US majors shun Venezuela oil deal as Trump admin awards fields to unknown firm

The Trump administration and Venezuela's government signed a deal awarding 17 oil fields to an unidentified private firm, touted as the 'biggest deal in history.' However, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips are avoiding investment commitments, signaling skepticism about the deal's viability and potential legal or political risks. The lack of participation by major US oil companies raises questions about the deal's credibility and the actual capacity of the awarded firm to develop the fields.