The US administration is working on a deal to provide Washington, which controls Venezuela's oil exports, with long-term access to some of the South American country's crude oil.
This was reported to Reuters by officials familiar with the negotiations, quoted by BTA.
The agreement, which could be signed and published soon, is expected to function "in a way that would allow the US government to control a group of Venezuelan oil fields to be developed by US companies, the officials said, adding that the supplies received would be guaranteed to the US.
“This is real and is being discussed at the highest levels of the US and Venezuelan governments”, said one of the officials.
Another added that as a legal model for implementing the deal lease is under consideration.
The White House referred Reuters' question to the U.S. Department of Energy. Venezuelan authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Venezuelan Oil Minister Paula Henao could not be reached for comment.