Archive · 29 Sep 2026
United States Adds Methanol to Venezuela Sanctions Trade Licences
The United States changed three rules about certain business involving Venezuela.
The changes specifically mention methanol, a chemical used to make other products and sometimes fuel.
One rule covers some imports and sales of Venezuelan oil and petrochemicals.
Another allows certain United States goods and services for existing oil, gas, petrochemical and electricity operations in Venezuela.
A third allows companies to discuss some future projects and prepare for them.
These rules do not automatically allow every business deal or remove all sanctions.
Companies must follow reporting, payment and other restrictions.
No particular methanol shipment or investment was announced.
The United States revised three Venezuela sanctions licences to explicitly include methanol among permitted petrochemical products.
General Licences 46E, 48D and 49B cover certain trade, supplies, services, negotiations and preparatory work.
The revisions do not generally lift sanctions, announce shipments or authorize specific investments.
Licence 46E covers certain Venezuelan oil and petrochemical transactions for import into the United States.
The licences retain reporting requirements, payment conditions and exclusions involving certain countries, parties and vessels.
- Who
- The United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control revised the licences, affecting eligible United States entities and persons conducting permitted Venezuela-related activities.
- What
- Three Venezuela sanctions licences were revised to explicitly include methanol among covered petrochemical products.
- When
- The revisions were issued in the updated versions of General Licences 46E, 48D and 49B; the article does not state an issuance date.
- Where
- The permissions concern trade involving Venezuela, imports into the United States, and certain supplies and project activities in Venezuela.
- Why
- The revisions clarify that methanol falls within specified petrochemical permissions while preserving the licences’ broader restrictions and conditions.
- Revised licences
- General Licences 46E, 48D and 49B
- Newly named product
- Methanol, listed under five tariff classifications in each chemical annex
- Licence 46E
- Permits specified transactions involving Venezuelan oil or petrochemical products for import into the United States
- Licence 48D
- Covers certain United States goods, software, technology and services for oil, gas, petrochemical and electricity activities in Venezuela
- Licence 49B
- Allows negotiations, contingent contracts and preparatory work for certain potential projects; actual performance requires separate authorisation
- Sanctions status
- The revisions do not constitute a general lifting of sanctions on Venezuela
- Reporting and exclusions
- The licences retain reporting requirements, designated payment arrangements and exclusions involving specified parties and blocked vessels