US Allows Ethane Cargoes to Sail to China But Not Discharge (1)

The Trump administration has eased recent export limits on a critical petroleum product that’s used to make plastics — a shift that represents a modest pullback on curbs used as leverage in trade negotiations with China.

Under the change, Enterprise Products Partners LP and Energy Transfer LP are being allowed to load that gas, known as ethane, onto tankers and transport it to Chinese ports. However, they are still barred from unloading that cargo for use by Chinese entities, said people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named.

Enterprise Products “may not complete” ethane exports to Chinese ...