The New Cold War: Risk, Sanctions, Compliance Episode 22: "Focus on Iran: Protests, Sanctions and Oil"
Our International Trade team comments on additional restrictions on trade with Cuba
As Venezuela’s political environment continues to shift, the Trump Administration has authorized US persons to undertake a variety of activities involving Venezuelan-origin oil that had previously been prohibited. On...more
Last week Bracewell discussed the Trump administration’s initial easing of restrictions on Venezuelan oil with General License (GL) 46, which opened the door for US companies to revive the long-inaccessible industry. However,...more
In the span of a few days, Venezuela has moved to open its oil sector to private capital while U.S. regulators have set out a sanctions pathway for trading in Venezuelan‑origin crude. Venezuela’s amendment to its hydrocarbons...more
In this weekly update, we summarise the most notable updates in the UK sanctions world. RUSSIA SANCTIONS...more
On January 29, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took its first steps to loosen the sanctions against Venezuela following the capture and removal of Nicolás Maduro at the beginning of January....more
Key Takeaways: U.S. entities can now trade in Venezuelan oil without violating the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations. The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) has issued a general license...more
The Trump Administration has issued two new General Licenses (GLs) authorizing limited engagement in Venezuela’s oil trading sector. More licenses are anticipated in the coming days or weeks, affecting upstream and downstream...more
On January 29, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) issued Venezuela‑related General License 46 (“GL 46”), marking the most significant easing of U.S. restrictions on the...more
Hours after the US military strike that ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, President Trump announced that, “very large US oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world” would “go in, spend billions of dollars, fix...more
On January 29, 2026, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a new Venezuela-related General License (No. 46), authorizing established US companies to engage in a broad range of...more
In the month since the U.S. took custody of Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, the U.S. oil industry has been buzzing with rumors and speculation on what new opportunities may lie just south of the Caribbean. Venezuela is...more
I. US SANCTIONS - Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks End without Agreement: According to Reuters, on January 24, Ukraine and Russia talks, brokered by the U.S., ended without a deal but with more talks expected the following...more
Trump administration authorizes transactions involving Venezuelan oil sector, but subject to detailed conditions to align with U.S. policy objectives. Companies seeking to do business with Venezuela should confirm that their...more
In the wake of Nicolás Maduro’s capture and transfer to the United States for prosecution on drug‑trafficking–related charges, senior U.S. officials have made clear that Venezuela‑related sanctions will remain in place for...more
I. Introduction - The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is responsible for enforcing the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) — the rules that control the export, reexport, and even...more
In this weekly update, we summarise the most notable updates in the UK sanctions world. ...more
In August, Bracewell discussed the evolving impact of UK and EU sanctions on corporations in the energy and infrastructure sectors. In a significant escalation, in October, the UK, US and EU changed the landscape again by...more
On October 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sweeping new sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector, citing the Kremlin’s continued refusal to engage in...more
On October 22, 2025, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury designated OJSC Rosneft (Rosneft) and Lukoil OAO (Lukoil) on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons...more
On October 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) announced the immediate imposition of full blocking sanctions pursuant to Executive Order (“E.O.”) 14024 against Russian oil...more
On September 30, 2025, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published an interim final rule (IFR) amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to expand end-user controls and address diversion risks associated...more
In this weekly update, we summarise the most notable updates in the UK sanctions world....more