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01/12/2026
IAEE/USAEE Webinar: Venezuela's Return—Risks and Rewards for U.S. and Global Energy Economics
Wednesday, January 21 | 4:00 p.m. ET
IAEE/USAEE Webinar:
Venezuela's Return—Risks and Rewards
for U.S. and Global Energy Economics
Wednesday, January 21 | 4:00 p.m. EST
Presented jointly by the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) and the United States Association for Energy Economics (USAEE), this timely webinar brings together an expert panel of energy economists from both the United States and Latin America to examine Venezuela’s sudden and dramatic return to the forefront of the energy sector. With political shifts unfolding and new risks emerging, Venezuela’s energy sector is now a key variable in both U.S. and international energy strategies.
Webinar registration is free and open to all. Join our distinguished panel Wednesday, January 21 at 4:00 p.m. EST for insight and analysis on this dynamic and rapidly developing situation:
- Bob McNally | Rapidan Energy Group
- Edmar Almeida | Energy Economics Specialist
- Ricardo Raineri | Former Chilean Minister of Energy
Together, they will dive into the pressing questions shaping the energy outlook, including:
- What does Venezuela’s return mean for U.S. energy policy and energy security?
- What is the pace of capital flow into Venezuela, and when will production growth become truly significant?
- What impact will recent events have on Venezuela's role in the energy sector?
This webinar offers participants an opportunity to engage directly with leading voices in energy economics and gain actionable perspectives on the strategic choices facing energy markets in this new era. Don’t miss this joint IAEE-USAEE event and a conversation that will go beyond headlines to deliver the analysis and answers energy professionals need.
The January 21 panel will be the first in a series of timely webinars addressing events and emerging trends affecting the energy sector that will be jointly presented by IAEE and USAEE.
Panelists
Edmar Almeida
Professor·Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Past President, IAEE
Dr. Edmar de Almeida is professor and researcher at the Institute of Energy in PUC-Rio. Prof. Edmar Almeida is also Past President of the International Association For Energy Economics (IAEE).
Since 1993, Prof. Almeida teaches in undergraduate and graduate (including MBA) courses focusing largely on the energy sector. He is also active in research and consulting, focusing on the evolution of the oil, gas and electricity industries in Brazil and globally.
His specific research interests include energy economics and regulation and energy transition. Prof. Almeida has advised many government agencies, private and public companies, institutional investors and multilateral organizations on energy sector policy and planning, regulatory issues, market development.
Prof. Almeida graduated in Economics from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil (1992) and has a Master’s Degree in Industrial Economics (1994) and a PhD in Applied Economics from the Institute of Energy Policy and Economics of the Grenoble University, France (1999). Prof. Almeida is the author or co-author of several books, academic papers and professional articles, and is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences, both in Brazil and abroad.
Bob McNally
Founder and President, Rapidan Energy Group
Robert (“Bob”) McNally is the founder and president of Rapidan Energy Group.
Bob's 34-year career includes service as a White House energy advisor to President George W. Bush, an oil market analyst, and a hedge fund strategist at Tudor Investment Corporation. His acclaimed book Crude Volatility: The History and the Future of Boom-Bust Oil Prices (Columbia University Press, 2017) received the Honorable Mention in Economics in the 2018 PROSE Awards; the 2023 IAEE Marcel Boiteux Best International Energy Economics Book Award; and the 2024 USAEE Adelman-Frankel Award for unique and innovative contribution to the field of energy economics.
Leading media outlets regularly interview Bob, who frequently testifies before Congress on energy markets and national security.
From 2001 to 2003, he served as Special Assistant to the President on the White House National Economic Council and, in 2003, Senior Director for International Energy on the National Security Council.
Bob earned his B.A./B.S. in Political Science and International Relations from American University and his M.A. in International Economics and Foreign Policy from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Ricardo Raineri
Economist, Energy Expert and Strategic Advisor | Past President, IAEE
Ricardo Raineri is Past President International Association for Energy Economics, former Chilean Energy Minister and Chairman of the Board of de Chilean State Oil Company (ENAP), former Alternative Executive Director of the World Bank Group, and Professor of the Engineering School at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile..
Ricardo is an economist with vast professional experience in the energy sector and institutional issues on the economics of regulation and antitrust policy, market structure, pricing, business strategy and competition, and corporate governance. He has published in various academic and professional journals and regularly consults for the public sector and private companies.
He has a bachelor's in economics, a business engineer professional degree, a master's in economics degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and a Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) both in Economics from the University of Minnesota. Member of the Editorial Board of The Energy Journal.
