Sulphur in gasoline
Imperial Oil now producing
low-sulphur gasoline across Canada
Cleaner burning
fuels have evolved over the past two decades. Since 1980, improved automobile
and fuel technology has reduced tail-pipe emissions by 97 per cent. This
improvement has been achieved despite a significant increase in the number of
vehicles on the road.
Additional sulphur reduction is the
latest improvement in gasoline quality. Recent engine improvements designed to
reduce air pollution work best with very low-sulphur fuel. That's why the
Canadian government has adopted rules that require a major reduction in the
amount of sulphur in motor fuels. Regulations introduced in June 1999 call for
the sulphur levels in gasoline to be reduced to an average of 30 parts per
million (ppm) by
January 1, 2005 - that's a significant decrease from
the required 1,000 ppm levels in 1999.
Milestone
reached in November 2003
In early November 2003,
Imperial Oil began producing 30 ppm low-sulphur gasoline at our refineries
across Canada. Over $600 million, 18 months of construction, and the efforts
of more than 2,000 people have enabled us to reduce the sulphur content of our
gasoline by over 90 per cent.
"We are very pleased to now be
producing low-sulphur gasoline across the country," said Brian Fischer, Senior
Vice-President, Products & Chemicals at Imperial Oil. "Sulphur reduction is
the latest step in the continuous improvement of gasoline quality and the
introduction of low-sulphur gasoline will mean fewer emissions from the
tailpipe and cleaner air for all of us."
"I welcome the
efforts of Imperial Oil in producing and marketing low sulphur gasoline," said
the Honourable David Anderson, Canada's Minister of the Environment. "Cleaner
gasoline together with our regulatory initiatives for low emissions vehicles
and small engines will deliver health and environment benefits across Canada."
Imperial Oil is Canada's largest integrated oil company and its largest
refiner and marketer of petroleum products. Imperial Oil has four refineries
in Canada: Dartmouth, NS; Nanticoke, ON; Sarnia, ON; and Strathcona, AB.
For more information on our investment in clean air,
click here.
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