In a year when domestic crude oil output continued to decrease and fuel demand in the domestic market climbed, Venezuelan oil exports were seriously hit, dropping 192,000 bpd (6.4 percent) to 2.78 million bpd in 2007.
 
The figures were disclosed by state oil conglomerate Pdvsa in its 2007 Report submitted to the National Assembly. The document shows that Pdvsa's direct oil exports took a 5.9 percent dive, falling 142,000 bpd. Oil exports by the joint ventures operating in the Orinoco oil belt decreased by 8.5 percent of 50,000 bpd.

Most of the decline in Pdvsa's exports took place in crude oil shipments, which fell 64,000 bpd to 1.67 million bpd. Further, shipments of byproducts dropped 54,000 bpd (10 percent). The Energy Information Administration -the statistical arm f the US Energy Department- also highlighted this fall.

Average domestic oil production was 3.14 million bpd, which represents a decline of 3.1 percent or 103,000 bpd compared to 2006. Production shrunk as Pdvsa's own production fell 83,000 bpd (including the joint ventures that replaced the operational agreements) and a decrease of 20,000 bpd in the Orinoco belt production.