FACTBOX: China's new fuel specs vs Euro standards

(Reuters) - China will start using cleaner gasoline and automotive diesel from January 2010, with specifications similar to Euro III standards introduced a decade ago in the West.

For gasoline, the standards were in place since December 2006, but are only becoming mandatory nationwide from January 2010.

For diesel, China is launching automotive diesel specifications for the first time, to differentiate from diesel used by the rural, marine and industrial sectors.

The diesel specs, however, will not become a national mandate until June 2011, China's Standardisation Administration has said.

China, keen to clean up the skies as the world's third-largest economy expands rapidly, aims to catch up with European fuel quality, now in Euro V standards, by 2015/16, a researcher with the Ministry of Environmental Protection said.

Metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai have taken the lead by launching Euro IV standards ahead of the rest of the nation.

For a related analysis, click [ID:nPEK346699]

WHO PUSHES NEW FUEL STANDARDS?

Regulatory wise, China's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) is the entity that trumpets and pushes for the formulation of cleaner fuel standards.

The National Standardisation Administration approves and publishes them, while top refiner Sinopec Corp has taken the role of mapping out the specifications.

But the oil duopoly, Sinopec and PetroChina, both have lobbying power to influence the timing and speed for shifts to greener fuel.

The country's quality watchdog, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, supervises the executions through routine checks on petrol stations.

The following lists the main features of China's new fuel specs versus European ones.

Chinese National III standards for automotive diesel:

-- sulphur max 350 ppm, vs previous 500 ppm or 2000 ppm

-- PAH d/% max 11

-- cetane value min 49

-- cetane index min 46

-- distillation cuts: 50 pct recovery, max temp 300 degree Celsius

90 pct recovery, max temp 355

95 pct recovery, max temp 365

-- density (20 degree C) (kg/m3): 810-850 for normal grades

790-840 for cold weather grades Source: China's standardisation Administration (www.sac.gov.cn)

Euro standards: Automotive Diesel

Year Sulfur max Min. Cetane number T95 (Degree C) PAH max

%

--------------------------------------------------------------- 2003 350 ppm 51 360 11

2005 50 ppm 51 360 11

2006 50 ppm 51 360 11

2007 50 ppm 51 360 11

2008 50 ppm 51 360 11

2009 10 ppm 51 360 8

2010 10 ppm 51 360 8

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Notes: European product specifications are classified as Euro II for specs before year 2000, Euro III for product specs in 2000, Euro IV for the 2005 specs and Euro V for specs effective Jan 2009 through 2014.

Austria, Germany and the U.K. are offering tax breaks for 0.001% sulphur (10 PPM) ADO. Germany permits only 0.001% sulphur ADO ince Jan 2003. Source: AP Energy Consulting

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Chinese national III standards for gasoline, compulsory from Jan 2010:

-- lead: max 0.005 (g/L)

-- RVP: Nov-Apr max 88, May-Oct max 72

-- sulphur max 150 ppm vs previous 0.05 pct

-- benzene d/% max 1.0 vs previous 2.5

-- aromatics e/% max 40

-- olefins e/% max 30, vs previous 35

-- oxygenates max 2.7 pct

-- RON min 93, RON+MON/2 min 88 for Octane 93

-- RON min 90, RON+MON/2 min 85 for Octane 90

China officially phased out lead in 2000.

Source: China's Standardisation Adminsitration (www.sac.gov.cn)

Euro standards for gasoline:

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Year Sulphur max RVP max Benzene Aromatics Olefins Oxygenates

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2003 150 ppm 60/70 1 42 21 2.7

2005 50 ppm 60/70 1 35 18 2.7

2006 50 ppm 60/70 1 35 18 2.7

2007 50 ppm 60/70 1 35 18 2.7

2008 50 ppm 60/70 1 35 18 2.7

2009 10 ppm 60/70 1 35 18 2.7

Through 2014 with same specs as 2009

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- Notes: European product specifications are classified as Euro II for specs pre-2000, Euro III for product specs in 2000, Euro IV for the 2005 specs and Euro V effective 2009.

Source: AP Energy consulting.

(Reporting by Chen Aizhu; Editing by Michael Urquhart)