(01-06-2026 11:37 AM)Redwingtom Wrote: And to a larger point, why the **** are they doing this now? There is no immediate threat to the USA from anything coming out of Venezuela.
It was a message to the Chinese and (IMO) Hesbollah (see Iran protests) in particular.
China just met with Meduro i think they said 6 hours before the raid.
Quote:The drug angle is flimsy...VZ doesn't even export much, if any, Fentanyl.
You believe that one? VZ exports Fentanyl, Cocaine, and other Opiods regularly, usually brought in via China.
Quote:And even funnier, one of the pieces in the indictment is for him having a certain type of gun...pretty funny coming out of the pro-2A crowd.
I'm going to admit, I don't get the Machine Gun indictment whatsoever... Unless there's more to the story that we're not seeing.
He still believes the boats we took out weren't drug running boats but instead "innocent fishermen". lol Yeah, and I'm the next Miss Venezuela. (I'm not.)
(01-06-2026 12:55 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: Keep in mind not all crude oil is the same.
From AI confirming my earlier understanding…
“Not all crude oil is the same, and Venezuela's oil is a prime example: it's heavy, dense, and sulfur-rich (sour), unlike lighter U.S. shale oil, making it difficult and expensive to process, requiring specialized refineries, but valuable for products like diesel and asphalt, with Gulf Coast refineries uniquely built for it. While Venezuela holds vast reserves, its heavy crude needs special handling, blending, or upgraders, and production has suffered from underinvestment, corruption, and sanctions, making it harder to extract and refine compared to lighter crudes. “
Key Differences in Venezuelan Crude:
Heavy & Viscous: It's thick like molasses, contrasting with lighter crudes that flow easily, as noted in this Yahoo Finance article.
High Sulfur (Sour): Contains high sulfur and metals, requiring more complex refining to meet environmental standards, says a Grist article.
Specialized Refining: Few refineries can process it efficiently; U.S. Gulf Coast facilities were designed for this type of heavy crude.
Why It Matters:
Production Challenges: Heavy crude requires more energy, diluents, and advanced tech to extract and transport.
Refinery Compatibility: Some U.S. refineries prefer it, while others struggle, making it a complex market, explains a Grist article.
Market Dynamics: Its unique properties make it less universally desirable than light sweet crude, affecting its price and demand, according to this Yahoo Finance article.
In essence, Venezuela's massive reserves are not "plug-and-play" oil; they are a specific, challenging type that requires tailored infrastructure and processes,
Good find. I heard a verbal presentation of this info last night, but I didn't take notes, lol. It matches pretty much with what you found here.
My main takeaway is that some Gulf Coast refineries are set up to process exactly this type of oil.
Are those refineries already at or near capacity?
What is the cost of moving that oil to them to refine?
And that's not even counting the costs to actually get the oil out of the ground...or the fact THAT IT'S NOT OUR ******* OIL!
It is now
If they dont like it they should sanction us with their army..
(01-06-2026 12:55 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: Keep in mind not all crude oil is the same.
From AI confirming my earlier understanding…
“Not all crude oil is the same, and Venezuela's oil is a prime example: it's heavy, dense, and sulfur-rich (sour), unlike lighter U.S. shale oil, making it difficult and expensive to process, requiring specialized refineries, but valuable for products like diesel and asphalt, with Gulf Coast refineries uniquely built for it. While Venezuela holds vast reserves, its heavy crude needs special handling, blending, or upgraders, and production has suffered from underinvestment, corruption, and sanctions, making it harder to extract and refine compared to lighter crudes. “
Key Differences in Venezuelan Crude:
Heavy & Viscous: It's thick like molasses, contrasting with lighter crudes that flow easily, as noted in this Yahoo Finance article.
High Sulfur (Sour): Contains high sulfur and metals, requiring more complex refining to meet environmental standards, says a Grist article.
Specialized Refining: Few refineries can process it efficiently; U.S. Gulf Coast facilities were designed for this type of heavy crude.
Why It Matters:
Production Challenges: Heavy crude requires more energy, diluents, and advanced tech to extract and transport.
Refinery Compatibility: Some U.S. refineries prefer it, while others struggle, making it a complex market, explains a Grist article.
Market Dynamics: Its unique properties make it less universally desirable than light sweet crude, affecting its price and demand, according to this Yahoo Finance article.
In essence, Venezuela's massive reserves are not "plug-and-play" oil; they are a specific, challenging type that requires tailored infrastructure and processes,
Good find. I heard a verbal presentation of this info last night, but I didn't take notes, lol. It matches pretty much with what you found here.
My main takeaway is that some Gulf Coast refineries are set up to process exactly this type of oil.
Are those refineries already at or near capacity?
What is the cost of moving that oil to them to refine?
And that's not even counting the costs to actually get the oil out of the ground...or the fact THAT IT'S NOT OUR ******* OIL!
(01-06-2026 02:26 PM)Eagleaidaholic Wrote: Chevron Pascagoula gets 2/3s of its oil from Mexico and South America. The thick stuff is what they refine. 370,000 bbl/day.
Btw, look closely at her new world order late in the video. We have the western hemisphere. Russia has Europe. China has Asia. Pretty much what I have been saying for months.
(This post was last modified: 01-06-2026 03:03 PM by TripleA.)
(01-06-2026 12:38 PM)VA49er Wrote: If this is "all about the oil" then why are millions of Venezuelans across the planet celebrating the removal of a dictator?
Go look up "not mutually exclusive."
Well, yeah, I thought that was a given. However, the left is only concentrating on orange man bad and completely ignoring the freedom that was just given to millions of Venezuelans. It's almost as if the left would have preferred the people of Venezuela continue to live under a ruthless dictator.
(01-06-2026 12:38 PM)VA49er Wrote: If this is "all about the oil" then why are millions of Venezuelans across the planet celebrating the removal of a dictator?
Go look up "not mutually exclusive."
Well, yeah, I thought that was a given. However, the left is only concentrating on orange man bad and completely ignoring the freedom that was just given to millions of Venezuelans. It's almost as if the left would have preferred the people of Venezuela continue to live under a ruthless dictator.
If it made Turmp look bad you can bet the house most of them would.
(01-06-2026 12:38 PM)VA49er Wrote: If this is "all about the oil" then why are millions of Venezuelans across the planet celebrating the removal of a dictator?
Go look up "not mutually exclusive."
Well, yeah, I thought that was a given. However, the left is only concentrating on orange man bad and completely ignoring the freedom that was just given to millions of Venezuelans. It's almost as if the left would have preferred the people of Venezuela continue to live under a ruthless dictator.
It was a bad weekend for Venezuelan citizens.... according to team TDS at least.
(01-06-2026 02:02 PM)TripleA Wrote: As for US oil companies, Chevron is still there. Never left.
And do you know why?
From AI:
Quote:Chevron remains in Venezuela under a specific U.S. Treasury license, operating joint ventures with state oil company PDVSA to produce and export heavy crude, primarily to the U.S. Gulf Coast, allowing them to recoup debts owed by Venezuela while complying with sanctions by limiting cash flows to the government. They are currently managing oil exports, with plans for loading tankers, and are positioned to potentially expand production as the political situation evolves, focusing on asset integrity, employee safety, and supporting local communities.
They lost a ****-ton the first time around and remained to try and get back some of the money. They're basically just being paid back with oil.
Well no sh!t, Sherlock. Others can now likely do the same. Trump is reportedly meeting with them this week to discuss.
We're the ones who built up VZ's oil refining apparatus in the first place.
(This post was last modified: 01-06-2026 02:38 PM by TripleA.)
(01-05-2026 12:06 PM)mlb Wrote: Late to the game here, but I have no issues with removing that despicable man. I do, however, worry that we've just created a power vacuum in that country that will allow another tyrant to take over. The VP is illegimate but now in power, but who has their claws into her?
So in your wise thinking you would still have Maduro as prexy as long as the status quo remained? It seems to me that your idea is to just let the Venezuelans suffer more so that there aren't any more Maduros.
As for the present president Delcy she will remain UNTIL her replacement is elected or sworn in because there was already an election and Maduro lost thus making his next in line null and void. ALL the people who were in their positions should be fired in the coming months, not immediately, just let them think they're secure in their jobs and when an alternative is positioned then that person can fire him because at that point the new guy/gal will hold the reins of the people under him/her, but not until then. The military for instance will hold allegiance to the new leader and not before he/she is installed. It's a delicate procedure and has to be thought of well.
There are countries all over the world where their citizens suffer. Are you now advocating for the US to play global policeman for them all?
Or just the ones close to us...who may have some oil or other resources we can pilfer along the way?
To the extent that US foreign policy results in real costs to the US taxpayer, are you suggesting that the US leadership has no fiduciary responsibility to its citizens to prioritize foreign aid to the peoples of other nations where it might benefit US citizens the most?
Nope.
Then I dont see what your complaint could possibly be.
(01-06-2026 10:44 AM)olliebaba Wrote: So in your wise thinking you would still have Maduro as prexy as long as the status quo remained? It seems to me that your idea is to just let the Venezuelans suffer more so that there aren't any more Maduros.
As for the present president Delcy she will remain UNTIL her replacement is elected or sworn in because there was already an election and Maduro lost thus making his next in line null and void. ALL the people who were in their positions should be fired in the coming months, not immediately, just let them think they're secure in their jobs and when an alternative is positioned then that person can fire him because at that point the new guy/gal will hold the reins of the people under him/her, but not until then. The military for instance will hold allegiance to the new leader and not before he/she is installed. It's a delicate procedure and has to be thought of well.
There are countries all over the world where their citizens suffer. Are you now advocating for the US to play global policeman for them all?
Or just the ones close to us...who may have some oil or other resources we can pilfer along the way?
To the extent that US foreign policy results in real costs to the US taxpayer, are you suggesting that the US leadership has no fiduciary responsibility to its citizens to prioritize foreign aid to the peoples of other nations where it might benefit US citizens the most?
Nope.
Then I dont see what your complaint could possibly be.
(01-06-2026 12:55 PM)Tiger1983 Wrote: Keep in mind not all crude oil is the same.
From AI confirming my earlier understanding…
“Not all crude oil is the same, and Venezuela's oil is a prime example: it's heavy, dense, and sulfur-rich (sour), unlike lighter U.S. shale oil, making it difficult and expensive to process, requiring specialized refineries, but valuable for products like diesel and asphalt, with Gulf Coast refineries uniquely built for it. While Venezuela holds vast reserves, its heavy crude needs special handling, blending, or upgraders, and production has suffered from underinvestment, corruption, and sanctions, making it harder to extract and refine compared to lighter crudes. “
Key Differences in Venezuelan Crude:
Heavy & Viscous: It's thick like molasses, contrasting with lighter crudes that flow easily, as noted in this Yahoo Finance article.
High Sulfur (Sour): Contains high sulfur and metals, requiring more complex refining to meet environmental standards, says a Grist article.
Specialized Refining: Few refineries can process it efficiently; U.S. Gulf Coast facilities were designed for this type of heavy crude.
Why It Matters:
Production Challenges: Heavy crude requires more energy, diluents, and advanced tech to extract and transport.
Refinery Compatibility: Some U.S. refineries prefer it, while others struggle, making it a complex market, explains a Grist article.
Market Dynamics: Its unique properties make it less universally desirable than light sweet crude, affecting its price and demand, according to this Yahoo Finance article.
In essence, Venezuela's massive reserves are not "plug-and-play" oil; they are a specific, challenging type that requires tailored infrastructure and processes,
Heres an interesting fun fact. The US is not actually energy independent despite being an oil exporter. Why? Because most of US production is light sweet crude---and we actually NEED to mix that light sweet with some heavy crude in order to utilize much of our refinery base in order to produce the fuels used in inside the US. In other words---we cant produce all the fuels we need without using those gulf coast refineries that require heavier crude---and that requires the use of some imported heavier crude oil to mix with the lighter domestic crude.
Another fact, there's actually two definitions of "energy independent" Further, energy is NOT just oil.
But oil and gas is where it really counts. Oil and gas literally forms the basis of the entire economy---not just energy---but the byproducts from all the refining process---the petrochemicals, plastics precursors, and man made materials. As for green energy, every solar panel or windmill ever made required components that started life as crude oil or gas.
(This post was last modified: 01-06-2026 02:54 PM by Attackcoog.)
(01-06-2026 12:38 PM)VA49er Wrote: If this is "all about the oil" then why are millions of Venezuelans across the planet celebrating the removal of a dictator?
Go look up "not mutually exclusive."
Well, yeah, I thought that was a given. However, the left is only concentrating on orange man bad and completely ignoring the freedom that was just given to millions of Venezuelans. It's almost as if the left would have preferred the people of Venezuela continue to live under a ruthless dictator.
Exactly what have they been given freedom from? Who's currently running their government?
I would think you might want to wait a bit to spike the ball of "freedom" in a country with well over a decade of draconian rule.
Perhaps if anyone knew what the point of all this was...and what the detailed plan is for going forward...we could focus on that and debate that. Instead we're in chaos from an administration that can't message for ****.
