Tension builds after Venezuela vote
Violence after polls closed in Venezuela's election late Sunday evening pointed to more uncertainty as President Nicolas Maduro seeks a third term in a race marred by harassment of the opposition and amid reimposition of US oil sanctions.
One man was shot and killed at a voting center and the main coalition of parties running against Maduro denounced severe irregularities during tallies after the vote.
The electoral authority (CNE) ordered some polling stations to stop transmitting vote counts to CNE headquarters in Caracas, opposition leader Delsa Solorzano said.
Solorzano also said opposition witnesses had been kicked out of polling stations and denied required copies of vote tallies.
"The transmission of results, of the tallies, has been paralyzed", Solorzano, the top opposition representative before CNE, said on social media.
Maduro has not spoken publicly since midday in Venezuela and he has not claimed victory. Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, running in the place of blocked candidate Maria Corina Machado, said that he would defend the results.
Exit polls indicated that 65.8pc of voters supported Gonzalez, with 13.5pc voting for Maduro, out of 52pc of eligible voters participating, pollster Meganalisis said.
"The results are impossible to hide, the country has chosen peaceful change," Gonzalez said.
The election began auspiciously, with long lines since Saturday night, uneventful voting and heavy turnouts.
But nighttime brought some violence once rumors of Maduro losing the election began circulating.
In addition to the one person shot at a voting center, pro-Maduro motorcycle gangs threatened polling stations and opposition members and witnesses, and some ballots have been burned, opposition representatives said.
The US administration has said it would be prepared to provide guarantees for Venezuela's government leaders if Maduro loses the election and lets the winner take power.
The opposition also said this week that it would move to open the energy sector to outside investment if it takes power, and the sector faces massive repairs after decades of underinvestment in its infrastructure.
Maduro in the last days of the campaign touted energy plans such as signing an agreement to explore for and produce natural gas in the offshore Cocuina-Manakin fields that straddles Venezuela's maritime border with Trinidad and Tobago.
Gasoline and electricity shortages continued to plague the country with some of the world's largest oil reserves throughout the campaign.
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Australia’s Mereenie JV signs gas supply deal with NT
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Eni confident on 2024 output, but Libya project slips
Eni confident on 2024 output, but Libya project slips
London, 26 July (Argus) — Executives at Italy's Eni are confident it will achieve the upper end of its 1.69mn-1.71mn production guidance for this year, but start-up of a key Libyan project is set to slip from 2026 into 2027. In a presentation of second-quarter earnings today, A&E Structure was one of two Libyan projects on a list of Eni's upcoming start-ups through to 2028 that will deliver some 740,000 b/d of oil equivalent (boe/d) of net production to the company. A&E Structure is a 160,000 boe/d gas development that will include some 40,000 b/d of liquids production, mainly condensate. A&E Structure is central to Libya's ability to sustain gas exports to Italy, which have dropped in recent years on a combination of rising domestic consumption and falling production. Supplies through the 775mn ft³/d Greenstream pipeline hit their lowest since the 2011 revolution in 2023, averaging 250mn ft³/d. The slide has continued since, with year-to-date volumes of around 160mn ft³/d on track for a record low. Eni's other upcoming Libyan project — the Bouri Gas Utilisation Project development that aims to capture 85mn ft³/d of gas at the 25,000 b/d offshore Bouri oil field — had already been pushed back from 2025 to 2026. For 2024 Eni expects to be "at the upper boundary of its guidance", according to chief operating officer of Natural Resources Guido Brusco. The company had a strong first half, during which output was 1.73mn boe/d — 5pc up on the year — thanks to good performance at assets in Ivory Coast, Indonesia, Congo (Brazzaville) and Libya. Brusco said Eni is in the process of starting up its 30,000 boe/d Cassiopea gas project in Italy, with first production expected next month, and the 45,000 b/d second phase of the Baleine oil project in Ivory Coast is expected to start by the end of this year. At Baleine, Brusco confirmed the two vessels to be used at phase two "will be in country in September and, building on the experience of phase one, we expect a couple of months of final integrated commissioning" before first oil. Eni also said today it would raise its dividend for 2024 by 6pc over 2023 to €1/share, and confirmed share repurchases this year of €1.6bn. It said there is potential for an additional buyback of up to €500mn, which is being evaluated this quarter. Eni's debt gearing is scheduled to fall below 20pc by the end of the year. Chief financial officer Francesco Gattei said these accelerated share buybacks would be possible if divestment deals are confirmed. By Jon Mainwaring and Aydin Calik Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia’s Ichthys LNG to restart liquefaction train
Australia’s Ichthys LNG to restart liquefaction train
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Australia’s Empire Energy signs deal to sell gas to NT
Australia’s Empire Energy signs deal to sell gas to NT
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