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Gas stations offer low-sulfur diesel fuel, also known as ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD), which has been mandated by law in several countries. ULSD is a cleaner-burning diesel fuel that contains significantly less sulfur than traditional diesel fuel, reducing emissions of harmful pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and enabling the use of advanced emissions control technologies. It is designed for use in modern diesel engines and can enhance overall engine performance, improve fuel economy, and lower maintenance costs. The availability of ULSD varies across different regions, with some areas offering multiple grades of diesel fuel with varying sulfur levels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel | A cleaner-burning diesel fuel containing a maximum of 15 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur |
| ULSD compared to low-sulfur diesel (LSD) | ULSD contains 97% less sulfur than LSD |
| ULSD in the US | All diesel fuel sold in the US must be ULSD since December 1, 2010, except in California |
| ULSD in Canada | All diesel in Canada is low sulfur |
| ULSD in the European Union | The Euro IV standard has been in place since 2005, allowing a maximum of 50 ppm of sulfur in diesel fuel for most highway vehicles. ULSD with a maximum of 10 ppm of sulfur has been widely available since 2008. |
| ULSD in China | China has limited sulfur in diesel fuel to 150 ppm (equivalent to the Euro III standard). Some cities, such as Beijing, have further reduced the limit to 10 ppm (Euro V standard). |
| ULSD in South Africa | The South African Department of Minerals and Energy legislated a 50 ppm sulfur content in early 2006, and it has been widely available since then. |
| ULSD in Kenya | 50 ppm diesel is the standard across all filling stations as of June 2012. |
| ULSD in Morocco | Morocco has introduced 50 ppm diesel to filling stations since 2009. |
| ULSD in Brazil | Brazilian service stations offer two types of diesel: 50 ppm and 500 ppm in most areas, and 1800 ppm in remote areas. |
| Benefits of low-sulfur diesel | Produces fewer emissions of sulfur dioxide, enables the use of advanced emissions control technologies, improves engine performance and efficiency, resulting in better fuel economy and lower maintenance costs |
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What You'll Learn
Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD)
The National Environment Agency (NEA) defines ULSD as diesel fuel with less than 50 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur. In July 2017, the NEA reduced the limit to 10 ppm. The European Union's "Euro IV" standard, in place since 2005, specifies a maximum of 50 ppm of sulfur in diesel fuel for most highway vehicles, with ULSD widely available since 2008. The ""Euro V" standard, implemented in 2009, further reduced the maximum sulfur content to 10 ppm.
ULSD was developed to facilitate the use of improved pollution control devices, reducing diesel emissions more effectively. It contains 97% less sulfur than low-sulfur diesel (LSD) and can be used in older diesel engines. As of December 1, 2010, all diesel fuel sold in the U.S., excluding California, must be ULSD, with dispensing pumps labelled accordingly.
ULSD is compatible with engines designed for ASTM D975 diesel fuel, although it may cause certain seals to shrink and fuel pump failures in some Volkswagen TDI engine models. TDI engines from 2009 onwards are designed exclusively for ULSD, and biodiesel blends can prevent fuel pump issues.
The transition to ULSD has been a global effort. In 2006, Mexico began introducing ULSD, and by 2010, rural Alaska followed suit. In Asia, Hong Kong became the first city to introduce ULSD in 2000, with China gradually reducing sulfur content in diesel fuel over the years. In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia introduced Euro 5 standard diesel fuel and gasoline in 2024, while Pakistan imported Euro-V standard fuel in 2020. In Africa, South Africa's Clean Fuels 2 standard aims to reduce sulfur content to 1 ppm, with filling stations offering 10 ppm diesel in certain cities. Morocco and Kenya have also introduced 50 ppm diesel at filling stations.
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ULSD and older vehicles
Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) is a cleaner-burning diesel fuel that contains 97% less sulfur than low-sulfur diesel (LSD). It is designed to enable the use of improved pollution control devices that reduce diesel emissions more effectively. As of December 1, 2010, all diesel fuel sold in the U.S. must be ULSD, and pumps dispensing ULSD must be labelled as such.
ULSD is compatible with older diesel engines and will not cause any significant problems, according to the EPA and the Engine Manufacturers Association. Older vehicles running on ULSD will experience a small reduction in particulate matter. However, very old gaskets may shrink and leak when running on low-sulfur fuels, so operators of old diesel engines may need to replace gaskets and seals.
Some older vehicles may experience a reduction in fuel economy when using ULSD, with estimates of up to a 1% decrease. This is due to the reduction in energy content in ULSD. In addition, ULSD is known to cause some seals to shrink and may cause fuel pump failures in certain older Volkswagen TDI engines. However, biodiesel blends can prevent these failures.
In some cases, the transition to ULSD in older vehicles has not been smooth. For example, the fleet manager for the city of Portsmouth, N.H., reported that some of the 1998 and older model trucks experienced issues with fuel pumps binding when using ULSD, particularly during the winter months. However, other fleets, such as the County of Los Angeles Public Works, have used ULSD in trucks dating back to the 1980s without experiencing any issues linked to the fuel.
Overall, while ULSD is generally compatible with older diesel engines, there may be some minor adjustments needed, such as replacing gaskets and seals, or adding lubricity additives to the fuel.
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Low sulfur diesel in the US
The use of ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) in the US is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since 1 December 2010, all diesel fuel sold in the US, except in California, must be ULSD, and pumps dispensing ULSD must be labelled as such. ULSD is a cleaner-burning diesel fuel that contains 97% less sulfur than low-sulfur diesel (LSD). It was developed to allow the use of improved pollution control devices that reduce diesel emissions more effectively but can be damaged by sulfur.
ULSD is also safe to use with older diesels, and consumers with 2007 or later model year diesel vehicles should only fuel them with ULSD. Before the EPA began regulating sulfur in diesel fuel in 1993, diesel fuel contained as much as 5,000 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur. Beginning in 2006, the EPA began to phase in more stringent regulations to lower the amount of sulfur in diesel fuel to 15 ppm, which is known as ULSD.
In California, the EPA's deadline for industry compliance with the 15 ppm sulfur content was not extended and followed the original schedule of July 15, 2006, for distribution terminals, and September 1, 2006, for retail. As of December 2006, the ULSD standard has been in effect according to the amended schedule, and compliance at retail locations was reported to be in place.
The EPA has also proposed changes to regulations to allow for the distribution and sale of distillate diesel fuel that complies with the 0.50 percent (5000 ppm) global sulfur standard contained in MARPOL Annex VI, starting in 2020. These regulatory changes will accommodate the supply and distribution of distillate diesel fuel as a global marine fuel. Additionally, there are international treaties designating two Emission Control Areas (ECA) covering US waters. The North America ECA extends 200 miles from the shores of North America, and the US Caribbean Sea ECA covers waters around Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The sulfur content of the fuel used in marine vessels operating in these ECAs may not exceed 0.10 weight percent (1000 ppm).
It is worth noting that the US is not the only country implementing stricter diesel fuel standards. For example, in the European Union, the "Euro IV" standard has applied since 2005, which specifies a maximum of 50 ppm of sulfur in diesel fuel for most highway vehicles. Ultra-low-sulfur diesel with a maximum of 10 ppm of sulfur became widely available in 2008. Other countries, such as China, South Africa, and some cities like Beijing, have also implemented regulations to limit the sulfur content in diesel fuel.
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Low sulfur diesel in the EU
In the European Union, the "Euro IV" standard has been in place since 2005, allowing a maximum of 50 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur in diesel fuel for most highway vehicles. From 2005, ultra-low-sulfur diesel with a maximum of 10 ppm of sulfur was required to be "available" and was widely available by 2008. In 2009, the Euro V fuel standard came into effect, further reducing the maximum sulfur content to 10 ppm.
The European Union began mandating the reduction of diesel sulfur content in 1993 and implemented modern ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) specifications in 1999. The United States started phasing in ULSD requirements for highway vehicles in 2006, with implementation for off-highway applications, such as locomotive and marine fuel, beginning in 2007. Since 2006, almost all petroleum-based diesel fuel available in Europe and North America has been of the ULSD type.
ULSD is a cleaner-burning diesel fuel that contains 97% less sulfur than low-sulfur diesel (LSD). It was developed to allow the use of improved pollution control devices that reduce diesel emissions more effectively but can be damaged by sulfur. ULSD can be used in any engine designed for ASTM D975 diesel fuel, although it may cause some seals to shrink and may cause fuel pump failures in certain Volkswagen TDI engines.
In the EU, the applicable fuel properties for diesel include cetane number, sulfur content, and Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) biodiesel content. The CEN standards that cover automotive fuel quality are periodically updated to reflect changes in specifications, such as the mandatory reductions in sulfur content. The evolution of EU fuel specifications for sulfur content has resulted in the EN 590 standard, which specifies six Temperature Climate Grades of diesel fuel (Grade A to F) with different Cold Filter Plugging Point (CFPP) values. Additionally, there are five Arctic Classes of diesel fuel (Class 0 to 4) with distinct properties. Each country details the requirements for summer and winter grades and may include intermediate or regional grades based on national climate conditions.
In September 2012, the European Parliament approved a proposal to establish new general limits for sulfur in marine fuels by 2020, bringing European legislation in line with limits agreed upon by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The general sulfur limit for fuels in European seas was reduced from 3.5% to 0.5% by 2020, with even stricter limits of 0.1% for the Baltic Sea, North Sea, and English Channel—Europe's sulfur emission control areas (SECAs).
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Advantages of low sulfur diesel
Low-sulfur diesel fuel, also known as ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD), is a type of diesel fuel with reduced sulfur content. It has several advantages over regular diesel, also known as high-sulfur diesel (HSD):
Better Fuel Efficiency
LSD burns more cleanly, producing less soot and fewer emissions. This results in improved fuel efficiency and reduced operating costs over the life of the engine.
Improved Engine Performance
LSD has a higher cetane rating, which means it ignites more quickly and burns more efficiently. This leads to better engine performance and smoother operation.
Reduced Emissions
LSD produces significantly fewer emissions, including particulate matter (soot), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). This not only improves air quality but also helps meet stringent emission standards.
Environmental Benefits
The use of ULSD is part of federal government efforts to reduce pollution from vehicles. By reducing sulfur emissions, ULSD helps prevent respiratory health problems like asthma and reduces the occurrence of acid rain, which damages the ecosystem.
Advanced Emission Controls
ULSD allows for the use of advanced emission control technologies, such as catalytic converters and particulate filters, which further reduce harmful pollutants. This enables diesel vehicles to meet emission standards similar to those of gasoline vehicles.
Infrastructure Compatibility
The transition to ULSD does not require significant infrastructure changes. The current infrastructure can easily accommodate the use of ULSD, making the adoption of cleaner technology more accessible.
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Frequently asked questions
Ultra-low sulfur diesel is a cleaner-burning diesel fuel that contains a maximum of 15 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur. It has been federally mandated in the US since 2007.
Yes, all gas stations in the US are required by law to sell ULSD. Since December 1, 2010, all diesel fuel sold in the US, except in California, must be ULSD, and pumps must be labelled as such.
ULSD produces fewer emissions of sulfur dioxide, a harmful pollutant that contributes to respiratory problems and acid rain. It also enables the use of advanced emissions control technologies, improving overall engine performance.
Consumers with 2007 or later model year diesel vehicles should only fuel them with ULSD. It is also safe to use in older diesel engines.
ULSD is also available in Europe, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Kenya, Morocco, and South Africa.
