US oil major Chevron is lowering its estimated year-end oil production target in Venezuela from 200,000 b/d to 175,000 b/d, according to sources familiar with operations, citing severe problems with oil-transportation infrastructure in western Venezuela. The general state of disrepair in the Lake Maracaibo navigation channel in Zulia state, which limits the size of oil tankers Chevron can use to ship oil out, remains a major concern, according to the sources. The poor condition of oil storage facilities in Zulia are also a factor. General disrepair of Venezuela's energy infrastructure was expected to be a limit on ... (full story)