China: Fuels: Diesel and Gasoline

Overview

 * Standard type: Fuel quality
 * Regulating body: Standardization Administration of China (SAC)
 * Current nationwide standards:
 * Diesel: China IV (GB 19147-2013; 50ppm sulfur content phased-in by 31 Dec 2014)
 * Gasoline: China IV (GB 17930-2011; 50ppm sulfur content)
 * Off-road diesel ("general diesel"): GB 252-2011; 350ppm sulfur content from 1 Jul 2013
 * Current sub-national standards: Varies; see below for detailed information
 * Future nationwide standards: China V diesel (GB 19147-2013) and gasoline (GB 17930-2013) standards to be implemented by 31 Dec 2017. Both mandate maximum sulfur content of 10 ppm.
 * Applicability: All gasoline and diesel sold for on-road motor vehicles; diesel sold for construction and off-road vehicles is subject to a different standard (see below).

History
Fuel quality standards in China are issued by the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) under the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). The Technical Committee under SAC in charge of drafting fuel quality standards is known as TC280. Individual nationwide standards are issued for gasoline, motor diesel (for on-road vehicles), and general diesel (permitted for use in off-road equipment).

Cities and regions in China may develop and implement their own fuel quality standards without requiring national-level approval, although any price changes must be approved by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Practically, large cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, cities around the Pearl River Delta, (e.g. Guangzhou), and others, implement their own, more stringent fuel quality standards after negotiating a dedicated fuel supply with China's major state-owned oil companies Sinopec and PetroChina. A September 2013 State Council directive calls on the three key regions Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and Pearl River Delta to supply 10ppm sulfur fuels by the end of 2015.

Chinese fuel quality standards generally follow European precedent, with some exceptions.

The following table outlines major steps China has taken to improve fuel quality for use in motor vehicles. The timeline for the China V gasoline and diesel standards was announced by China's State Council in February 2013. In June 2013, the China V diesel technical standard was issued. In December 2013, the China V gasoline technical standard was issued.

Major steps in China's nationwide diesel fuel quality improvement

Major steps in China's nationwide gasoline fuel quality improvement

Leaded gasoline in China has been banned since before the introduction of the China I (Euro 1) vehicle tailpipe emission standards in 2000. China’s Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law bans the production, import, and sale of leaded fuels. The law authorizes the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) to enforce the ban.

The following table summarizes some key sub-national progress in implementing even more stringent fuel quality standards than those in force nationwide. In 2012, Beijing became the first city in mainland China (not including Hong Kong) to implement 10 ppm S gasoline and diesel fuel. In mid-2013, Shanghai announced it would update to 10ppm gasoline by the end of the year.

Cities

Off-road diesel

Sulfur levels in diesel used for construction and off-road applications (known in China as "general diesel") are given in national standards GB 252-2000 and GB 252-2011. Maximum fuel sulfur level is 2,000 ppm until 30 June 2013, and 350 ppm beginning 1 Jul 2013.

Compliance
According to Part 7 of China’s petroleum refining industry standard SH 0164-92, “Rules for Storage, Transport, and Delivery Acceptance of Petroleum Products,” regulations to guarantee petroleum product quality during transport and delivery acceptance stipulate:
 * Before fuels are sold to retail stations, fuel sellers are responsible for ensuring they comply with standards;
 * The party delivering petroleum tests the product against applicable standards and certifies product quality;
 * The buyer has the right to take random samples to verify product quality;
 * Sinopec’s Research Institute of Petroleum Processing (RIPP) will act as the arbiter when disputes regarding product quality arise between fuel buyers and sellers;
 * Quality of fuel sold at retail stations is supervised and managed by local Industry and the Commerce Bureau or the Quality Technology Supervision Bureau;
 * City governments can take random samples at retail stations;
 * The major fuel properties to be tested should include:
 * Gasoline: sulfur, benzene, manganese, existent gum, aromatics, olefins, vapor pressure;
 * Diesel: sulfur, flash point, distillation range, acidity, etc.;


 * Different cities, according to actual conditions, perform different testing, then report the results on the bureau website.