Gas from Venezuela

We have received many emails in the recent months about boycotting Venezuelian gas.  On a recent trip to Colorado we realized that there were many names out there that we weren’t sure about so when we returned we did some research.  Hope this will clarify.

I have cut and pasted entries.  Please pass this on to others, specially, those who tend to travel or friends and relatives throughout the U.S.A.

The following was just one quote from Chavez:

Venezuela Dictator Hugo Chavez has vowed to bring down the U.S. government. Chavez, president of Venezuela, told a TV audience: "Enough of imperialist aggression; we must tell the world: down with the U.S. empire. We have to bury imperialism this century."

The following are companies that purchase and distribute gas originating in Venezuela.  The number after the name is the company’s level of imports.  I have included some of the information that I found online about each of the company.

1)  HOVENSA LLC 10,880,000

HOVENSA, a joint venture between a subsidiary of Hess Corporation and a subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA)

1,250 HESS retail facilities from Massachusetts to Florida. We continue to selectively expand our HESS EXPRESS convenience store network. The HOVENSA refinery in the United States Virgin Islands, a joint venture between a subsidiary of Hess Corporation and a subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), is one of the largest crude oil refineries in the world

2)  CONOCOPHILLIPS CO 7,835,000

HOUSTON, June 26, 2007 --- ConocoPhillips and the Venezuelan government were unable to reach agreement regarding ConocoPhillips’ migration to an Empresa Mixta structure mandated by Venezuela decree law 5.200. Therefore, pursuant to the decree, Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) or its affiliates will directly assume the activities associated with ConocoPhillips’ interests in the Petrozuata and Hamaca heavy-oil ventures and the offshore Corocoro development project.

While negotiations are continuing between ConocoPhillips and Venezuelan authorities concerning appropriate compensation for the company’s interests, the company expects to record a complete impairment of its entire interest in its oil projects in Venezuela of approximately $4.5 billion, before- and after-tax, in its second-quarter financial results. Although the company is hopeful that the negotiations will be successful, it has preserved all legal rights including international arbitration.

Prior to the expropriation of its interests, ConocoPhillips held a 50.1 percent interest in Petrozuata, a 40 percent interest in Hamaca, and a 32.5 percent interest in Corocoro. At December 31, 2006, ConocoPhillips had recorded 1,088 million barrels of oil equivalent of proved reserves related to Petrozuata and Hamaca, and first-quarter 2007 production from these two joint ventures, after application of disproportionate OPEC reductions imposed by the Venezuelan government, averaged 82,000 net barrels per day of crude oil. First-quarter 2007 net income attributable to ConocoPhillips’ Venezuelan operations was $27 million.

Additional information is available in ConocoPhillips’ filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

**I don’t know how much or if any oil is still coming from Venezuela after Chavez took over all of the oil fields from ConocoPhillips**

3)    CITGO PETRO CORP 6,411,000

4)    LYONDELL CITGO REFG LP 5,774,000

5)    CITGO ASPH REFG CO 3,717,000

In September, 1986, Southland sold a 50 percent interest in CITGO to Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. PDVSA acquired the remaining half of CITGO in January, 1990. With a secure and ample supply of crude oil, CITGO quickly became a major force in the energy arena.

6)    CHALMETTE REFG LLC 2,358,000

7)    VALERO MKTG & SUPPLY/Diamond Shamrock CO 2,199,000

8)    CHEVRON CORP 1,793,000

9)    SUNOCO INC 1,247,000

10)   MARATHON PETRO CO LLC 551,000

11)  TOTAL PETROCHEM USA INC 552,000

12)   FLINT HILLS RESOURCES LP 560,000

13)   SHELL OIL CO 475,000

14)   EXXONMOBIL OIL CORP 412,000

Now, per The Charlotte Observer dated October 17, "Petro Express Incorporated, Charlotte, NC, is phasing out Citgo Petroleum Cooperation gasoline. By next year, the company will no longer sell the brand."

"Petro Express hasn't cited global politics as the reason for the change, but the brand is disappearing from 45 of its 66 locations this year. The company joins convenience store giant 7-Eleven, which this month dumped Citgo at its 2,100 locations."

Our family will try to stay away from the above list as we do not want to support someone that wants to destroy the U.S. with our own money.