The rigs have been
out of use for months due to a dispute over
payments by PDVSA, the state oil company.
Helmerich and Payne, which owns other rigs in the
country, had said that it would not work at
the sites until they were paid the $49 million it
was owed. It did not immediately comment on the
planned nationalization.
Rafael Ramirez, the
Venezuelan oil minister, said on Thursday that the
facilities were being taken over to bring
them back into production.
'Weakening
government'
Ramirez said that
firms like Helmerich and Payne who had refused to
put their rigs into production were aiming to
weaken the government.
"There is a
group of drill owners that has refused to discuss
tariffs and services with PDVSA and have preferred
to keep this equipment stored for a year," he
said.
"That is the specific case with US
multinational Helmerich and Payne."
Venezuela has suffered a reduction in oil
output since 2008.
Despite having significant oil reserves
the country is undergoing economic struggles, with
power shortages and low food resources affecting
Chavez's promises to pull people out of poverty.
His government has nationalised
telecommunications, power and steel firms during
the last three years.
The government also nationalized Banco Federal,
a mid-sized bank, last week giving the state
control of 25 per cent of the banking sector.
Legislative elections are to be held in
September and Chavez needs to reverse popularity
losses due to Venezuela's recession before then
Oil-giants such as Halliburton,
Schlumberger and Baker Hughes also work in
Venezuela, although the former pair have avoided
public disputes with the government.
