Publication of Venezuela Web General License 8 and Subsequent Iterations

Published date26 October 2021
Citation86 FR 59024
Record Number2021-23331
SectionRules and Regulations
CourtForeign Assets Control Office
Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 204 (Tuesday, October 26, 2021)
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 26, 2021)]
                [Rules and Regulations]
                [Pages 59024-59029]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2021-23331]
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                DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
                Office of Foreign Assets Control
                31 CFR Part 591
                Publication of Venezuela Web General License 8 and Subsequent
                Iterations
                AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.
                ACTION: Publication of web general licenses.
                -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets
                Control (OFAC) is publishing nine Venezuela web general licenses (GLs)
                in the Federal Register: GL 8, GL 8A, GL 8B, GL 8C, GL 8D, GL 8E, GL
                8F, and GL 8G, each of which is now expired and was previously issued
                on OFAC's website, as well as GL 8H, which was also previously issued
                on OFAC's website and expires on December 1, 2021.
                DATES: GL 8H was issued on June 1, 2021 and expires on December 1,
                2021. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION of this rule for additional
                relevant dates.
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: OFAC: Assistant Director for
                Licensing, 202-622-2480; Assistant Director for Regulatory Affairs,
                202-622-4855; or Assistant Director for Sanctions Compliance &
                Evaluation, 202-622-2490.
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                [[Page 59025]]
                Electronic Availability
                 This document and additional information concerning OFAC are
                available on OFAC's website: www.treasury.gov/ofac.
                Background
                 On March 8, 2015, the President, invoking the authority of, inter
                alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-
                1706), issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, ``Blocking Property and
                Suspending Entry of Persons Contributing to the Situation in
                Venezuela'' (80 FR 12747, March 11, 2015). In E.O. 13692, the President
                found that the situation in Venezuela, including the Government of
                Venezuela's erosion of human rights guarantees, persecution of
                political opponents, curtailment of press freedoms, use of violence and
                human rights violations and abuses in response to antigovernment
                protests, and arbitrary arrest and detention of antigovernment
                protestors, as well as the exacerbating presence of significant public
                corruption, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the
                national security and foreign policy of the United States, and declared
                a national emergency to deal with that threat.
                 The President issued six additional E.O.s pursuant to the national
                emergency declared in E.O. 13692: E.O. 13808 of August 24, 2017,
                ``Imposing Additional Sanctions With Respect to the Situation in
                Venezuela'' (82 FR 41155, August 29, 2017); E.O. 13827 of March 19,
                2018, ``Taking Additional Steps to Address the Situation in Venezuela''
                (83 FR 12469, March 21, 2018); E.O. 13835 of May 21, 2018,
                ``Prohibiting Certain Additional Transactions With Respect to
                Venezuela'' (83 FR 24001, May 24, 2018) (E.O. 13835); E.O. 13850 of
                November 1, 2018, ``Blocking Property of Additional Persons
                Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela'' (83 FR 55243, November 2,
                2018); E.O. 13857 of January 25, 2019, ``Taking Additional Steps To
                Address the National Emergency With Respect to Venezuela'' (84 FR 509,
                January 30, 2019); and E.O. 13884 of August 5, 2019, ``Blocking
                Property of the Government of Venezuela'' (84 FR 38843, August 7,
                2019).
                 OFAC, in consultation with the Department of State, issued GL 8 on
                January 28, 2019, pursuant to E.O. 13850, as amended, to authorize
                certain entities and their subsidiaries to engage in transactions and
                activities ordinarily incident and necessary to operations in Venezuela
                involving Petr[oacute]leos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) or any entity in
                which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater
                interest, that were otherwise prohibited by E.O. 13850, through 12:01
                a.m. eastern daylight time, July 27, 2019. Subsequently, OFAC issued
                eight further iterations of GL 8, which extended the period and
                modified the scope of the authorization.
                 On June 6, 2019, OFAC issued GL 8A, which replaced and superseded
                GL 8; on July 26, 2019, OFAC issued GL 8B, which replaced and
                superseded GL 8A; on August 5, 2019, OFAC issued GL 8C, which replaced
                and superseded GL 8B; on October 21, 2019, OFAC issued GL 8D, which
                replaced and superseded GL 8C; on January 17, 2020, OFAC issued GL 8E,
                which replaced and superseded GL 8D; on April 21, 2020, OFAC issued GL
                8F, which replaced and superseded GL 8E; on November 17, 2020, OFAC
                issued GL 8G, which replaced and superseded GL 8F; and on June 1, 2021,
                OFAC issued GL 8H, which replaced and superseded GL 8G. GL 8H expires
                on December 1, 2021. The texts of the following nine Venezuela GLs are
                provided below: GLs 8, 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F, 8G, and 8H.
                OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
                Executive Order 13850 of November 1, 2018
                Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation
                in Venezuela
                General License No. 8
                Authorizing Transactions Involving Petr[oacute]leos de Venezuela, S.A.
                (PdVSA) Prohibited by Executive Order 13850 for Certain Entities
                Operating in Venezuela
                 (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license,
                all transactions and activities ordinarily incident and necessary to
                operations in Venezuela involving PdVSA or any entity in which PdVSA
                owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest
                prohibited by Executive Order 13850 are authorized through 12:01 a.m.
                eastern daylight time, July 27, 2019 for the following entities and
                their subsidiaries:
                 Chevron Corporation
                 Halliburton
                 Schlumberger Limited
                 Baker Hughes, a GE Company
                 Weatherford International, Public Limited Company
                 (b) This general license does not authorize:
                 (1) Any exportation or reexportation of diluents from the United
                States to Venezuela; or
                 (2) Any transaction that is otherwise prohibited under Executive
                Order 13850 of November 1, 2018, Executive Order 13835 of May 21, 2018,
                Executive Order 13827 of March 19, 2018, Executive Order 13808 of
                August 24, 2017, Executive Order 13692 of March 8, 2015, or any part of
                31 CFR chapter V, or any transactions or dealings with any blocked
                person other than the blocked persons described in paragraph (a) of
                this general license.
                Andrea Gacki,
                Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
                Dated: January 28, 2019.
                OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
                Executive Order 13850 of November 1, 2018
                Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation
                in Venezuela
                General License No. 8A
                Authorizing Transactions Involving Petr[oacute]leos de Venezuela, S.A.
                (PdVSA) Prohibited by Executive Order 13850 for Certain Entities
                Operating in Venezuela
                 (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license,
                all transactions and activities ordinarily incident and necessary to
                operations in Venezuela involving PdVSA or any entity in which PdVSA
                owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest
                prohibited by Executive Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended by E.O. 13857 of
                January 25, 2019, are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight
                time, July 27, 2019 for the following entities and their subsidiaries:
                 Chevron Corporation
                 Halliburton
                 Schlumberger Limited
                 Baker Hughes, a GE Company
                 Weatherford International, Public Limited Company
                 (b) This general license does not authorize:
                 (1) Any transactions or dealings related to the exportation or
                reexportation of diluents, directly or indirectly, to Venezuela; or
                 (2) Any transaction that is otherwise prohibited by E.O. 13850,
                E.O. 13835 of May 21, 2018, E.O. 13827 of March 19, 2018, E.O. 13808 of
                August 24, 2017, E.O. 13692 of March 8, 2015, or any part of 31 CFR
                chapter V, or any transactions or dealings with any blocked person
                other than the blocked persons described in paragraph (a) of this
                general license.
                [[Page 59026]]
                 (c) Effective June 6, 2019, General License No. 8, dated January
                28, 2019, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this General
                License 8A.
                Andrea Gacki,
                Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
                Dated: June 6, 2019.
                OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
                Executive Order 13850 of November 1, 2018
                Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation
                in Venezuela
                General License No. 8B
                Authorizing Transactions Involving Petr[oacute]leos de Venezuela, S.A.
                (PdVSA) Necessary for Maintenance of Operations for Certain Entities in
                Venezuela
                 (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license,
                all transactions and activities ordinarily incident and necessary to
                the maintenance of operations, contracts, or other agreements in
                Venezuela involving PdVSA or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly
                or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest prohibited by Executive
                Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended by E.O. 13857 of January 25, 2019, and
                that were in effect prior to July 26, 2019, are authorized through
                12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, October 25, 2019 for the following
                entities and their subsidiaries:
                 Chevron Corporation
                 Halliburton
                 Schlumberger Limited
                 Baker Hughes, a GE Company
                 Weatherford International, Public Limited Company
                 (b) This general license does not authorize:
                 (1) Any transactions or dealings related to the exportation or
                reexportation of diluents, directly or indirectly, to Venezuela; or
                 (2) Any transaction that is otherwise prohibited by E.O. 13850,
                E.O. 13835 of May 21, 2018, E.O. 13827 of March 19, 2018, E.O. 13808 of
                August 24, 2017, E.O. 13692 of March 8, 2015, or any part of 31 CFR
                chapter V, or any transactions or dealings with any blocked person
                other than the blocked persons described in paragraph (a) of this
                general license.
                 (c) Effective July 26, 2019, General License No. 8A, dated June 6,
                2019, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this General
                License 8B.
                Andrea Gacki,
                Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
                Dated: July 26, 2019.
                OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
                Executive Order 13850 of November 1, 2018
                Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation
                in Venezuela
                Executive Order of August 5, 2019
                Blocking Property of the Government of Venezuela
                General License NO. 8C
                Authorizing Transactions Involving Petr[oacute]leos de Venezuela, S.A.
                (PdVSA) Necessary for Maintenance of Operations for Certain Entities in
                Venezuela
                 (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license,
                all transactions and activities ordinarily incident and necessary to
                the maintenance of operations, contracts, or other agreements in
                Venezuela involving PdVSA or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly
                or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest prohibited by Executive
                Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended by E.O. 13857 of January 25, 2019, or
                E.O. of August 5, 2019, and that were in effect prior to July 26, 2019,
                are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, October 25,
                2019 for the following entities and their subsidiaries:
                 Chevron Corporation
                 Halliburton
                 Schlumberger Limited
                 Baker Hughes, a GE Company
                 Weatherford International, Public Limited Company
                 (b) This general license does not authorize:
                 (1) Any transactions or dealings related to the exportation or
                reexportation of diluents, directly or indirectly, to Venezuela; or
                 (2) Any transaction that is otherwise prohibited by E.O. of August
                5, 2019, or E.O. 13850, E.O. 13835 of May 21, 2018, E.O. 13827 of March
                19, 2018, E.O. 13808 of August 24, 2017, or E.O. 13692 of March 8,
                2015, or any part of 31 CFR chapter V, or any transactions or dealings
                with any blocked person other than the blocked persons described in
                paragraph (a) of this general license.
                 (c) Effective August 5, 2019, General License No. 8B, dated July
                26, 2019, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this General
                License 8C.
                Andrea Gacki,
                Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
                Dated: August 5, 2019.
                OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
                Executive Order 13850 of November 1, 2018
                Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation
                in Venezuela
                Executive Order 13884 of August 5, 2019
                Blocking Property of the Government of Venezuela
                General License No. 8D
                Authorizing Transactions Involving Petr[oacute]leos de Venezuela, S.A.
                (PdVSA) Necessary for Maintenance of Operations for Certain Entities in
                Venezuela
                 (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license,
                all transactions and activities ordinarily incident and necessary to
                the maintenance of operations, contracts, or other agreements in
                Venezuela involving PdVSA or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly
                or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest prohibited by Executive
                Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended by E.O. 13857 of January 25, 2019, or
                E.O. 13884, and that were in effect prior to July 26, 2019, are
                authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, January 22, 2020
                for the following entities and their subsidiaries:
                 Chevron Corporation
                 Halliburton
                 Schlumberger Limited
                 Baker Hughes, a GE Company
                 Weatherford International, Public Limited Company
                 (b) This general license does not authorize:
                 (1) Any transactions or dealings related to the exportation or
                reexportation of diluents, directly or indirectly, to Venezuela; or
                 (2) Any transaction that is otherwise prohibited by E.O. 13884, or
                E.O. 13850, E.O. 13835 of May 21, 2018, E.O. 13827 of March 19, 2018,
                E.O. 13808 of August 24, 2017, or E.O. 13692 of March 8, 2015, each as
                amended by E.O. 13857, or any part of 31 CFR chapter V, or any
                transactions or dealings with any blocked person other than the blocked
                persons described in paragraph (a) of this general license.
                 (c) Effective October 21, 2019, General License No. 8C, dated
                August 5, 2019, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this
                General License 8D.
                Andrea Gacki,
                Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
                Dated: October 21, 2019.
                [[Page 59027]]
                OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
                Executive Order 13850 of November 1, 2018
                Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation
                in Venezuela
                Executive Order 13884 of August 5, 2019
                Blocking Property of the Government of Venezuela
                General License No. 8E
                Authorizing Transactions Involving Petr[oacute]leos de Venezuela, S.A.
                (PdVSA) Necessary for Maintenance of Operations for Certain Entities in
                Venezuela
                 (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license,
                all transactions and activities ordinarily incident and necessary to
                the maintenance of operations, contracts, or other agreements in
                Venezuela involving PdVSA or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly
                or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest prohibited by Executive
                Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended by E.O. 13857 of January 25, 2019, or
                E.O. 13884, and that were in effect prior to July 26, 2019, are
                authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, April 22, 2020 for
                the following entities and their subsidiaries:
                 Chevron Corporation
                 Halliburton
                 Schlumberger Limited
                 Baker Hughes, a GE Company
                 Weatherford International, Public Limited Company
                 (b) This general license does not authorize:
                 (1) Any transactions or dealings related to the exportation or
                reexportation of diluents, directly or indirectly, to Venezuela; or
                 (2) Any transaction that is otherwise prohibited by E.O. 13884, or
                E.O. 13850, E.O. 13835 of May 21, 2018, E.O. 13827 of March 19, 2018,
                E.O. 13808 of August 24, 2017, or E.O. 13692 of March 8, 2015, each as
                amended by E.O. 13857, or any part of 31 CFR chapter V, or any
                transactions or dealings with any blocked person other than the blocked
                persons described in paragraph (a) of this general license.
                 (c) Effective January 17, 2020, General License No. 8D, dated
                October 21, 2019, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this
                General License No. 8E.
                Andrea Gacki,
                Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
                Dated: January 17, 2019.
                OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
                Venezuela Sanctions Regulations 31 CFR Part 591
                General License No. 8F
                Authorizing Transactions Involving Petr[oacute]leos de Venezuela, S.A.
                (PdVSA) Necessary for the Limited Maintenance of Essential Operations
                in Venezuela or the Wind Down of Operations in Venezuela for Certain
                Entities
                 (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this general
                license, all transactions and activities prohibited by Executive Order
                (E.O.) 13850 of November 1, 2018, as amended by E.O. 13857 of January
                25, 2019, or E.O. 13884 of August 5, 2019, each as incorporated into
                the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 591 (the VSR), that
                are ordinarily incident and necessary to the limited maintenance of
                essential operations, contracts, or other agreements, that: (i) Are for
                safety or the preservation of assets in Venezuela; (ii) involve PdVSA
                or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent
                or greater interest; and (iii) were in effect prior to July 26, 2019,
                are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, December 1,
                2020, for the following entities and their subsidiaries (collectively,
                the ``Covered Entities''):
                 Chevron Corporation
                 Halliburton
                 Schlumberger Limited
                 Baker Hughes, a GE Company
                 Weatherford International, Public Limited Company
                 Note to paragraph (a): Transactions and activities necessary for
                safety or the preservation of assets in Venezuela that are authorized
                by paragraph (a) of this general license include: Transactions and
                activities necessary to ensure the safety of personnel, or the
                integrity of operations and assets in Venezuela; participation in
                shareholder and board of directors meetings; making payments on third-
                party invoices for transactions and activities authorized by paragraph
                (a) of this general license, or incurred prior to April 21, 2020,
                provided such activity was authorized at the time it occurred; payment
                of local taxes and purchase of utility services in Venezuela; and
                payment of salaries for employees and contractors in Venezuela.
                 (b) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this general license,
                all transactions and activities prohibited by E.O. 13850, as amended,
                or E.O. 13884, each as incorporated into the VSR, that are ordinarily
                incident and necessary to the wind down of operations, contracts, or
                other agreements in Venezuela involving PdVSA or any entity in which
                PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest,
                and that were in effect prior to July 26, 2019, are authorized through
                12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, December 1, 2020, for the Covered
                Entities.
                 (c) Paragraph (a) of this general license does not authorize:
                 (1) The drilling, lifting, or processing of, purchase or sale of,
                or transport or shipping of any Venezuelan-origin petroleum or
                petroleum products;
                 (2) The provision or receipt of insurance or reinsurance with
                respect to the transactions and activities described in paragraph
                (c)(1) of this general license;
                 (3) The design, construction, installation, repair, or improvement
                of any wells or other facilities or infrastructure in Venezuela or the
                purchasing or provision of any goods or services, except as required
                for safety;
                 (4) Contracting for additional personnel or services, except as
                required for safety; or
                 (5) The payment of any dividend, including in kind, to PdVSA, or
                any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or
                greater interest.
                 (d) This general license does not authorize:
                 (1) Any transactions or dealings related to the exportation or
                reexportation of diluents, directly or indirectly, to Venezuela;
                 (2) Any loans to, accrual of additional debt by, or subsidization
                of PdVSA, or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a
                50 percent or greater interest, including in kind, prohibited by E.O.
                13808 of August 24, 2017, as amended by E.O. 13857, and incorporated
                into the VSR; or
                 (3) Any transactions or activities otherwise prohibited by the VSR,
                or any other part of 31 CFR chapter V, or any transactions or
                activities with any blocked person other than the blocked persons
                identified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this general license.
                 (e) Effective April 21, 2020, General License No. 8E, dated January
                17, 2020, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this General
                License No. 8F.
                Andrea Gacki,
                Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
                Dated: April 21, 2020.
                [[Page 59028]]
                OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
                Venezuela Sanctions Regulations 31 CFR Part 591
                General License No. 8G
                Authorizing Transactions Involving Petr[oacute]leos de Venezuela, S.A.
                (PdVSA) Necessary for the Limited Maintenance of Essential Operations
                in Venezuela or the Wind Down of Operations in Venezuela for Certain
                Entities
                 (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this general
                license, all transactions and activities prohibited by Executive Order
                (E.O.) 13850 of November 1, 2018, as amended by E.O. 13857 of January
                25, 2019, or E.O. 13884 of August 5, 2019, each as incorporated into
                the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 591 (the VSR), that
                are ordinarily incident and necessary to the limited maintenance of
                essential operations, contracts, or other agreements, that: (i) Are for
                safety or the preservation of assets in Venezuela; (ii) involve PdVSA
                or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent
                or greater interest; and (iii) were in effect prior to July 26, 2019,
                are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, June 3, 2021,
                for the following entities and their subsidiaries (collectively, the
                ``Covered Entities''):
                 Chevron Corporation
                 Halliburton
                 Schlumberger Limited
                 Baker Hughes, a GE Company
                 Weatherford International, Public Limited Company
                 Note to paragraph (a): Transactions and activities necessary for
                safety or the preservation of assets in Venezuela that are authorized
                by paragraph (a) of this general license include: Transactions and
                activities necessary to ensure the safety of personnel, or the
                integrity of operations and assets in Venezuela; participation in
                shareholder and board of directors meetings; making payments on third-
                party invoices for transactions and activities authorized by paragraph
                (a) of this general license, or incurred prior to April 21, 2020,
                provided such activity was authorized at the time it occurred; payment
                of local taxes and purchase of utility services in Venezuela; and
                payment of salaries for employees and contractors in Venezuela.
                 (b) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this general license,
                all transactions and activities prohibited by E.O. 13850, as amended,
                or E.O. 13884, each as incorporated into the VSR, that are ordinarily
                incident and necessary to the wind down of operations, contracts, or
                other agreements in Venezuela involving PdVSA or any entity in which
                PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest,
                and that were in effect prior to July 26, 2019, are authorized through
                12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, June 3, 2021, for the Covered
                Entities.
                 (c) Paragraph (a) of this general license does not authorize:
                 (1) The drilling, lifting, or processing of, purchase or sale of,
                or transport or shipping of any Venezuelan-origin petroleum or
                petroleum products;
                 (2) The provision or receipt of insurance or reinsurance with
                respect to the transactions and activities described in paragraph
                (c)(1) of this general license;
                 (3) The design, construction, installation, repair, or improvement
                of any wells or other facilities or infrastructure in Venezuela or the
                purchasing or provision of any goods or services, except as required
                for safety;
                 (4) Contracting for additional personnel or services, except as
                required for safety; or
                 (5) The payment of any dividend, including in kind, to PdVSA, or
                any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or
                greater interest.
                 (d) This general license does not authorize:
                 (1) Any transactions or dealings related to the exportation or
                reexportation of diluents, directly or indirectly, to Venezuela;
                 (2) Any loans to, accrual of additional debt by, or subsidization
                of PdVSA, or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a
                50 percent or greater interest, including in kind, prohibited by E.O.
                13808 of August 24, 2017, as amended by E.O. 13857, and incorporated
                into the VSR; or
                 (3) Any transactions or activities otherwise prohibited by the VSR,
                or any other part of 31 CFR chapter V, or any transactions or
                activities with any blocked person other than the blocked persons
                identified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this general license.
                 (e) Effective November 17, 2020, General License No. 8F, dated
                April 21, 2020, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this
                General License No. 8G.
                Andrea Gacki,
                Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
                Dated: November 17, 2020.
                OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
                Venezuela Sanctions Regulations 31 CFR Part 591
                General License No. 8H
                Authorizing Transactions Involving Petr[oacute]leos de Venezuela, S.A.
                (PdVSA) Necessary for the Limited Maintenance of Essential Operations
                in Venezuela or the Wind Down of Operations in Venezuela for Certain
                Entities
                 (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this general
                license, all transactions and activities prohibited by Executive Order
                (E.O.) 13850 of November 1, 2018, as amended by E.O. 13857 of January
                25, 2019, or E.O. 13884 of August 5, 2019, each as incorporated into
                the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 591 (the VSR), that
                are ordinarily incident and necessary to the limited maintenance of
                essential operations, contracts, or other agreements, that: (i) Are for
                safety or the preservation of assets in Venezuela; (ii) involve PdVSA
                or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent
                or greater interest; and (iii) were in effect prior to July 26, 2019,
                are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, December 1,
                2021, for the following entities and their subsidiaries (collectively,
                the ``Covered Entities''):
                 Chevron Corporation
                 Halliburton
                 Schlumberger Limited
                 Baker Hughes Holdings LLC
                 Weatherford International, Public Limited Company
                 Note to paragraph (a): Transactions and activities necessary for
                safety or the preservation of assets in Venezuela that are authorized
                by paragraph (a) of this general license include: Transactions and
                activities necessary to ensure the safety of personnel, or the
                integrity of operations and assets in Venezuela; participation in
                shareholder and board of directors meetings; making payments on third-
                party invoices for transactions and activities authorized by paragraph
                (a) of this general license, or incurred prior to April 21, 2020,
                provided such activity was authorized at the time it occurred; payment
                of local taxes and purchase of utility services in Venezuela; and
                payment of salaries for employees and contractors in Venezuela.
                 (b) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this general license,
                all transactions and activities prohibited by E.O. 13850, as amended,
                or E.O. 13884, each as incorporated into the VSR, that are ordinarily
                incident and necessary to the wind down of operations, contracts, or
                other agreements in Venezuela
                [[Page 59029]]
                involving PdVSA or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or
                indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest, and that were in effect
                prior to July 26, 2019, are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern
                standard time, December 1, 2021, for the Covered Entities.
                 (c) Paragraph (a) of this general license does not authorize:
                 (1) The drilling, lifting, or processing of, purchase or sale of,
                or transport or shipping of any Venezuelan-origin petroleum or
                petroleum products;
                 (2) The provision or receipt of insurance or reinsurance with
                respect to the transactions and activities described in paragraph
                (c)(1) of this general license;
                 (3) The design, construction, installation, repair, or improvement
                of any wells or other facilities or infrastructure in Venezuela or the
                purchasing or provision of any goods or services, except as required
                for safety;
                 (4) Contracting for additional personnel or services, except as
                required for safety; or
                 (5) The payment of any dividend, including in kind, to PdVSA, or
                any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or
                greater interest.
                 (d) This general license does not authorize:
                 (1) Any transactions or dealings related to the exportation or
                reexportation of diluents, directly or indirectly, to Venezuela;
                 (2) Any loans to, accrual of additional debt by, or subsidization
                of PdVSA, or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a
                50 percent or greater interest, including in kind, prohibited by E.O.
                13808 of August 24, 2017, as amended by E.O. 13857, and incorporated
                into the VSR; or
                 (3) Any transactions or activities otherwise prohibited by the VSR,
                or any other part of 31 CFR chapter V, or any transactions or
                activities with any blocked person other than the blocked persons
                identified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this general license.
                 (e) Effective June 1, 2021, General License No. 8G, dated November
                17, 2020, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this General
                License No. 8H.
                Bradley T. Smith,
                Acting Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
                Dated: June 1, 2021.
                 Dated: October 21, 2021.
                Bradley T. Smith,
                Acting Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
                [FR Doc. 2021-23331 Filed 10-25-21; 8:45 am]
                BILLING CODE 4810-AL-P
                

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