DOE reinforces standards for diesel products

Published November 24, 2017, 10:00 PM By Myrna M. Velasco

https://business.mb.com.ph/2017/11/24/doe-reinforces-standards-for-diesel-products/

Anchored mainly on the goal to pare carbon footprints of the country’s fuel sector, the Department of Energy (DOE) is enforcing upgraded standards for automotive diesel products, considerably a socially sensitive commodity being a dominant fuel utilized for public transport.

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi noted that beyond ensuring fuel quality, the new fuel standards will also “lessen impact on the environment.”

The upgraded standard is pegged under Philippine National Standard (PNS)/DOE Quality Standard (QS):004:2017, with key consideration on the coco methyl ester (CME) blend speficiation for automotive diesel oil.

It is a new product standard that has been set for enforcement following consultation with relevant stakeholders, as spearheaded by the DOE’s Oil Industry Management Bureau.

Cusi emphasized that this step will similarly align Philippine fuel quality to “existing international and environmental standards.”

As he further noted, “the task of ensuring fuel quality is equally important alongside the government’s mission of maintaining stable supply of oil in the country.”

The energy department explained that the new PNS for diesel “contains revised technical provisions to upgrade fuel quality requirement, such as reduced sulfur content limit in compliance with Euro-4 emission standard, and test methods for more accurate evaluation of fuel quality.”

It qualified though that this “is separate and distinct from the standards of the industrial diesel oil, since that also has a different and clear-cut standard designation, specifically PNS/DOE QS:013:2017.

Cusi asserted that the primary impact of the new PNS for diesel had been set on “the use of cleaner fuels and promotion of indigenous and sustainable energy resources with the end view of reducing dependence on imported oil.”

He added that the new PNS will further align the Philippines on the global goal “to reduce carbon emissions through smarter and more efficient use of automotive fuel for transport.”