CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, Oct. 27, 2026 —

Two tankers carrying 1 million barrels of Venezuelan crude arrived at the Port of Corpus Christi on Tuesday, the first shipment under an agreement between the U.S. government and the oil producer North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP), according to the company's news release. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the port Tuesday afternoon to see one of the tankers.

"The first shipment from the historic Venezuela oil deal arrives TODAY in Corpus Christi, Texas!" the White House wrote in a post on its X account at 4:11 p.m. Eastern time. "Thanks to President Trump's leadership, this oil will belong to America and will be refined at home, increasing domestic supply and LOWERING PRICES at the pump."

What the President said

Speaking at the port, the President said, according to a video posted by the White House's Rapid Response account: "This historic win gives us control over a massive part of the world's oil supply... It will be refined here in TEXAS—including right here in Corpus" Christi.

Earlier Tuesday, before leaving for Texas, he said in remarks posted by the same account: "We took over Venezuela very successfully and they've sent me as a gift a boatload of a million barrels of oil... We're going to accept a million barrels of oil."

During the Corpus Christi event, the President also said, according to Rapid Response 47: "I am pleased to announce that I will be making available more @fema relief funds from last year's floods in Texas Hill Country." The post did not say how much money or when it would be released.

The President's next stop Tuesday was Lubbock, Texas, the account said.

What the deal covers, according to the producer

NABEP's release, issued Tuesday and corrected at 6:25 p.m. Eastern time, says:

  • Cost of this cargo. "To recognize the historic nature of the agreement between NABEP and its new anchor buyer, the United States government, NABEP delivered the first million barrels of oil at no cost to the U.S. taxpayer."
  • The larger deal. The cargo "marks the beginning of the company's larger deal with the U.S. Departments of State and War, which grants the U.S. Government the right to purchase 20% of NABEP's production at cost, with no markup, in addition to a 35% equity stake in NABEP's parent company."
  • Travel time. "This cargo reached Texas in just over a week. Crude from the Middle East can take more than a month," said Alejandro Betancourt, NABEP's chief executive. He said the shipment "will be followed by thousands of such arrivals."
  • Production. The company says its production has grown from about 18,000 barrels a day to more than 200,000 over two years, reaching 223,509 barrels of oil equivalent per day as of Oct. 19, and that it is targeting more than 1 million barrels a day "in the near term."

The release does not give the price per barrel for future purchases, and neither the White House post nor the President's remarks said which refineries will process this cargo.

What it means for Floridians

The White House says the oil will increase domestic supply and lower prices at the pump. Neither the White House nor NABEP has said when or by how much prices could change, or whether any of the oil will reach Florida. Launchpad Digital will report any official figures as they are released.

Launchpad Digital has asked the State Department and NABEP for comment and will update this story when they respond.

Those are the facts, directly from the source.

Sources: White House X post, Oct. 27, 2026; Rapid Response 47 (White House) X posts with video of the President's remarks, Oct. 27, 2026; North American Blue Energy Partners news release, Oct. 27, 2026 (corrected 6:25 p.m. ET).

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