Seven months after Nicolás Maduro's removal, major U.S. oil companies, including ExxonMobil and Chevron, have yet to secure significant investment deals in Venezuela. Negotiations have stalled over access to the country's most attractive oil fields, fiscal terms, unresolved compensation disputes from past nationalizations, and concerns over long-term political stability. A recent earthquake also slowed progress. While the Trump administration aims for Venezuela to boost oil production to strengthen global supply, major producers are cautious about committing billions of dollars, allowing smaller private energy firms to gain traction.