Led by Singapore, 11 countries rose in Hart Energy Research & Consulting’s 2014 ranking of countries based on commitment to lower sulfur content in gasoline.
Singapore, which did not regulate gasoline sulfur until October 2013, joined the Top 100 at 49th place with its move to a 50-parts-per-million (ppm) limit. China jumped eight places from its 2013 ranking to 44th after reducing its nationwide limit from 150 ppm to 50 ppm last year. Bhutan, Brunei, Laos, Serbia, Brazil, Libya, Tanzania, Uganda and Paraguay also rose in the ranking, which can be found on Hart Energy Research & Consulting’s website.
Tammy Klein, Senior Vice President of Hart Energy Research & Consulting, said, “Hart Energy Research & Consulting acknowledges widespread advancement toward cleaner fuels globally, focusing heavily on sulfur reduction and octane improvement.”
Huiming Li, Director of Hart Energy Research & Consulting’s International Fuel Quality Center, which conducted the research, said, “Revisions in this ranking are more a reflection of our analysts’ continuing efforts to depict a more accurate picture of global fuel quality than rigorous policy action. Out of the 11 countries, seven improved their standings as a result of enacting more stringent fuel quality legislation in the past year.”
Germany maintained its hold on first place: It and other EU Member States have dominated the top 40 since they adopted 10 ppm levels in 2009. The US, which retained its 80 ppm sulfur limit, slipped four spots to 51st, passed by four countries that adopted more stringent regulations. Several countries plan to further reduce limits in the next few years. Many of the changes will take place between 2015 and 2016 in Latin America; Russia and the CIS; the Middle East; and Asia Pacific.
Sulfur is found naturally in crude oil. It passes into refined products, such as transportation fuels, when crude is processed at the refinery. When sulfur is emitted during fuel combustion, its compounds can have negative environmental and health effects.
ABOUT HART ENERGY RESEARCH & CONSULTING
Hart Energy Research & Consulting provides advisory services to clients throughout the energy value chain, including the automotive, petrochemical, heavy industry, financial and government sectors. We evaluate interlinkages and big-picture factors to deliver strategic insights that help our clients strengthen their businesses through a deeper understanding of the developments shaping the future of oil & gas. For more information, visit RC.hartenergy.com.
Contact: Greta Hart
+1.713.260.6423
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