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Fuel oil

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


An oil tanker taking on bunker fuel.
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate
or a residue. Broadly speaking fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is
burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine
for the generation of power, except oils having a ash point of approximately
!" #$ %&"! #F' and oils burned in cotton or wool(wick burners. )n this sense,
diesel is a type of fuel oil. Fuel oil is made of long hydrocarbon chains,
particularly alkanes, cycloalkanes and aromatics. *he term fuel oil is also
used in a stricter sense to refer only to the heaviest commercial fuel that can
be obtained from crude oil, i.e., heavier than gasoline and naphtha.
)n Australia the term +distillate+ refers speci,cally to diesel fuel.-&.
$ontents
& $lasses
/ Bunker fuel
0 1ses
! 2aritime
!.& 3tandards and classi,cation
4 *ransportation
5 6nvironmental issues
7 3ee also
8 9eferences
: 6xternal links
$lasses
Although the following trends generally hold true, di;erent organi<ations may
have di;erent numerical speci,cations for the six fuel grades. *he boiling
point and carbon chain length of the fuel increases with fuel oil number.
=iscosity also increases with number, and the heaviest oil has to be heated to
get it to ow. >rice usually decreases as the fuel number increases.-/.
?umber & fuel oil is a volatile distillate oil intended for vapori<ing pot(type
burners.-0. )t is the kerosene re,nery cut that boils o; right after the heavy
naphtha cut used for gasoline. @lder names include coal oil, stove oil and
range oil.-/.
?umber / fuel oil is a distillate home heating oil.-0. *rucks and some cars use
similar diesel fuel with a cetane number limit describing the ignition quality of
the fuel. Both are typically obtained from the light gas oil cut. Aas oil refers to
the original use of this fraction in the late &:th and early /"th centuries ( the
gas oil cut was used as an enriching agent for carburetted water gas
manufacture.-/.
?umber 0 fuel oil was a distillate oil for burners requiring low(viscosity fuel.
A3*2 merged this grade into the number / speci,cation, and the term has
been rarely used since the mid(/"th century.-0.
?umber ! fuel oil is a commercial heating oil for burner installations not
equipped with preheaters.-0. )t may be obtained from the heavy gas oil cut.
-/.
?umber 4 fuel oil is a residual(type industrial heating oil requiring preheating
to &7" B //" #F %77 B &"! #$' for proper atomi<ation at the burners.-0. *his
fuel is sometimes known as Bunker B. )t may be obtained from the heavy gas
oil cut,-/. or it may be a blend of residual oil with enough number / oil to
adCust viscosity until it can be pumped without preheating.-0.
?umber 5 fuel oil is a high(viscosity residual oil requiring preheating to //" B
/5" #F %&"! B &/7 #$'. 9esidual means the material remaining after the more
valuable cuts of crude oil have boiled o;. *he residue may contain various
undesirable impurities including / percent water and one(half percent mineral
soil. *his fuel may be known as residual fuel oil %9F@', by the ?avy
speci,cation of Bunker $, or by the >aci,c 3peci,cation of >3(!"".-0.
2a<ut is a residual fuel oil often derived from 9ussian petroleum sources and
is either blended with lighter petroleum fractions or burned directly in
speciali<ed boilers and furnaces. )t is also used as a petrochemical feedstock.
Bunker fuel
DBunker oilD redirects here. For the ?orwegian company, see Bunker @il
%company'.
A sample of residual fuel oil
3mall molecules like those in propane, naphtha, gasoline for cars, and Cet fuel
have relatively low boiling points, and they are removed at the start of the
fractional distillation process. Eeavier petroleum products like diesel and
lubricating oil are much less volatile and distill out more slowly, while bunker
oil is literally the bottom of the barrelF in oil distilling, the only things more
dense than bunker fuel are carbon black feedstock and bituminous residue
which is used for paving roads %asphalt' and sealing roofs.
Bunker fuel or bunker crude is technically any type of fuel oil used aboard
vessels. )t gets its name from the tanks on ships and in ports that it is stored
inF in the early days of steam they were coal bunkers but now they are
bunker fuel tanks. *he Australian $ustoms and the Australian *ax @Gce
de,ne a bunker fuel as the fuel that powers the engine of a ship or aircraft.
Bunker A is ?o. / fuel oil, bunker B is ?o. ! or ?o. 4 and bunker $ is ?o. 5.
3ince ?o. 5 is the most common, Dbunker fuelD is often used as a synonym for
?o. 5. ?o. 4 fuel oil is also called ?avy 3pecial Fuel @il %?3F@' or Cust navy
specialF ?o. 4 or 5 are also commonly called heavy fuel oil %EF@' or furnace
fuel oil %FF@'F the high viscosity requires heating, usually by a recirculated
low pressure steam system, before the oil can be pumped from a bunker
tank. Bunkers are rarely labeled this way in modern maritime practice.
3ince the &:8"s the )nternational @rgani<ation for 3tandardi<ation %)3@' has
been the accepted standard for marine fuels %bunkers'. *he standard is listed
under number 8/&7, with recent updates in /""4 and /"&". *hey have
broken it down to 9esidual and Histillate fuels. *he most common residual
fuels in the shipping industry are 92A and 92I.-!. *he di;erences between
the two are mainly the density and viscosity, with 92A generally being
delivered at 08" centistokes or less, and 92I at 7"" centistokes or less.
3hips with more advanced engines can process heavier, more viscous, and
thus cheaper, fuel. Aoverning bodies %i.e., $alifornia, 6uropean 1nion' around
the world have established 6mission $ontrol Areas %6$A' which limit the
maximum sulfur of fuels burned in their ports to limit pollution, reducing the
percentage of sulfur and other particulates from !.4J mKm to as little as .
&"J as of /"&4 inside an 6$A. As of /"&0 0.4J continued to be permitted
outside an 6$A.-4. *his is where 2arine Histillate Fuels and other
alternatives-5. to use of heavy bunker fuel come into play. *hey have similar
properties to Hiesel L/ which is used as road Hiesel around the world. *he
most common grades used in shipping are H2A and H2B.-7. Areenhouse gas
emissions resulting from the use of international bunker fuels are currently
included in national inventories -8. -:.
*able of fuel oils
?ame Alias Alias *ype $hain Mength
?o. & fuel oil ?o. & distillate ?o. & diesel fuel Histillate :(&5
?o. / fuel oil ?o. / distillate ?o. / diesel fuel Histillate &"(/"
?o. 0 fuel oil ?o. 0 distillate ?o. 0 diesel fuel Histillate
?o. ! fuel oil ?o. ! distillate ?o. ! residual fuel oil
HistillateK9esidual &/(7"
?o. 4 fuel oil ?o. 4 residual fuel oil Eeavy fuel oil 9esidual
&/(7"
?o. 5 fuel oil ?o. 5 residual fuel oil Eeavy fuel oil 9esidual
/"(7"
1ses
A fuel station in Nigui $ounty on the Oangt<e 9iver
@il has many usesF it heats homes and businesses and fuels trucks, ships and
some cars. A small amount of electricity is produced by diesel, but it is more
polluting and more expensive than natural gas. )t is often used as a backup
fuel for peaking power plants in case the supply of natural gas is interrupted
or as the main fuel for small electrical generators. )n 6urope, the use of diesel
is generally restricted to cars %about !"J', 31=s %about :"J', and trucks and
buses %virtually all'. *he market for home heating using fuel oil, called
heating oil, has decreased due to the widespread penetration of natural gas
as well as heat pumps. Eowever, it is very common in some areas, such as
the ?ortheastern 1nited 3tates.
Fuel oil truck making a delivery in ?orth $arolina, &:!4.
9esidual fuel oil is less useful because it is so viscous that it has to be heated
with a special heating system before use and it may contain relatively high
amounts of pollutants, particularly sulfur, which forms sulfur dioxide upon
combustion. Eowever, its undesirable properties make it very cheap. )n fact,
it is the cheapest liquid fuel available. 3ince it requires heating before use,
residual fuel oil cannot be used in road vehicles, boats or small ships, as the
heating equipment takes up valuable space and makes the vehicle heavier.
Eeating the oil is also a delicate procedure, which is inappropriate to do on
small, fast moving vehicles. Eowever, power plants and large ships are able
to use residual fuel oil.
1se of residual fuel oil was more common in the past. )t powered boilers,
railroad steam locomotives and steamships. Mocomotive has mainly been
electri,ed, and in some occasions uses dieselF steamships are not as common
as they were previously due to their higher operating costs %most M?A
carriers use steam plants, as Dboil(o;D gas emitted from the cargo can be
used as a fuel source'F and most boilers now use heating oil or natural gas.
3ome industrial boilers still use it and so do some old buildings, including in
?ew Oork $ity. *he $ity estimates that the &J of its buildings that burn fuel
oils ?o. ! and ?o. 5 are responsible for 85J of the soot pollution generated
by all buildings in the city. ?ew Oork has made the phase out of these fuel
grades part of its environmental plan, >la?O$, because of concerns for the
health e;ects caused by ,ne particulates.-&".
9esidual fuel+s use in electrical generation has also decreased. )n &:70,
residual fuel oil produced &5.8J of the electricity in the 13. By &:80, it had
fallen to 5./J, and as of /""4, electricity production from all forms of
petroleum, including diesel and residual fuel, is only 0J of total production.
*he decline is the result of price competition with natural gas and
environmental restrictions on emissions. For power plants, the costs of
heating the oil, extra pollution control and additional maintenance required
after burning it often outweigh the low cost of the fuel. Burning fuel oil,
particularly residual fuel oil, produces uniformly higher carbon dioxide
emissions than natural gas.-&&.
Eeavy fuel oils continue to be used in the boiler Dlighting upD facility in many
coal(,red power plants. *his use is approximately analogous to using kindling
to start a ,re. Without performing this act it is diGcult to begin the large(
scale combustion process.
*he chief drawback to residual fuel oil is its high initial viscosity, particularly
in the case of ?o. 5 oil, which requires a correctly engineered system for
storage, pumping, and burning. *hough it is still usually lighter than water
%with a speci,c gravity usually ranging from ".:4 to &."0' it is much heavier
and more viscous than ?o. / oil, kerosene, or gasoline. ?o. 5 oil must, in fact,
be stored at around &"" #F %08 #$' heated to &4"B/4" #F %55B&/& #$' before
it can be easily pumped, and in cooler temperatures it can congeal into a
tarry semisolid. *he ash point of most blends of ?o. 5 oil is, incidentally,
about &4" #F %55 #$'. Attempting to pump high(viscosity oil at low
temperatures was a frequent cause of damage to fuel lines, furnaces, and
related equipment which were often designed for lighter fuels.
For comparison, B3/85: $lass A heavy fuel oil behaves in similar fashion,
requiring storage at &"! #F %!" #$', pumping at around &// #F %4" #$' and
,nalising for burning at around &:!B/!8 #F %:"B&/" #$'.
2ost of the facilities which historically burned ?o. 5 or other residual oils were
industrial plants and similar facilities constructed in the early or mid /"th
century, or which had switched from coal to oil fuel during the same time
period. )n either case, residual oil was seen as a good prospect because it
was cheap and readily available. 2ost of these facilities have subsequently
been closed and demolished, or have replaced their fuel supplies with a
simpler one such as gas or ?o. / oil. *he high sulfur content of ?o. 5 oilPup
to 0J by weight in some extreme casesPhad a corrosive e;ect on many
heating systems %which were usually designed without adequate corrosion
protection in mind', shortening their lifespans and increasing the polluting
e;ects. *his was particularly the case in furnaces that were regularly shut
down and allowed to go cold, since the internal condensation produced
sulfuric acid.
6nvironmental cleanups at such facilities are frequently complicated by the
use of asbestos insulation on the fuel feed lines. ?o. 5 oil is very persistent,
and does not degrade rapidly. )ts viscosity and stickiness also make
remediation of underground contamination very diGcult, since these
properties reduce the e;ectiveness of methods such as air stripping.
When released into water, such as a river or ocean, residual oil tends to break
up into patches or tarballsPmixtures of oil and particulate matter such as silt
and oating organic matter( rather than form a single slick. An average of
about 4(&"J of the material will evaporate within hours of the release,
primarily the lighter hydrocarbon fractions. *he remainder will then often sink
to the bottom of the water column.
2aritime
)n the maritime ,eld another type of classi,cation is used for fuel oilsQ
2A@ %2arine gas oil' ( roughly equivalent to ?o. / fuel oil, made from
distillate only
2H@ %2arine diesel oil' ( A blend of heavy gasoil that may contain very
small amounts of black re,nery feed stocks, but has a low viscosity up to &/
c3t so it need not be heated for use in internal combustion engines
)F@ %)ntermediate fuel oil' A blend of gasoil and heavy fuel oil, with less
gasoil than marine diesel oil
2F@ %2arine fuel oil' ( same as EH@ %Cust another DnamingD'
EF@ %Eeavy fuel oil' ( >ure or nearly pure residual oil, roughly equivalent to
?o. 5 fuel oil
2arine diesel oil contains some heavy fuel oil, unlike regular diesels. Also,
marine fuel oils sometimes contain waste products such as used motor oil.
3tandards and classi,cation
$$A) and $)) are two indexes which describe the ignition quality of residual
fuel oil, and $$A) is especially often calculated for marine fuels. Hespite this,
marine fuels are still quoted on the international bunker markets with their
maximum viscosity %which is set by the )3@ 8/&7 standard ( see below' due
to the fact that marine engines are designed to use di;erent viscosities of
fuel.-&/. *he unit of viscosity used is the $entistoke and the fuels most
frequently quoted are listed below in order of cost, the least expensive ,rst(
)F@ 08" ( )ntermediate fuel oil with a maximum viscosity of 08"
$entistokes %R0.4J sulphur'
)F@ &8" ( )ntermediate fuel oil with a maximum viscosity of &8"
$entistokes %R0.4J sulphur'
M3 08" ( Mow(sulphur %R&."J' intermediate fuel oil with a maximum
viscosity of 08" $entistokes
M3 &8" ( Mow(sulphur %R&."J' intermediate fuel oil with a maximum
viscosity of &8" $entistokes
2H@ ( 2arine diesel oil.
2A@ ( 2arine gasoil.
M32A@ ( Mow(sulphur %R".&J' 2arine Aas @il ( *he fuel is to be used in 61
community >orts and Anchorages. 61 3ulphur directive /""4K00K6$
1M32A@ ( 1ltra Mow 3ulphur 2arine Aas @il ( referred to as 1ltra Mow 3ulfur
Hiesel %sulphur ".""&4J max' in the 13 and Auto Aas @il %sulphur ".""&J
max' in the 61. 2aximum sulphur allowable in 13 territories and territorial
waters %inland, marine and automotive' and in the 61 for inland use.
*he density is also an important parameter for fuel oils since marine fuels are
puri,ed before use to remove water and dirt from the oil. 3ince the puri,ers
use centrifugal force, the oil must have a density which is suGciently
di;erent from water. @lder puri,ers had a maximum of ::& kgKm0F with
modern puri,ers it is also possible to purify oil with a density of &"&" kgKm0.
*he ,rst British standard for fuel oil came in &:8/. *he latest standard is )3@
8/&7 from /""4. *he )3@ standard describe four qualities of distillate fuels
and &" qualities of residual fuels. @ver the years the standards have become
stricter on environmentally important parameters such as sulfur content. *he
latest standard also banned the adding of used lubricating oil %1M@'.
3ome parameters of marine fuel oils according to )3@ 8/&7 %0. ed /""4'Q
2arine Histillate Fuels
>arameter 1nit Mimit H2S H2A H2B H2$
Hensity at &4#$ kgKm0 2ax ( 8:"." :""." :/"."
=iscosity at !"#$ mmTKs 2ax 4.4 5." &&." &!."
mmTKs 2in &.! &.4 ( (
Water J =K= 2ax ( ( ".0 ".0
3ulfur& J %mKm' 2ax &." &.4 /." /."
Aluminium U 3ilicon/ mgKkg 2ax ( ( ( /4
Flash point0 #$ 2in !0 5" 5" 5"
>our point, 3ummer #$ 2ax ( " 5 5
>our point, Winter #$ 2ax ( (5 " "
$loud point #$ 2ax (&5 ( ( (
$alculated $etane )ndex 2in !4 !" 04 (
2aximum sulfur content in the open ocean is 0.4J since Vanuary /"&/.
2ax sulfur content is &.""J in designated areas, and will be ".&J after
Vanuary &, /"&4.
*he aluminiumUsilicon value is used to check for remains of the catalyst
after catalytic cracking. 2ost catalysts contains aluminium or silicon and
remains of catalyst can cause damage to the engine.
*he ash point of all fuels used in the engine room should be at least 5"#$
%H2S is used for things like emergency generators and not normally used in
the engine room'.
2arine 9esidual Fuels
>arameter 1nit Mimit 92A 0" 92B 0" 92H 8" 926 &8"
92F &8" 92A 08" 92E 08" 92I 08" 92E 7"" 92I
7""
Hensity at &4#$ kgKm0 2ax :5"." :74." :8"." ::&." ::&." ::&."
::&." &"&"." ::&." &"&"."
=iscosity at 4"#$ mmTKs 2ax 0"." 0"." 8"." &8"." &8"." 08"."
08"." 08"." 7""." 7""."
Water J =K= 2ax ".4 ".4 ".4 ".4 ".4 ".4 ".4
".4 ".4 ".4
3ulfur& J %mKm' 2ax 0.4 0.4 !." !.4 !.4 !.4 !.4
!.4 !.4 !.4
Aluminium U 3ilicon/ mgKkg 2ax 8" 8" 8" 8" 8"
8" 8" 8" 8" 8"
Flash point0 #$ 2in 5" 5" 5" 5" 5" 5" 5" 5"
5" 5"
>our point, 3ummer #$ 2ax 5 /! 0" 0" 0" 0"
0" 0" 0" 0"
>our point, Winter #$ 2ax " /! 0" 0" 0" 0" 0"
0" 0" 0"
2aximum sulfur content in the open ocean is 0.4J since Vanuary /"&/.
2ax sulfur content is &.""J in designated areas, and will be ".&J after
Vanuary &, /"&4.
*he aluminiumUsilicon value is used to check for remains of the catalyst
after catalytic cracking. 2ost catalysts contains aluminium or silicon and
remains of catalyst can cause damage to the engine.
*he ash point of all fuels used in the engine room should be at least 5"#$.
%apart from those gaseous fuels such as M>AKM?A which have special class
rules applied to the fuel systems'
*ransportation
Fuel oil is transported worldwide by eets of oil tankers making deliveries to
suitably si<ed strategic ports such as Eouston, 3ingapore, FuCairah, Balboa,
$ristobal, Algeciras and 9otterdam. Where a convenient seaport does not
exist, inland transport may be achieved with the use of barges. *he lighter
fuel oils can also be transported through pipelines. *he maCor physical supply
chains of 6urope are along the 9hine.
6nvironmental issues
6missions from bunker fuel burning in ships contribute to air pollution levels
in many port cities, especially where the emissions from industry and road
traGc have been controlled. *he switch of auxiliary engines from heavy fuel
oil to diesel oil at berth can result in large emission reductions, especially for
3@/ and >2. $@/ emissions from bunker fuels sold are not added to national
AEA emissions. For small countries with large international ports, there is an
important di;erence between the emissions in territorial waters and the total
emissions of the fuel sold.-:.
3ee also
$oconut oilQ an important fuel for ships in regions such as the >hilippines,
>apua ?ew Auinea, =anuatu-&0.
Hiesel fuel
Aasoline
Eeating oil
Vet fuel
Ierosene
Mubricant
?aphtha
Aas @il 3eparation >lant
Fuel management systems
Fuel price risk management
2arine fuel management
Eot bulb engine
>yrolysis oil
9eferences
*he 2acWuarie Hictionary 0rd ed, *he 2acWuarie Mibrary &::7
Ient, Vames A. 9iegel+s Eandbook of )ndustrial $hemistry %&:80' =an
?ostrand 9einhold $ompany )3B? "(!!/(/"&5!(8 pp.!:/(!:0
>erry, 9obert E., $hilton, $ecil E. and Iirkpatrick, 3idney H. >erry+s
$hemical 6ngineers+ Eandbook !th edition %&:50' 2cAraw Eill p.:(5
92A and 92I
D3ulphur oxides %3@x' B 9egulation &!D. )nternational 2arine @rgani<ation.
9etrieved Vuly &&, /"&0. D3@x and particulate matter emission controls apply
to all fuel oilD
9obert Wall %Vuly &", /"&0'. D9olls(9oyce 9evives Age of 3ail to Beat Fuel(
$ost 3urgeQ FreightD. Bloomberg. 9etrieved Vuly &&, /"&0. Da development
which will prompt a switch to Xa much more diverse fuel palletD
H2A and H2B
3chrooten, MF He =lieger, )naF )nt >anis, MucF $hiG, $osimoF >astori, 6nrico
%/"":'. D6missions of maritime transportQ a reference systemD. 3cience of the
*otal 6nvironment !"8Q 0&8B0/0.
doiQ&".&"&5KC.scitotenv./"":."7."07&".&&85K&!75("5:S(:(5!.
3chrooten, MF He =lieger, )naF )nt >anis, MucF 3tyns, 9. *orfs, IF *orfs, 9
%/""8'. D)nventory and forecasting of maritime emissions in the Belgian sea
territory, an activity based emission modelD. Atmospheric 6nvironment (
!/%!'557(575%/""8' !/ %!'Q 557B575.
D2ayor Bloomberg >resents an 1pdate to >la?O$Q a Areener, Areater ?ew
OorkD. ?O$.gov. 9etrieved // April /"&&.
httpQKKwww.eia.doe.govKoiafK&5"4KcoeGcients.html
Bunkerworld.com Bunker prices for 9otterdam
?ational Aeographic maga<ine, April /"&/
Bunker >ricing 2ethodologies
6xternal links
?ational >ark 3ervice ( Fuel @il
)mplications of the /"&4 6$A sulphur
regulation
/"&! 10
3hare on email
From & Vanuary /"&4 new legal requirements will come into force in the
6mission $ontrol Areas %6$A' in ?orth 6urope %)ncluding the Baltic 3ea, ?orth
3ea and 6nglish $hannel' and ?orth America %/"" nautical miles from
American and $anadian shore'. *his legal requirement will lower the
maximum allowed content of sulphur in fuel burned in the 6$AYs to ".&J
sulphur from todays &."J.
3ee map below for further detail.
*he /"&4 requirements will have signi,cant positive e;ects on the
environmental and health in the regions and 2aersk Mine fully supports such
a development, subCect to strict regulatory enforcement to safeguard the
environmental bene,ts and ensure a level playing ,eld for ship operators.

2ap of 6mission $ontrol Areas in 6urope and ?orth America.
)2>M)$A*)@?3
*his requirement will have the following e;ects and implications for society,
2aersk Mine, and our customersQ
6nvironment and EealthQ 3ulphur emissions %3@x' will be reduced by :"J
which will have signi,cant positive e;ects on the environment and on health
in general. 3@x emissions are toxic and cause respiratory implications as well
as acid rain.
2aersk MineQ Fuel with a sulphur content of ".&J is signi,cantly more
expensive than fuel with &."J sulphur content required in 6$A areas today.
By /"&4, 2aersk Mine expects to purchase 54",""" tonnes of fuel with ".&J
sulphur content annually for our eet, equal to 7J of all fuel purchased.
Based on the current price di;erence of 13H 0"" per ton %approx. 4"J', the
additional cost to 2aersk Mine will be around 13H /4" 2illion per year.
@n top of that 2aersk Mine will face increased costs for buying services from
third(party feeder operators, who will also have increasing fuel costs.
$ustomersQ *o o;set the additional cost incurred, 2aersk Mine will incorporate
the higher average fuel costs into the existing standard bunker surcharge
%3BF'. We expect that additional cost to customers in a;ected trades will be
between 13H 4" and &4" per !"Y container to and from main ports,
depending on transit time inside 6$A areas and whether touching 6$A areas
at both origin and destination. 9eefer containers will incur higher cost due to
fuel used to generate power on board vesselsF also cost will uctuate
depending on the volatility of low sulphur fuel prices.
2aersk Mine will communicate more detailed 3BF increases per trade when
we get closer to implementation date and price di;erence between the
di;erent fuel types can be more precisely estimated.
?66H F@9 3*9@?A69 6?F@9$626?*
*he ?orth American 6$A requirements are strongly enforced, but the current
weak enforcement of the ?orth 6uropean 6$A requirements combined with
the signi,cant cost burden increase in /"&4 might lead to increased non(
compliance. *his would not only weaken the positive e;ect on air quality, it
would also be a maCor competitive disadvantage for the shipping companies
that follow the rules.
2aersk Mine is strongly encouraging relevant national authorities to put in
place strict enforcement regimes that will create an industry level playing
,eld and ensure that the positive environmental impact is not diluted.
1ltra(low(sulfur diesel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1ltra(low(sulfur diesel %1M3H' is diesel fuel with substantially lowered sulfur
content. As of /""5, almost all of the petroleum(based diesel fuel available in
1I, 6urope and ?orth America is of a 1M3H type. *here is not a single
standard set of speci,cations and as the government mandated standard
becomes progressively more strict so does the de,nition.
*he move to lower sulfur content is expected to allow the application of
newer emissions control technologies that should substantially lower
emissions of particulate matter from diesel engines. *his change occurred
,rst in the 6uropean 1nion and is now happening in ?orth America. ?ew
emissions standards, dependent on the cleaner fuel, have been in e;ect for
automobiles in the 1nited 3tates since model year /""7.
1M3H has a lower energy content due to the heavy processing required to
remove large amounts of sulfur from oil, leading to %& to /J' lower fuel
economy. 1sing it requires more costly oil.-&.
$ontents
& Africa
&.& Ienya
&./ 2auritius
&.0 3outh Africa
&.! 2orocco
/ 6urope
/.& 6uropean 1nion
/.&.& 3weden
/./ $entral and 6astern 6urope %XAccession $ountriesZ'
0 ?orth America
0.& $anada
0./ 2exico
0.0 1nited 3tates
! 3outh America
!.& $hile
!./ Argentina
!.0 Bra<il
!.! 1ruguay
!.4 $olombia
4 Asia
4.& $hina
4./ )ndia
4.0 Eong Iong
4.! 3ingapore
4.4 *aiwan
5 @ceania
5.& Australia
5./ ?ew Nealand
7 9ussia K $)3 K Former 3oviet 1nion
8 3ee also
: 9eferences
&" 6xternal links
Africa
Ienya
3ome ,lling stations in Ienya started o;ering 4" ppm diesel as of Hecember
/"&".-/.
2auritius
As of Vune /"&/, 4" ppm diesel is now standard across all ,lling stations, in a
bid to reduce pollution.-0.
3outh Africa
4" ppm was ,rst legislated by the 3outh African Hepartment of 2inerals and
6nergy in early /""5, and has been widely available since then.
3outh Africa+s $lean Fuels / standard, expected to be begin in /"&7, will
reduce the allowable sulphur content to &" ppm. 3asol has already launched
&"ppm diesel at selected ,lling stations as of /"&0.-!.
2orocco
2orocco has started to introduce 4" ppm diesel to ,lling stations as of /"":.
-4.
6urope
6uropean 1nion
)n the 6uropean 1nion, the X6uro )=Z standard has applied since /""4, which
speci,es a maximum of 4" ppm of sulfur in diesel fuel for most highway
vehiclesF-5. ultra(low(sulfur diesel with a maximum of &" ppm of sulfur must
Xbe availableZ from /""4 and was widely available as of /""8. A ,nal target
%to be con,rmed by the 6uropean $ommission' of /"": for the ,nal reduction
of sulfur to &" ppm, which will be considered the entry into force of the 6uro
= fuel standard. )n /"":, diesel fuel for most non(highway applications is also
expected to conform to the 6uro = standard for fuel. =arious exceptions exist
for certain uses and applications, most of which are being phased out over a
period of several years. )n particular, the so(called 61 accession countries
%primarily in 6astern 6urope', have been granted certain temporary
exemptions to allow for transition.
$ertain 61 countries may apply higher standards or require faster transition.
-7. For example, Aermany implemented a tax incentive of per litre of Dsulphur
freeD fuel %both gasoline and diesel' containing less than &" ppm beginning in
Vanuary /""0 and average sulphur content was estimated in /""5 to be 0(4
ppm. 3imilar measures have been enacted in most of the ?ordic countries,
Benelux, )reland and the 1nited Iingdom to encourage early adoption of the
4" ppm and &" ppm fuel standards.-8.
3weden
3ince &::", diesel fuel with a sulfur content of 4" ppm %".""4J' has been
available on the 3wedish market. From the year &::/, production started of a
diesel fuel with / to 4 ppm of sulfur and a maximum of 4J by volume
aromatics. *here are certain tax incentives for using this fuel and from about
year /""", this low aromatic, low sulfur fuel has achieved :8(::J
penetration of the 3wedish diesel fuel market. ?ow 926 %rapeseed methyl
ester, also known as FA26 %Fatty Acid 2ethyl 6ster'' is a biofuel additive.
3ince /""0, a D<eroD sulfur with very low aromatic content %less than &J by
volume' diesel fuel has been made available on the 3wedish market under
the name 6co>ar. )t is used wherever the working environment is highly
polluted, an example being where diesel trucks are used in con,ned spaces
such as in harbours, inside storage houses, during construction of road and
rail tunnels [ in vehicles that are predominantly run in city centres.
$entral and 6astern 6urope %XAccession $ountriesZ'
As of /""8, most accession countries are expected to have made the
transition to diesel fuel with &" ppm sulfur or less. 3lightly di;erent times for
transition have applied to each of the countries, but most have been required
to reduce the maximum sulfur content to less than 4" ppm since /""4.-0.
$ertain exemptions are expected for certain industries and applications,
which will also be phased out over time. $ompared to other 61 countries,
1M3H may be less widely available.
?orth America
$anada
1nder 3ulphur in Hiesel Fuel 9egulations %3@9K/""/(/4!', the sulphur content
of diesel fuel produced or imported was reduced to &4 ppm after 0& 2ay
/""5. *his was followed by the reduction of sulphur in diesel fuel sold for use
in on(road vehicles after 0& August /""5. For the designated ?orthern 3upply
Area, the deadline for reducing the sulfur content of diesel fuel for use in on(
road vehicles was 0& August /""7.
An amendment titled 9egulations Amending the 3ulphur in Hiesel Fuel
9egulations %3@9K/""4(0"4' added following deadlinesQ
concentration of sulphur in diesel fuel produced or imported for use in o;(
road engines shall not exceed 4"" ppm from & Vune /""7 until 0& 2ay /"&",
and &4 ppm after that date.
concentration of sulphur in diesel fuel sold for use in o;(road engines shall
not exceed 4"" ppm from & @ctober /""7 until 0" 3eptember /"&", and &4
ppm after that date.
concentration of sulphur in diesel fuel sold in the northern supply area for
use in o;(road engines shall not exceed 4"" ppm from & Hecember /""8
until 0" ?ovember /"&&, and &4 ppm after that date.
concentration of sulfur in diesel fuel produced or imported for use in vessel
engines or railway locomotive engines shall not exceed 4"" parts per million
%ppm' from & Vune /""7 until 0& 2ay /"&/, and &4 ppm after that date.
An amendment titled 9egulations Amending the 3ulphur in Hiesel Fuel
9egulations %3@9K3@9K/""5(&50' allowed diesel with sulfur content up to //
ppm to be sold for onroad vehicles between & 3eptember /""5 and &4
@ctober /""5, then &4 ppm after that date. *his amendment facilitated the
introduction of &4 ppm sulfur diesel fuel for on(road use in /""5, by
lengthening the period between the dates that the productionKimport limit
and the sales limit come into e;ect. )t provided additional time to fully turn
over the higher(sulfur diesel fuel inventory for on(road use in the distribution
system. *he requirements of the 9egulations were aligned, in level and
timing, with those of the 1.3. 6>A.
2exico
2exico has begun limited introductions of 1M3H along the border with the
1nited 3tates.-:.
1nited 3tates
As of 3eptember /""7, most on(highway diesel fuel sold at retail locations in
the 1nited 3tates is 1M3H.-&".
1ltra(low(sulfur diesel fuel was proposed by 6>A as a new standard for the
sulfur content in on(road diesel fuel sold in the 1nited 3tates since @ctober
&4, /""5, except for rural Alaska who transferred in /"&". $alifornia has
required it since 3eptember &, /""5. *his new regulation applies to all diesel
fuel, diesel fuel additives and distillate fuels blended with diesel for on(road
use, such as kerosene, however, it does not yet apply to railroad locomotives,
marine, or o; road uses. 3ince Hecember &, /"&", all highway diesel fuel
have been 1M3H. ?on(road diesel engine fuel was required to move to 4""
ppm sulfur in /""7, and further to 1M3H in /"&". 9ailroad locomotive and
marine diesel fuel also moved to 4"" ppm sulfur in /""7, and will change to
1M3H in /"&/. *here are exemptions for small re,ners of non(road,
locomotive and marine diesel fuel that allow for 4"" ppm diesel to remain in
the system until /"&!. After Hecember &, /"&! all highway, non(road,
locomotive and marine diesel fuel produced and imported will be 1M3H.
*he 6>A mandated the use of 1M3H fuel in model year /""7 and newer
highway diesel fuel engines equipped with advanced emission control
systems that require the new fuel. *hese advanced emission control
technologies will be required for marine diesel engines in /"&! and for
locomotives in /"&4.
*he allowable sulfur content for 1M3H %&4 ppm' is much lower than the
previous 1.3. on(highway standard for low sulfur diesel %M3H, 4"" ppm' which
allows advanced emission control systems to be ,tted that would otherwise
be poisoned by these compounds. *hese systems can greatly reduce
emissions of oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter.
Because this grade of fuel is comparable to 6uropean grades, 6uropean
engines will no longer have to be redesigned to cope with higher sulfur
content in the 1.3. *hese engines may use advanced emissions control
systems which would otherwise be damaged by sulfur. *hus the 1M3H
standard is increasing the availability of diesel(fueled passenger cars in the
1.3. )n 6urope, diesel(engined automobiles have been much more popular
with buyers than has been the case in the 1.3.
Additionally, the 6>A is assisting manufacturers with the transition to tougher
emissions regulations by loosening them for model year /""7 to /"&" light(
duty diesel engines.-&&. As a result, Eonda, ?issan, 3ubaru, *oyota, and
others are expecting to begin producing diesel vehicles for the 1.3. market to
Coin those from 2ercedes(Ben<, Audi, =olkswagen, and B2W.-&/.
According to 6>A estimates, with the implementation of the new fuel
standards for diesel, nitrogen oxide emissions will be reduced by /.5 million
tons each year and soot or particulate matter will be reduced by &&","""
tons a year.
@n Vune &, /""5, 1.3. re,ners were required to produce 8"J of their annual
output as 1M3H %&4 ppm', and petroleum marketers and retailers were
required to label-&0. diesel fuel, diesel fuel additives and kerosone pumps
with 6>A(authori<ed language disclosing fuel type and sulfur content. @ther
requirements e;ective Vune &, /""5, including 6>A(authori<ed language on
>roduct *ransfer Hocuments and sulfur(content testing standards, are
designed to prevent misfueling, contamination by higher(sulfur fuels and
liability issues. *he 6>A deadline for industry compliance to a &4 ppm sulfur
content was originally set for Vuly &4, /""5 for distribution terminals, and by
3eptember &, /""5 for retail. But on ?ovember 8, /""4, the deadline was
extended by &.4 months to 3eptember &, /""5 for terminals and @ctober &4,
/""5 for retail. )n $alifornia, the extension was not granted and followed the
original schedule. As of Hecember, /""5, the 1M3H standard has been in
e;ect according to the amended schedule, and compliance at retail locations
was reported to be in place.
3ulfur is not a lubricant in of itself, but it can combine with the nickel content
in many metal alloys to form a low melting point eutectic alloy that can
increase lubricity. *he process used to reduce the sulfur also reduces the
fuel+s lubricating properties. Mubricity is a measure of the fuel+s ability to
lubricate and protect the various parts of the engine+s fuel inCection system
from wear. *he processing required to reduce sulfur to &4 ppm also removes
naturally(occurring lubricity agents in diesel fuel. *o manage this change
A3*2 )nternational %formerly the American 3ociety for *esting and 2aterials'
adopted the lubricity speci,cation de,ned in A3*2 H:74-&!. for all diesel
fuels and this standard went into e;ect Vanuary &, /""4.-&4. *he H:74
standard de,nes two 1M3H standards, Arade ?o. /(H 3&4 %regular 1M3H' and
Arade ?o. &(H 3&4 %a higher volatility fuel with a lower gelling temperature
than regular 1M3H'.
*he re,ning process that removes the sulfur also reduces the aromatic
content and density of the fuel, resulting in a minor decrease in the energy
content, by about &J. %$itation needed' *his decrease in energy content may
result in slightly reduced peak power and fuel economy.
*he transition to 1M3H is not without substantial costs. *he 13 Aovernment
has estimated that pump prices for diesel fuel will increase between \."4 and
\./4 per gallon as a result of the transition. And, according to the American
>etroleum )nstitute, the domestic re,ning industry has invested over \8
Billion to comply with the new regulations.
1M3H will run in any engine designed for the A3*2 H:74 diesel fuels.
Eowever, it is known to cause some seals to shrink,-&5. and may cause fuel
pump failures in =olkswagen *H) engines used in /""5 to pre(/"": models.
*H) engines from /"": and on are designed to use 1M3H exclusivelyF
biodiesel blends are reported to prevent that failure.-&7.
3outh America
-&8.
$hile
$hile requires R&4(ppm-&:. in 3antiago, for diesel since /"&&, and the rest of
the country requires R4"(ppm.-/".
Argentina
)n Argentina there are / classes of diesel fuel, one with !" >>2 sold by O>F,
633@, >6*9@B9A3, etc. and another variant of diesel with 4"" >>2 sold by
the same ,rms. 3E6MM has a >remium >roduct called =(>@W69 H)636M with
&" >>2 of sulphur.(
Bra<il
3ince Vanuary /"&/, Bra<ilian service stations started o;ering two types of
Hiesel, 4" ppm and 4"" ppm on most areas and &8"" ppm in remote areas.
3ince Vanuary /"&0 *he &" ppm or 619@ = Hiesel replaced the 4" ppm
Hiesel, which is now widely used and can be found in the maCority of service
stations, and the &8"" ppm was discontinued. All vehicles produced or sold in
Bra<il since Vanuary /"&/ must be able to use only 4" ppm or lower sulfur
Hiesel. Also, all Hiesel available for purchase in Bra<il contains 4J of
Biodiesel. .-/&.
1ruguay
1ruguay is expected to impose a 4"(ppm 1M3H limit by /"":. 7"J of the fuel
used in 1ruguay is diesel.-citation needed.
$olombia
3ince Vanuary &, /"&0, $olombia+s diesel has R4" >>2 for public and private
transport.-//.
Asia
$hina
%2ainland' $hina has limited sulfur in diesel fuel to &4" ppm, equivalent to
the 6uro ))) standard with limits of &" ppm applied for certain cities such as
BeiCing.-/0.
From /"&! to /"&7, $hina will limit sulfur in diesel fuel to 4"ppm. After /"&7,
the sulfur content in diesel fuel will be limited to &"ppm.-/!.
)ndia
Helhi ,rst introduced 4" ppm sulfur diesel on April &, /"&" as a step aimed at
curbing vehicular pollution in the capital. *his was simultaneously done in &/
other cities at the time. *he sulphur content in the diesel being used
previously was 04" ppm.-/4.
*here are two types of Hiesel available in )ndia from year /"&". Bharat 3tage
)= %equivalent to 6uro )=' speci,cation having 3ulfur level below 4" ppm is
available in
Helhi[?$9,2umabi,Iolakata,$hennai,Bengaluru,>une,Ianpur,Agra,3urat,Eyd
erabad,Ahemadabad,3holapur and Mucknow. Fuel with less than 04" ppm
3ulfur is available in rest of )ndia.
Eong Iong
)n Vuly /""", Eong Iong became the ,rst city in Asia to introduce 1M3H, with
sulfur content of 4" parts per million %ppm'. )n addition, new petrol private
cars were asked to meet 6uro ))) standards from /""&.
3ince the introduction of the law, all fuel station started supplying 1M3H since
August /""".
3ulfur content of regular diesel fuel was lowered from 4"" ppm to 04" ppm
on & Vanuary /""&.
As part of the 1M3H package, Eong Iong government lowered the tax for
1M3H from EI\/.8: to \/."" per litre in Vune &::8. *he temporary concession
was subsequently extended to 0& 2arch /""", then to 0& Hecember /""".
@n &: Vune /""", under 9eport of the 3ubcommittee on resolution under
section !%/' of the Hutiable $ommodities @rdinance %$ap. &":', 1M3H fuel tax
was lowered to EI\&.&& per litre between 7 Vuly /""" and 0& Hecember
/""", then increased to \/ in /""&, then \/.8: per litre on & Vanuary /""/.
*his resolution was passed on /7 Vune /""".
1nder M$ >aper ?o. M3 07K""("&, which passed in /" Hecember /""", the
\&.&& per litre tax rate was extended to 0" Vune /""&.
1nder M$ >aper ?o. M3 &&4K""("&, which passed in /" Vune /""&, the \&.&&
per litre tax rate was extended to 0& 2arch /""/, then the tax would be
raised to \/.8: per litre afterwards.
1nder M$ >aper ?o. M3 57K"&("/, which passed in &0 2arch /""/, the \&.&&
per litre tax rate was extended to 0& 2arch /""0.
1nder M$ >aper ?o. M3 75K"/("0, which passed in &: 2arch /""0, the \&.&&
per litre tax rate was extended to 0& 2arch /""!.
1nder M$ >aper ?o. M3 4:K"0("!, which passed in /! 2arch /""!, the \&.&&
per litre tax rate was extended to 0& Hecember /""!.
3ingapore
*he ?ational 6nvironment Agency %?6A' de,nes ultra low sulfur diesel %1M3H'
as diesel fuel with less than 4"ppm, or ".""4 per cent, sulfur content.
@n Vune &5, /""4, ?6A announced that the use of 1M3H would be mandatory
beginning Hecember &, /""4. *he regulation also o;ered tax incentives for
6uro )= diesel taxis, buses and commercial vehicles between Vune &, /""!
and 3eptember 0, /""5, pending a mandatory conversion to 6uro )=(
compliant vehicles in /""7.
*aiwan
Beginning in Vuly &, /""7, *aiwan has limited sulfur in diesel fuel to &" ppm.
-/5.
@ceania
Australia
Australia has had a limit of &" ppm since Vanuary &, /"":.-/7. *he limit was
previously 4" ppm.
?ew Nealand
?ew Nealand has had a limit of &" ppm since Vanuary &, /"":.-/8. >rior to
that, the limit was 4" ppm.
9ussia K $)3 K Former 3oviet 1nion
As of /""/, much of the former 3oviet 1nion still applies limits on sulfur in
diesel fuel substantially higher than in Western 6urope. 2aximum levels of
/,""" and 4,""" ppm are applied for di;erent uses. )n 9ussia, lower
maximum levels of 04" ppm and 4"" ppm sulfur in automotive fuel are
enforced in certain areas, particularly in regions. 6uro )= and 6uro = fuel with
a concentration of 4" ppm or less is available at certain fueling stations, at
least in part to comply with emissions control equipment on foreign(
manufactured cars and trucks, number of which is increased every year,
especially in big cities, such as 2oscow and 3t.>etersburg. Accordingly to the
current technical regulation, selling a fuel with sulfur content ]4" ppm is
allowed until 0& Hecember /"&&. 6uro )= diesel may in particular be available
at fueling stations selling to long(distance truck eets servicing import and
export ows between 9ussia and the 61.-/:.
3ulphur oxides %3@x' B 9egulation &!
3@x and particulate matter emission controls apply to all fuel oil, as de,ned
in regulation /.:, combustion equipment and devices onboard and therefore
include both main and all auxiliary engines together with items such boilers
and inert gas generators. *hese controls divide between those applicable
inside 6mission $ontrol Areas %6$A' established to limit the emission of 3@x
and particulate matter and those applicable outside such areas and are
primarily achieved by limiting the maximum sulphur content of the fuel oils
as loaded, bunkered, and subsequently used onboard. *hese fuel oil sulphur
limits %expressed in terms of J mKm B that is by weight' are subCect to a
series of step changes over the years, regulations &!.& and &!.!Q


@utside an 6$A established to limit 3@x and particulate matter emissions
)nside an 6$A established to limit 3@x and particulate matter emissions

!.4"J mKm prior to & Vanuary /"&/ &.4"J mKm prior to & Vuly
/"&"


0.4"J mKm on and after & Vanuary /"&/ &.""J mKm on and after &
Vuly /"&"


".4"J mKm on and after & Vanuary /"/"^ ".&"J mKm on and after
& Vanuary /"&4


^ depending on the outcome of a review, to be concluded in /"&8, as to the
availability of the required fuel oil, this date could be deferred to & Vanuary
/"/4.

*he 6$A established areQ
Baltic 3ea area B as de,ned in Annex ) of 2A9>@M %3@x only'F
?orth 3ea area B as de,ned in Annex = of 2A9>@M %3@x only'F
?orth American area %entered into e;ect & August /"&/' B as de,ned in
Appendix =)) of Annex =) of 2A9>@M %3@x, ?@x and >2'F and
1nited 3tates $aribbean 3ea area %expected to enter into e;ect & Vanuary
/"&!' B as de,ned in Appendix =)) of Annex =) of 2A9>@M %3@x, ?@x and >2'.
2ost ships which operate both outside and inside these 6$A will therefore
operate on di;erent fuel oils in order to comply with the respective limits. )n
such cases, prior to entry into the 6$A, it is required to have fully changed(
over to using the 6$A compliant fuel oil, regulation &!.5, and to have onboard
implemented written procedures as to how this is to be undertaken. 3imilarly
change(over from using the 6$A compliant fuel oil is not to commence until
after exiting the 6$A. At each change(over it is required that the quantities of
the 6$A compliant fuel oils onboard are recorded, together with the date,
time and position of the ship when either completing the change(over prior to
entry or commencing change(over after exit from such areas. *hese records
are to be made in a logbook as prescribed by the shipYs ag 3tate, in the
absence of any speci,c requirement in this regard the record could be made,
for example, in the shipYs Annex ) @il 9ecord Book.

*he ,rst level of control in this respect is therefore on the actual sulphur
content of the fuel oils as bunkered. *his value is to be stated by the fuel oil
supplier on the bunker delivery note and hence this, together with other
related aspects, is directly linked to the fuel oil quality requirements as
covered under regulation &8 B see below. *hereafter it is for the shipYs crew to
ensure, in respect of the 6$A compliant fuel oils, that through avoiding
loading into otherwise part ,lled storage, settling or service tanks, or in the
course of transfer operations, that such fuel oils do not become mixed with
other, higher sulphur content fuel oils, so that the fuel oil as actually used
within an 6$A exceeds the applicable limit.

$onsequently, regulation &! provides both the limit values and the means to
comply. Eowever, there are other means by which equivalent levels of 3@x
and particulate matter emission control, both outside and inside 6$A, could
be achieved. *hese may be divided into methods termed primary %in which
the formation of the pollutant is avoided' or secondary %in which the pollutant
is formed but subsequently removed to some degree prior to discharge of the
exhaust gas stream to the atmosphere'. 9egulation !.& allows for the
application of such methods subCect to approval by the Administration. )n
approving such equivalents an Administration should take into account any
relevant guidelines. As of @ctober /"&" there are no guidelines in respect of
any primary methods %which could encompass, for example, onboard
blending of liquid fuel oils or dual fuel %gas K liquid' use'. )n terms of
secondary control methods, guidelines %26>$.&8!%4:'' have been adopted
for exhaust gas cleaning systems which operate by water washing the
exhaust gas stream prior to discharge to the atmosphere, in using such
arrangements there would be no constraint on the sulphur content of the fuel
oils as bunkered other than that given the systemYs certi,cation.
wallem
W2*$ ( 2umbai
*Q :& // /570 0: 0! K 04
FQ :& // /5700:05
Aeneral enquiries emailQ wmtc_wallem.com
$adet enquiriesQ rls_wallem.com
AddressQ &st oor, $rescent *owers, @shiwara, @; Minking 9oad, Andheri %W',
2umbai !"" "40

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