New Fuel For Cleaner Air Starting July 1

[Jollygoodfellow]

Wondering how this works for older cars? At least someone is trying to help clear the air.  :thumbsup:

 

Philippines shifts to cleaner fuel standards starting July 1

 

MANILA, March 25 (Reuters) - The Philippines on Wednesday ordered oil companies, including Petron Corp and local units of Shell (LSE: RDSB.L - news) and Chevron (Swiss: CVX.SW - news) , to sell only Euro IV-compliant fuels by July 1 in a drive to boost air quality in the Southeast Asian country.

While there have been improvements in the capital Manila, air quality in the city of 12 million people still remains below international standards, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje said.

The directive to shift from Euro II fuel norm also covers car manufacturers who can only bring in vehicles equipped with Euro IV engines starting Jan. 1, 2016, the minsiter said.

"We are imposing stricter emission standards for all vehicles to be used or introduced in the local market effective July this year," he said at a news briefing.

The sulfur content of the Euro IV fuel is up to 50 parts per million (ppm), way below the 500 ppm limit for Euro II fuel standards that the Philippines adopted in 2008, Paje said.

"Low sulfur fuels will lead to reduced emissions of particulate matter that, along with other pollutants, can penetrate deeply into sensitive parts of the lungs and can worsen existing respiratory and heart diseases," he said.

Paje said he had advised the oil companies to just export their remaining Euro II fuels before July 1.

The measure is a key step toward the country's goal to meet international air quality standards by 2016, he said.

The Southeast Asian nation is already many years behind other countries in taking action to improve air quality. Paje said some countries in Europe, in fact, have shifted to higher fuel standards.

The so-called Big 3 in the Philippines -- Petron, Shell and Chevron -- and their smaller rivals are supportive of the policy shift, he said.

Some car manufacturers, however, are seeking more time to prepare for the transition to new engine standards. "There is resistance up to now but we are not giving in," Paje said. 

 

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/philippines-shifts-cleaner-fuel-standards-082059856.html

[intrepid]

Wondering how this works for older cars?

 

Wondering how this works for price?

[Jack Peterson]

 

Wondering how this works for older cars?

 

Wondering how this works for price?

 

Just wondering how it all works? Since when did anyone really do what the Government told them To.  :rolleyes:

 

Just Asking  :unsure:

 

JP  :tiphat:   :thumbsup:

[Gerald Glatt]

Wondering how this works for price?

 

 

Most companies in states figure margins an percentage so if the work @4% and cost is $1 or if cost is $1.5 @4% and customer loss is minimal they would favor it.........If Its Good for Chevron its Good for FIL  

[Gator]

First, their talking about diesel fuel and not gasoline, The switch from Euro II / LSD (Low Sulfur Diesel, not the drug many of older guys might be a uhmmm familiar with, though I did get a bit excited when I first seen the "LSD" label on the pumps, lol) to Euro IV / ULSD (Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel) will have a range of impacts, mostly positive, but some negative. However, if the gov here really wanted to clean up emissions then they also need to implement/ mandate the usage of particulate filters and catalysts on diesel engines (gasoline engines in most cars built by the major auto companies within the last 3-4 decades already have emission control systems and catalytic converters).

 

For the sake of clarity, ULSD in the USA/Canada must not contain more than 15ppm sulfur whereas in Europe it must not exceed 50ppm, but through out most of Europe it's already refined to well under 15ppm (in some countries, such as Sweden, is at 2-5ppm). I would not be surprised if the ULSD that will be sold here is closer to 15ppm or less range as it's more readily available.

 

 

 

Wondering how this works for older cars? At least someone is trying to help clear the air.  :thumbsup:

 

 

 

It won't harm the engine itself, but it will most likely have a negative impact on the fuel delivery components and filters. ULSD has low lubricty and could cause seals/gaskets to fail (hence leaks and fuel pump issues), it will "clean" the inside of your tank and remove the "shellac" that has formed, hence clogged fuel filters. There could be an increase in micro-bacterial growth as ULSD holds less water. The water, usually formed as a result of condensation in the tank, will basically sit on the surface of the fuel, which accelerates the growths of microbes. The occasional use of additives to kill the little critters will be necessary, but their carcasses can still get into the fuel system and cause some problems by clogging the filter(s). If you see black slimy deposits in your filters then you know you have a problem with bacterial growth in your fuel tank.

 

In a nutshell, using ULSD = higher operating costs as service intervals need to be shortened; namely filters (both fuel and water separations filters) need to be changed more often, tanks cleaned more often, fuel lines inspected and changed more often and possibly shorter life spans of fuel pumps/pertinate gaskets and seals.

 

I sincerely doubt the smaller fleets and individual owner operators are even aware of the negative impacts the switch will have, and I doubt they'll provide their drivers with a spare set of filters to carry. Initially I'd be prepared to see more Jeepny's and trucks (especially the older ones) broke down on the side of the road (or in the middle of the road as is often the case here) and drivers standing next to them scratching heads in bewilderment as they try to figure out why their rigs just puttered to a stop.

 

 

Wondering how this works for price?

 

It will of course increase the price! It costs more now to refine diesel then it does gasoline, hence the higher pump prices (rebuilding the infrastructure in the refineries and increased maintenance costs to the fuel distribution system also adds to the overall cost per gallon). In addition, sulfur is what provides diesel fuel with it's "energy", reduction of the sulfur = less energy (think BTU's here) which in turn = lower fuel mileage.

 

As stated above it will also increase the operating costs to the owners of diesel powered equipment, and not just motor vehicles. It will have an effect on all of the equipment currently in use, such as: back-up generators and heavy equipment.

 

Mostly all the US companies sell B5 to B20 Biodiesel blended fuel (5 to 20% blend) now at the pumps, with B5 being the most common. The introduction of B5 was to add lubricity back into diesel fuel (and some energy), the problem is that B5 also "cleanses" the fuel system, so for the first couple of tankful's you really need to monitor fuel filters and probably change them after the first or second tankful of B5 is run through. There was no mention in the article JFG posted if the gov here plans to intro B5, but it would help if they did as the only other way to combat the problem is through the use of costly over-the-counter fuel additives; which we know that the average Jeepny driver is not going to purchase and add to his tank.