Exclusive-US authorizes US diluent supply to Venezuela oil sector

By Timothy Gardner

The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday issued a new license authorizing the export and sale to Venezuela of U.S. diluents, a key fuel needed to produce exportable crude oil grades in the OPEC country, according to a document shown to Reuters by an administration official.

The authorization, which is Washington's second general license granted so far to ease sanctions on Venezuela following the U.S. capture of President Nicolas Maduro last month, supports the administration's policy of recovering Venezuela's oil sector, the document says.

It expressly authorizes processing of payments from Venezuela's government for the authorized transactions.

The U.S. Treasury last week issued a broad license allowing U.S. companies to load, transport, store, sell and refine Venezuelan oil.