Software Engineer in Data Science

Venture Global and Vitol have signed a binding agreement for Vitol to purchase approximately 1.5 million tonnes per annum of US liquefied natural gas from Venture Global for five years starting in 2026. Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel said the deal reflects growing global demand for flexible US LNG and demonstrates the company's ability to provide short, medium and long-term supply. Pablo Galante Escobar, Global Head of LNG at Vitol, said the transaction expands Vitol's supply base to offer diverse energy sources to customers worldwide. Venture Global is now one of the largest LNG exporters in the US, having begun production in 2022. The company has over 100 million tonnes per annum of capacity across production, construction and development phases.

US companies operate in Venezuela. February 27, 2026 The oil industry shifts its landscape through geopolitical actions. After the arrest of the Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro Moros, the U.S. government seized Venezuelan oil production and sites for refinery and energy services. The White House has publicly declared its intent to control Venezuelan oil sales as indefinite. Tens of millions of barrels of crude oil is planned to go into refining under the U.S. label. As of Jan.13, Venezuela has reopened wells and resumed exports under the Trump administration. Crude oil in the U.S. is different from crude oil inside of Venezuela.The U.S. crude is classified as "shale oil." Shale oil is light from lower sulfur content and is generally easier to refine. Venezuela's oil is extremely heavy and full of sulfur. Due to this it costs more to process and along with being more difficult to refine. This heavier oil often has to be diluted to be usable. During the 1950's the U.S. began importing oil from countries such as Canada, Mexico and Venezuela. These three countries mostly produce heavy crude oil. Because of this America started designing oil refineries based around heavy crude. Machines such as Cokers, Hydrocrackers and Desulfurization units are implemented to ensure the heavy oil is processed cleanly and efficiently. From 2008 to Feb. 2026, The U.S. entered a shale oil revolution. While this did produce more gasoline and less diesel, its refineries were not designed for this kind of oil, causing extreme inefficiencies. Now that heavy crude is being brought back into the U.S., refineries and oil companies are optimizing production for this oil. Companies such as Chevron, Vitol and Trafigura are competing for the U.S. license to sell and export Venezuelan oil. Chevron Is the Only U.S. oil major currently operating in Venezuela under special licensing. Chevron executives have been at the White House attending high level operatives talks about expanding actively and upscaling production. Chevron also owns a refinery specialized in heavy crude refining, importing from themselves would increase productions and profits from the imports and exports. Several other large companies own heavy oil refineries but no other has one and operates in Venezuela. Caesar Verata '26 said, "I think where the government currently stands, they'll do anything to economize regardless of how the public sees them. In terms of the stock market, it has potential to be very financially beneficial." Julio Chauee '26 said, "I think it's a good investment opportunity. I feel it's good for the future of our economy. Taking control of oil operations will be beneficial." Donate to The Cougar Press Contributed Your donation will support the student journalists of Ventura High School.

Breakwall Capital and Vitol announce the closing of Valor Upstream Credit Partners II. Third Energy-Focused Credit Partnership Established NEW YORK & HOUSTON-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Breakwall Capital LP ("Breakwall"), an independent asset management firm specializing in the energy industry, and Vitol, a leader in energy and commodities, announced today the closing of Valor Upstream Credit Partners II, L.P. ("VCP II"). The closing of VCP II follows the full deployment of Breakwall and Vitol's inaugural partnership, Valor Upstream Credit Partners, L.P., which invested more than $1 billion of capital in just over a two-year period. VCP II pursues a strategy consistent with its predecessor, seeking to make structured credit investments in North American upstream oil and gas companies. The Fund primarily targets event-driven financing opportunities, including debt refinancing, acquisition financing, and development capital, providing companies with flexible capital solutions to accelerate growth and enhance shareholder value. VCP II is managed by Breakwall, which has an established track record of successfully investing credit capital across the energy and energy-adjacent value chains and supporting the growth and improvement of conventional, renewable, and next-generation energy companies. VCP II represents the third energy-focused credit partnership between Breakwall and Vitol. In July 2025, the firms announced the closing of Valor Mining Credit Partners, L.P., which focuses on credit investments in mining companies across the Americas and has invested nearly $500 million since inception. Christopher Abbate, Jamie Brodsky, and Daniel Flannery, the Managing Partners of Breakwall, stated: "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Vitol. Over the past several years, we have deployed substantial capital in the upstream sector through innovative structures and continue to see strong demand for tailored credit solutions." Ben Marshall, Head of the Americas, Vitol, added: "The rapid deployment of VCP I underscores the strength of our partnership with Breakwall and the sustained demand for flexible, structured capital in North American upstream. With VCP II, we are well positioned to build on that momentum and provide differentiated capital solutions across the sector." Vinson & Elkins LLP served as legal counsel to Vitol and Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal counsel to Breakwall in connection with VCP II. Please direct all business development inquiries to [email protected]. About Vitol Vitol is a leader in energy and commodities. Vitol produces, manages and delivers energy and commodities, including metals, to consumers and industry worldwide. In addition to its primary business, trading, Vitol is invested in infrastructure globally, with $10+ billion invested in long-term assets. Vitol's customers include national oil companies, multinationals, leading industrial companies and utilities. Founded in Rotterdam in 1966, today Vitol serves its customers from some 40 offices worldwide. Revenues in 2024 were $331 billion. For more information, please visit Vitol's website at www.vitol.com. About Breakwall Capital Breakwall Capital is a leading energy specialist focused on direct lending capital solutions to middle-market and developing energy companies. As an independent asset manager and employee-owned firm, Breakwall seeks to fill the gap that other financing providers appear reluctant to service. Breakwall is led by Christopher Abbate, Jamie Brodsky, and Daniel Flannery and since 2014, the Breakwall team has built a credit investment franchise that focuses exclusively on energy credit. During its 12-year history, the team has committed approximately $7 billion to energy and energy-related companies or projects across more than 70 transactions. Breakwall is headquartered in New York with offices in Texas and Rhode Island. For more information, please visit Breakwall's website at www.breakwallcap.com.