotiations in which several of the world’s largest private oil companies tried to salvage some kind of minority ownership role in Venezuela, one of the largest sources of oil for the United States.
The possible exit of two major American oil companies from Venezuela may not have an immediate impact on American energy supplies, but any increase in oil prices that does result will only help Mr. Chávez finance his broadening government social policies.
A possible vacuum in expertise could eventually be filled by Chinese, Iranian or other state oil companies. In any case, most energy experts believe that the Venezuelan state oil company will be hard pressed to sustain production levels without American expertise.
Rafael Ramírez, the Venezuelan energy minister, made the announcement in Caracas. He concluded that the companies had not met the government’s deadline to agree to terms under which the government oil company would take majority control over Conoco’s investments of about $3.5 billion and Exxon’s investments, valued at $800 million.
Venezuelan officials said that some foreign companies, including Chevron, BP, Total and Statoil, had agreed to cede controlling stakes in their oil ventures to Petróleos de Venezuela, the country’s government-owned energy concern. The projects included in the talks are in the Orinoco Belt, an area south of Caracas that is one of the most valued deposits of heavy oil.
