A list of the top one hundred countries for diesel cleanliness shows that not one Gulf country made it into the top 50.
Qatar was the top ranked GCC country, number 68 in the world, followed by Oman (69), UAE (71), Bahrain (74), and Saudi Arabia (83).
Compiled by the International Centre for Fuel Quality, the list ranks the top 100 countries in the world, based on their maximum limits for sulphur content.
Saudi Arabia appeared for the first time on the top 100 list by lowering its maximum diesel sulfur from 800 parts per million (ppm) to 500 ppm. It was ranked 83rd, the same as Ecuador.
The top three countries were Sweden, Germany, and Japan. The top 47 countries share a maximum sulfur limit of 15 ppm or less, with varying implementation timelines.
High sulphur content limits the uptake of cleaner, more efficient engines, such as the Euro 6 engines for trucks, and Tier IIIB engines for equipment, which are in use in Europe and elsewhere.
“Sulfur reduction remains essential and unique, as it is the only component of the refining process for petroleum fuels that lowers all airborne pollutants from the transport sector. This is why there is added pressure and a movement to reduce sulfur limits in other categories, like marine fuels,” according to Liisa Kiuru-Griffith, executive director, IFQC.
The full list can be seen here, and is updated every six months.
