Venezuelan oil revival ‘will take a decade or more’

Core Insights - Venezuela's oil production has declined by over 60% in the last two decades, despite having the largest proven reserves in the world, and a revival of the industry is expected to take a decade or more [1][3][6] Industry Overview - The country's oil sector requires tens of billions of dollars for rebuilding after years of mismanagement, corruption, and sanctions [1][5] - Venezuela's oil production capacity is currently only one-third of what it was before the Chávez era, with output falling from 3.4 million barrels per day in 1997 to around one million barrels per day [5][6] Investment Requirements - Analysts estimate that restoring production to three million barrels per day could take about 15 years, requiring annual investments of approximately $10 billion, contingent on a stable security environment [6][8] - Full sanctions relief could potentially unlock several hundred thousand barrels per day of increased output within the next 12 months [7] Challenges and Outlook - The infrastructure of Venezuela's oil industry is described as being "in ruins" due to decades of mismanagement and lack of qualified personnel [4][5] - The long-term investment needed to revive the oil sector is significant, and the full impact of any revival may take years to be felt in the global economy [8][9]