US President Donald Trump is set to meet with energy executives at the White House within the next week as he seeks to enlist Western companies in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil industry.
The parties have discussed a possible meeting as soon as Thursday morning that would include Trump, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The timing remains fluid, a White House official said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also may attend the planned sit-down, said the people, who asked for anonymity because the deliberations are private.
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The conversations reflect Trump’s eagerness to secure Venezuela’s mammoth oil reserves as a potential source of revenue and an opportunity to expand US energy dominance. They come just days after the US military operation that led to the capture of leader Nicolas Maduro.
But some oil companies are wary of pouring tens of billions of dollars into the country over the next decade to revitalise pipelines, pump stations and processing facilities that make up its ageing, decrepit oil infrastructure.