Venezuelan oil sales to the US down 11%

Venezuelan oil exports to the United States slipped back again in the first half of 2012, according to preliminary data collected by the statistical arm of the US Department of Energy.

The information supplied by the US government points out that in January-June 2012, approximately 823,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil were shipped to US ports.

Such volume is 11% lower than the exports accounted in the first half of 2011, averaging 925,000 bpd.

The consolidated numbers on foreign trade of the US Department of Energy had found already that in January-April 2012, the sales of Venezuelan crude oil and byproducts slid by 12.5%.

This number comes from total exports of 892,000 bpd compared with 1.02 million bpd of crude oil and byproducts exported in January-April 2011.

etovar@eluniversal.com