US frackers were already facing a global oil supply glut. Trump’s Venezuelan dream could make it worse

<p>Picture is as murky as a barrel of oil, with US companies in 2026 expecting their first production drop in four years</p><p>US shale-oil producers were already contending with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/oil">oil</a> prices at four-year lows. News that they may soon face a significant competitor in their back yard probably wasn’t how frackers wanted to greet 2026.</p><p>The US capture of Venezuela’s President <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/nicolas-maduro">Nicolaá Maduro</a> and his wife, Cilia Flores, hit the share prices of independent shale-oil producers, such as Diamondback Energy and Devon Energy, last week.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/12/us-oil-producers-global-supply-glut-venezuela">Continue reading...</a>