Oil and Gas Stocks Surge While American Factories Go Cold Despite Record Production
The Trump administration reopened access to Venezuela’s oil fields — and investors are already pouring gasoline on the fire. A new Treasury license allows US firms to send equipment and technology to revive Venezuela’s oil infrastructure while keeping key sanctions intact, backing the $100B investment push President Trump has championed. Yet paradoxically, even as the US leads the world in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, domestic manufacturers are still getting squeezed by fuel costs.
- Pipeline bottlenecks forced gas suppliers to curb flows to manufacturers 40+ times in 2025, with more disruptions likely, said Industrial Energy Consumers of America CEO Paul Cicio.
- Even as fuel pressures persist at home, energy stocks have surged, with Exxon MobilXOM, ChevronCVX, and BPBP climbing 26%, 15%, and 12% over the past month, respectively.
The pipeline predicament: Manufacturers are squeezed between home heating demand, power plants, and long-term LNG contracts that tie up pipeline capacity. During Texas winter storms, International Paper shut containerboard mills for days, with one site trucking in fuel oil after losing gas access. As LNG capacity pushes toward doubling by 2030, US factories face a blunt reality — producing plenty doesn’t guarantee access when winter bites.