[monkeyshine]

This is nonsense. Let's just call up Venezuela and sign an output contract. We will buy all the oil they can pump at a fixed price per barrel until they can pump no more. They can leave OPEC, know that they will be making money hand over fist, and we don't need to worry about the Saudis so much.

[dennisw]

Venezuela is a new problem child. Run by a Castro sympathizing, communist sympathizing dictator named Hugo Chavez. Venezuela doesn't listen to us any more.