Diesel Sulfur

What's New

In a memo dated 11/30/07, EPA reminded the petroleum industry of regulations on sulfur and the winter blending of kerosene and diesel.

Under regulations previously adopted by EPA, the petroleum refining industry met a June 2006 deadline to comply with stringent limitations on the sulfur content of highway diesel fuel. By this date, most refiners had to meet a 15 parts per million (ppm) sulfur limit for at least 80% of their highway diesel fuel production, with a 500 ppm (low sulfur diesel or LSD) cap on the remaining 20%. Further in June 2007, refiners must meet a 500 ppm sulfur cap on all off-road diesel produced with a 2010 deadline for all highway and some off-road diesel to be at the 15 ppm ULSD level. (Locomotive and marine diesel would remain at the 500 ppm sulfur cap in 2010.) There are pump label requirements effective 6/1/06 (highway rule) and 6/1/07 (nonroad rule).

The Clean Diesel Fuel Alliance, a public-private effort to facilitate the transition to ULSD fuel, has been established. Visit www.clean-diesel.org

NPRA Position

NPRA’s members are dedicated to working cooperatively with government at all levels to ensure an adequate supply of transportation fuels. Policymakers’ actions should focus on improving energy policy in order to increase supply and strengthen the nation’s refining infrastructure.

The stringent ULSD regulations for highway use, coupled with the 500 ppm sulfur cap on non-road use just one year later, will severely test the ability of refiners to produce sufficient quantities of diesel fuel at these required ultra-low limits. Compounding the problem is the uncertainty surrounding potential downgrading of the product after it leaves the refinery and is transferred and stored multiple times throughout the nation’s complex fuel distribution system. These activities may result in noncompliant product by ULSD standards.

Background

EPA issued rules in January 2001 (66 FR 5063, 1/18/01) that require refiners to reduce sulfur content in highway diesel fuel by 97% to a level no greater than 15 ppm by June 2006. In addition, the rules allow refiners to produce up to 20% of their highway diesel fuel at the 500 ppm level until June 2010, at which time 100% of the fuel must meet the 15 ppm standards. Between 2006 and 2010, both ULSD and LSD will be available for the highway diesel market. The fuel controls are coupled with the required installation of advanced control technologies on new heavy-duty diesel vehicles in 2007.

EPA issued rules in June 2004 (69 FR 38958; 6/29/04) that require refiners to reduce the sulfur content in nonroad diesel in steps. First, a 500 ppm sulfur cap is effective in June 2007. Second, a 15 ppm sulfur cap is effective in June 2010 for nonroad diesel other than locomotive and marine. (This step is not applicable to small refiners.) Third, a 15 ppm sulfur cap is effective in June 2012 for locomotive and marine diesel. (This step is not applicable to small refiners.) Fourth, a 15 ppm sulfur cap is effective in June 2014 for all small-refiner nonroad diesel.

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