DOE upgrades national standard for diesel

FILE: “The primary impact of the new PNS for diesel strengthens the government’s consistent and continuing program towards the use of cleaner fuels and promotion of indigenous and sustainable energy resources with the end view of reducing dependence on imported oil,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said. (Photo: Department of Energy)

MANILA — To be at par with existing international and environmental standards for fuel, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced Friday an upgraded Philippine National Standard (PNS) for automotive diesel fuel.

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

This distinguishes automotive diesel from the standards of the Industrial Diesel Oils, which has a distinct standard designation, specifically PNS/DOE QS 013:2017.

“The primary impact of the new PNS for diesel strengthens the government’s consistent and continuing program towards the use of cleaner fuels and promotion of indigenous and sustainable energy resources with the end view of reducing dependence on imported oil,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.

Cusi stressed that the task of ensuring fuel quality is as important as the government’s mission of maintaining a stable supply of oil in the country. He said the new Philippine standards for automotive diesel fuel is aimed at further improving fuel quality and lessening its impact on the environment.

Although spearheaded by the DOE-Oil Industry Management Bureau (OIMB), oil industry stakeholders contributed in the effort by reviewing and approving the PNS/DOE Quality Standard (QS):004:2017 on coco-methyl ester, or CME-blended automotive diesel oil specification.

The formal adoption of the new fuel quality standards was marked by a signing ceremony last Nov. 7 at the Energy Center in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The event was witnessed by the DOE-OIMB team, Technical Committee on Petroleum Products & Additives members from petroleum manufacturers and marketers, car and motorcycle manufacturers, non-government organizations, consumers, academe, government agencies, and invited technical experts. (PNA)