Minister of Energy and Petroleum and CEO of state oil giant Pdvsa Rafael Ramírez in a communiqué said the conglomerate has not stopped shipping crude oil to Louisiana-based Chalmette refinery, "but (US oil major) Exxon Mobil says it does not want that crude oil."

In this connection, Ramírez claimed "that crude oil will be delivered to Petrochina." He insisted that "from all of the corporations operating in Venezuela, 28 came in line with the laws, with only two, Conoco and Exxon Mobil resorting to arbitration. The situation with Conoco has been under friendly terms. However, Exxon acted aggressively when it filed a motion to freeze Pdvsa's assets for up to USD 12 billion."

During the Second World Heavy Oil Congress in Canada, Ramírez claimed that even though supply levels in world oil markets are adequate, there are some factors pushing up oil prices. "Oil prices are affected by a weak dollar and a tumbling US economy, among other factors."