GECF secretary general joins Venezuela Energy Week 2027 as gas investment opens up

Philip Mshelbila, secretary general of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, will speak at Venezuela Energy Week 2027 as the country courts international capital for offshore gas development. The event comes as Venezuela advances Loran, Perla and other projects and tries to turn its large gas reserves into exports.

Why it matters: - Venezuela is trying to turn gas into a bigger part of its next energy cycle. - The country is opening its gas sector to international investment while advancing offshore fields that could feed LNG exports. - Mshelbila's participation puts Venezuela's gas push in front of the global producer group that represents a large share of the world's proven reserves.

What happened: - Philip Mshelbila, secretary general of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, was confirmed as a speaker at Venezuela Energy Week 2027. - Venezuela Energy Week 2027 runs Feb. 22-25 at the Simon Bolivar Convention Center in Caracas. - Energy Capital & Power organizes the event under the patronage of Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, PDVSA and the Ministry of Hydrocarbons. - VEW is positioned as Venezuela's flagship oil and gas investment platform.

The details: - Venezuela is one of 12 full members of the GECF. - GECF members hold 70% of the world's proven natural gas reserves. - The GECF roster includes Qatar, Russia, Algeria and Nigeria. - The GECF's Annual Gas Market Report 2026 highlights Venezuela's Hydrocarbons Law reform as one of the policy changes reshaping the investment landscape. - Venezuela has an estimated 200 trillion cubic feet of conventional gas reserves. - That volume is about 70% of South America's total conventional gas reserves. - In August, bp, XRG and UCC secured the Phase II license for the offshore Loran field. - Loran is part of a cross-border accumulation with Trinidad and Tobago that can use Trinidad's LNG infrastructure. - Shell won the Phase I license in June. - Eni and Repsol are advancing plans with PDVSA to expand output from the offshore Perla field. - Eni and Repsol are also targeting LNG exports from Perla by the end of 2031. - More information on the event is available online. - A LinkedIn showcase page for Venezuela Energy Week is live at the event's social media page.

Between the lines: - Venezuela's gas push is being framed as a re-entry into global energy markets, not just a domestic upstream story. - The timing matters because global gas producers are watching long-cycle LNG opportunities while Venezuela seeks capital, partnerships and infrastructure. - The focus on offshore fields and LNG suggests Venezuela wants to connect its resource base to export routes rather than rely only on domestic demand. - The presence of the GECF signals political and market validation for Venezuela's investment campaign.

What's next: - Venezuela will need to convert licenses, partnerships and reforms into commercially viable projects. - Progress on Loran, Perla and related offshore assets will be a key test of execution. - The country will also need infrastructure and financing to move gas from reserves to exports. - VEW 2027 will serve as a venue for potential investors and operators to gauge the scale of the opportunity.

The bottom line: - Venezuela has a large gas resource base and a clearer investment opening, but the real test is whether the country can turn new access and new partners into exportable production.