Good news about South Africa’s 50ppm diesel ban

South Africa’s proposed ban on the sale of diesel with a sulfur content higher than ten parts per million (10 ppm) will come into effect in about four years.

That is according to feedback from the Fuels Industry Association of South Africa (Fiasa).

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) published regulations at the end of August 2021, which would have seen South Africa adopt the Cleaner Fuels Two (CF2) specification for diesel within two years.

From September 2023, the sale of any diesel with a grade higher than 10 ppm, including the highly popular 50 ppm, would no longer have been allowed.

Petrol cars generally produce more carbon dioxide than diesel for every kilometre driven, contributing more to climate change.

However, diesel vehicles emit harmful particulates and nitrogen compounds that have a direct negative impact on human health and the environment.

While sulfur in its pure gas form is harmless, it can convert into sulfur dioxide, the same harmful emission that comes from Eskom’s coal power stations.

Sulfur can also turn into sulfuric acid during the combustion process, which is corrosive to engines’ metal surfaces.

Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) like 10 ppm not only produces significantly less of emissions, it can be better for diesel engines.

While the environmental and operational benefits of 10 ppm are evident, the short two-year timespan before the ban would kick in posed a big challenge for some of South Africa’s local oil refineries.

The plants would have a relatively short period to upgrade their refining equipment to meet the new standards at a time when several were already facing financial challenges.

Fiasa told MyBroadband that the accelerated time frame did not account for the necessary lead time for conversion or the requirement to amend associated standards.

“In other words, neither industry nor the DMRE itself would have been ready,” Fiasa said.

At the time of the announcement, Sasol had the only South African plant capable of producing 10 ppm diesel. This has been manufactured at its Secunda plant since 2013.

The fuel is primarily sold at stations in Gauteng, although Sasol recently expanded it to select fuel stations in KwaZulu-Natal.

Fiasa told MyBroadband that the dominant grade of diesel sold in South Africa remained 50 ppm. 

“Although 500 ppm is mandated as the standard grade, sales of this product are, to all intents and purposes, negligible,” Fiasa said.

The Association was among those who approached the DMRE with concerns over the impact on refineries. The implementation of the ban was pushed out to 1 July 2027.

Although the DMRE gazetted the deferral in July 2022, it was not widely reported.

At the time, consulting firm CITAC said the delay could help persuade then owners of oil refinery Natref — Sasol and Total — to keep that plant running in the short to medium term.

While Total is selling its 36.36% minority interest in the refinery to The Prax Group, Sasol has retained its shareholding and said it would continue to invest to meet the CF2 regulations.

South Africa playing catchup

South Africa is years behind developed countries when it comes to diesel emissions standards for vehicles.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reduced its maximum for diesel used in transport to 15 ppm in 2006.

The European Union (EU) limited the maximum sulfur content to 10 ppm for on-road vehicles in 2009 and all vehicles in 2011.

New Zealand stopped allowing the sale of all diesel with sulfur content above 10 ppm in July 2018, while Australia will make the same change on 15 December 2025.

The impact of the change on motorists should be negligible in South Africa.

Most diesel engines built from 2007 are capable of running on ULSD fuels.

Older models with engines not designed for 10 ppm will be able to use the fuel, but will need to use high-quality oil to compensate for poorer lubrication, which is better in 50 ppm.