VENEECONOMIST
Analysis · FEBRUARY 20, 2026

GL 50A: The named license — 6 majors authorized for unrestricted operations in Venezuela's oil sector

OFAC named six companies in an annex: Chevron, BP, Eni, Repsol, Shell, and Maurel & Prom. For these companies and their subsidiaries, GL 50A authorizes all transactions related to oil and gas operations in Venezuela.

OFAC named six companies in an annex: Chevron, BP, Eni, Repsol, Shell, and Maurel & Prom. For these companies and their subsidiaries, GL 50A authorizes all transactions related to oil and gas operations in Venezuela. It is not a generic license — it is a named passport.

GL 50A is not just another license. It is a named license. OFAC identified six specific companies in an annex and granted them authorization to conduct "all transactions prohibited by the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations" related to oil and gas operations. For these six companies, the sanctions regime on Venezuela effectively does not exist in oil matters. It is broader than GL 46B (which only covers trading), broader than GL 48A (which covers goods and services but prohibits JVs), and broader than GL 49A (which only covers negotiation).

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FURTHER READING

04
SECTOR BRIEF · VE-ENERGY-UPSTREAM

Chevron Q1 revela 1–2% del CFO (cash flow operativo) en Venezuela; producción cruza 1.23M bpd y GL 5W señala coordinación con Citgo

Brief VE-ENERGY-UPSTREAM mayo 2026. El upstream entra en fase de ejecución contractual: exportaciones cruzan 1.23M bpd en abril (máximo en 7 años, +14% intermensual), Chevron en su call Q1 (1 may) confirma Venezuela = 1–2% del CFO (cash flow operativo) con cuenta por cobrar de $1.5B en amortización a 2027 y sin compromiso de capex incremental antes de clarificación fiscal. GL 5W (4 may) extiende protección bono PDVSA 2020 hasta 19 jun — extensión más corta en dos años, señal de coordinación Treasury con proceso judicial Citgo en Delaware. Repsol Petroquiriquire, Eni Junín-5 y Maurel & Prom operativos bajo GL 50A.

ANÁLISIS · ENERGÍA · GAS TRANSFRONTERIZO

Dragon field: Venezuela's gas for Shell and Trinidad waits on three keys

Venezuela licensed Dragon to Shell and NGC in 2023 with a 20% royalty and a floor of 45% of gross revenue. Under OFAC's General License 50C, those payments would go to the Treasury fund whose disbursement the State Department decides, and Trinidad and Tobago admits it has no fiscal framework for imported gas. Three scenarios and their signals.

VE PULSE · 09-OCT-2026

Delcy Rodríguez sets a year-end deadline for the law opening Corpoelec's power grid to private companies

The bill letting private companies into generation, transmission and distribution has been waiting for its second reading since June 2. Before the country's largest business federation, the acting president said it will pass before the year is out.

OFAC · GL 48D

GL 48D — Supply of Goods and Services to Venezuela

Authorizes the supply from the U.S. or by a U.S. person of goods, technology, software or services for oil, gas and petrochemical exploration, development and production —including maintenance and repair of equipment—, and for electricity generation, transmission, storage and distribution in Venezuela. As of September 28, 2026, the petrochemical annex lists methanol. The formation of new joint ventures remains outside the license. Supersedes GL 48C.