Four Oil Tankers Sending Iranian Oil to Venezuela Seized, Diverted to Houston

Well finally some action here. Iran's flagrant support for designated terrorist organizations will do its economiy no favors. Now to unload some of that oil to the newly establish gulf coast crude benchmark and make a decent profit??

Pretty certain we will be hearing some gnashing of the teeth this weekend.

WSJ
Last month U.S. federal prosecutors filed suit to seize the four tankers of gasoline that Iran was sending to Venezuela, the latest move in the administration’s effort to stifle flows of goods and money helping to keep two of its top foes in power.

At the time, it was unclear if U.S. authorities would successfully be able to take control of the tankers, after a similar effort to seize Iranian fuel through a U.S. forfeiture case was unsuccessful last year.

One official said the vessels had been taken over without the use of military force but didn’t provide any details. Last year the U.S. tried unsuccessfully to use judicial cooperation agreements to take control of an Iranian oil vessel that had been detained in the British territory of Gibraltar.

The administration expects the seizures will deter shipping companies from dealing with the Iranians and Venezuelans as tanker owners, brokers, insurers and other businesses see the risk as too costly, senior U.S. officials said. Iran and Venezuela must increasingly rely on the private sector—or illegal markets—to carry the oil and energy products vital to both nations’ ailing economies as Washington’s pressure campaigns have crippled the ability of state-owned fleets to ship supplies.

The four vessels—Luna, Pandi, Bering and Bella—were seized at sea in recent days and are now en route to Houston, the officials said. Senior administration officials are expected to meet the tankers in the coming days at an event scheduled to mark the docking, the officials said. A spokesman for the Justice Department declined to comment.

Can I keep one of the ships after the oil is unloaded?? I want to sail the seven seas and meet people, some who may want to use and abuse me.

This is on the heels of Iran yesterday temporarily seizing a Liberian flagged oil tanker in the gulf of Oman, which itself may have been reciprocation for Pakistan seizing an iranian oil tanker earlier this week. I thought Pakistan already flipped to China. Tit for tat my friends, tit for tat.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Why would anyone send oil to Venezuela, it’s oil rich isn’t it

Except “State oil company Petroleos de Venezuela’s [PDVSA.UL] refinery network has the capacity to produce 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of fuel. But after years of underinvestment and lack of maintenance, those refineries processed just 101,000 bpd of crude and produced just 7,000 bpd of gasoline in March, according to an internal PDVSA document.

The South American country’s gasoline consumption has dropped significantly in recent months due to a quarantine designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Authorities are distributing just 30,000 bpd of gasoline to service stations across the country, according to an industry source, compared with pre-lockdown consumption of about 170,000 bpd.”
www.reuters.com...

So an oil rich country going broke from Corona Virus, interesting
Cheap oil in Venezuela but pump prices are at an nearly all time hi where I live.

When you think nothing is left sacred in this wretched Earth, remember OIL.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Since when has the US needed any excuse to cause suffering around the world under the guise of fighting terrorrriiiiiiiisssssssmmmmm!!!!!!

a reply to: worldstarcountry

So much for "we don't want to play world police anymore" I don't know if it's an improvement if you now say "we want to be pirates!"?

USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

We tank you very much, Iran. Like four times.

We see, we take as we wish... since we’re the good guys??


I want to see retaliation at any capacity.

How ridiculous is this, a country dictates which countries can do business?

Where are the sanctions for me helping drop warheads on foreheads .., of innocent women and children and elders ?

The outcry from this society over ‘double standards’ at home but abroad all carnage is fair game because we’re number one ☝️ 🇺🇸 Is really pathetic

Swirl swirl further.

Trump2020

Let's see if they find weapons hidden with the oil.

Lulz

ANTE UP

originally posted by: Raggedyman
a reply to: worldstarcountry

Why would anyone send oil to Venezuela, it’s oil rich isn’t it . . .

So an oil rich country going broke from Corona Virus, interesting
Cheap oil in Venezuela but pump prices are at an nearly all time hi where I live.

Yeah, the Corona Virus is to blame for Venezuela's economic problems, sure. They had a booming economy, then the pandemic crashed it all over night, yep.

Piracy now?

How kleptocastic. Or kakistocrastic?

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Quote from article: "...four tankers of gasoline that Iran was sending to Venezuela..."

Venezuela may be rich in heavy oil, BUT they cannot refine enough of it into gasoline (if any? Do they have ANY working refineries left?). They needed this bad. These tankers apparently had gasoline in them, not crude oil, making them much, much more valuable than just oil. This is a big move. I wonder what happens next?

originally posted by: odzeandennz
We see, we take as we wish... since we’re the good guys??


I want to see retaliation at any capacity.

How ridiculous is this, a country dictates which countries can do business?

Where are the sanctions for me helping drop warheads on foreheads .., of innocent women and children and elders ?

The outcry from this society over ‘double standards’ at home but abroad all carnage is fair game because we’re number one ☝️ 🇺🇸 Is really pathetic

Swirl swirl further.

Trump2020

Come stop us
Chump

originally posted by: ManFromEurope
Piracy now?

How kleptocastic. Or kakistocrastic?

Yar har matey!

originally posted by: shooterbrody

originally posted by: odzeandennz
We see, we take as we wish... since we’re the good guys??


I want to see retaliation at any capacity.

How ridiculous is this, a country dictates which countries can do business?

Where are the sanctions for me helping drop warheads on foreheads .., of innocent women and children and elders ?

The outcry from this society over ‘double standards’ at home but abroad all carnage is fair game because we’re number one ☝️ 🇺🇸 Is really pathetic

Swirl swirl further.

Trump2020

Come stop us
Chump

Can't .
Won't.
Lulz.

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: worldstarcountry

So much for "we don't want to play world police anymore" I don't know if it's an improvement if you now say "we want to be pirates!"?

Europe 1917: "Where is the USA?"
China 1938: "Where is the USA?"
France 1940: "Where is the USA?"
Kuwait 1990: "Where is the USA?"

2020: USA disciplines Iran: "How dare they!"


and your solution to preventing Iran from supporting terror?

originally posted by: ElGoobero

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: worldstarcountry

So much for "we don't want to play world police anymore" I don't know if it's an improvement if you now say "we want to be pirates!"?

Europe 1917: "Where is the USA?"
China 1938: "Where is the USA?"
France 1940: "Where is the USA?"
Kuwait 1990: "Where is the USA?"

2020: USA disciplines Iran: "How dare they!"


and your solution to preventing Iran from supporting terror?

Nice analysis!

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Four Oil Tankers Sending Iranian Oil to Venezuela Seized, Diverted to Houston

Beautiful. Now refine it and ship it to Fort Hood for use of the III Corps.

Cheers

Isn't this just piracy under another name?

Rainbows
Jane