BDCs Continue To Supply 50 ppm Diesel  

Information gathered has revealed that Bulk Distribution Companies (BDCs) have reduced the high sulphur content in diesel (AGO) from 3000 parts per million (ppm) to 50 ppm to meet the current required standard set by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in August this year.

Information gathered from NPA also indicated that after the revised National Sulphur Specification for Imported Diesel took effect on August 1^st 2017, 34 BDCs are currently supplying low sulphur diesel into the country with others doing 9.5ppm and 10ppm ultra-low-sulphur-diesel as pertains in Europe.

In an interview, the Communications Manager of NPA, Anny Osabutey, said there is a phase out period of three months within which the NPA, would keenly monitor existing stocks at the depots to ensure they gradually meet the 50 ppm.

He added that after the phase out period, they will monitor the sulphur levels at the pumps and firmly ensure that heavy sanctions for non-compliance are applied, including the withdrawal of licenses of Petroleum Service Providers (PSPs).

Evidence from the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) and Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) goes to confirm the information obtained from NPA regarding the market supply of 50ppm diesel.

Background
The decision to review the country’s high sulphur content in diesel followed the release of the report of a study conducted in Ghana and seven other African countries by a SWISS non-governmental organisation, Public Eye, on September 15 2016.

The research report revealed that the sulphur content of diesel products imported into the said countries are 150 times, and, in some cases 1,000 times more than the limits allowed in Europe.

Although the quality of the fuel imported into Ghana meets the country’s quality standards, they are said to pose a great risk to the health of consumers and can easily damage the engines of vehicles as well as endanger the environment.

At a meeting organized by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) last year, the NPA announced that the legally permitted sulphur content of diesel imports would be lowered to 50ppm by March 1 2017, down from 3000 ppm.

In response to that, the NPA revised the National Sulphur Specification for diesel imported into the country from maximum 500 parts per million (ppm) to 50 ppm or lower effectively on January 1^st 2017.

The revised figures represent another significant reduction in the national specification of sulphur in diesels which was pegged at 3000 ppm but reduced to 500 ppm by the NPA after deliberations with industry stakeholders on October 3, 2016.

It later appeared that the NPA’s revised National Sulphur Specification for imported diesel failed to meet the timeline. Even though, the regulations has finally taken effect, it was supposed to take effect on January 2017 but was postponed three consecutive times from April, to July and finally to August.