New ISO 8217 eyes wider scope for alternative fuels

  • Spanish Market: Biofuels, Oil products
  • 24/04/24

The 7th edition of ISO 8217, to be published in the second quarter of this year, will outline a broader integration of marine biodiesel blending, delegates heard at the International Bunker Conference (IBC) 2024 in Norway.

Tim Wilson, principal specialist fuels of Lloyds Register's fuel oil bunkering analysis and advisory service (FOBAS), presented on the upcoming iteration of the ISO 8217 marine fuel specification standard, which will be released at IBC 2024. The new edition will incorporate specification standards for a wide range of fatty acid methyl ester (Fame)-based marine biodiesel blends up to B100, 100pc hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), as well as synthetic and renewable marine fuels. This will also include additional clauses to cover a wider scope, and briefly touch on biodiesel specifications that do not entirely align with road biodiesel EN-14214 specifications. This follows the emergence of widening price spreads for marine biodiesel blends because of specification differences and the lack of a marine-specific standard for the blends.

The new edition of ISO 8217 is also expected to remove the limit of 7pc Fame when blended with distillate marine fuels such as marine gasoil (MGO) which was in place in the previous ISO 8217:2017. Other changes to distillate marine biodiesel blends include changes to the minimum Cetane Index, oxidation stability alignment to be connected to either ISO 15751 for blends comprising 2pc or more of Fame biodiesel and ISO 12205 for blends comprising a Fame component of under 2pc. Cold-filter plugging point (CFPP) properties will be determined by the vessel's fuel storage tanks' heating capabilities and requirements will be set in place to report the CFPP for distillate marine biodiesel grades, according to the new edition of the marine fuel specification standard.

Wilson said that a minimum kinematic viscosity at 50°C will be in place for various forms of residual bunker fuel oil along with a viscosity control alerting suppliers to inform buyers of the exact viscosity in the supplied fuel. He said they have seen delivered fuel viscosity come in at much lower levels than ordered by the buyers, which was the reasoning behind the viscosity control monitoring requirement.


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31/05/24

Dangote jet fuel weighing on European prices

Dangote jet fuel weighing on European prices

London, 31 May (Argus) — Jet fuels cargoes heading to Europe from Nigeria's new 650,000 b/d Dangote refinery are putting downward pressure on regional prices, according to market participants. A BP-purchased cargo was loaded on the Doric Breeze on 25 May at the Dangote refinery, according to sources and ship tracking provider Kpler. The latter said the cargo 45,000t, with an arrival date of 11 June at Rotterdam. BP won a Dangote tender for three jet cargoes totalling 120,000t, according to sources, and Spain's Cepsa has bought one cargo for loading in early June. Refining premiums against North Sea Dated for jet cargoes delivered to northwest Europe have dropped by $3.31/bl this week to a three-week low of $19.72/bl, as participants expect the additional supply from Nigeria to sufficiently cover the summer uplift in air travel demand. Dangote started producing what it called aviation fuel for the Nigerian market in January. A sample dated 26 May seen by Argus shows the jet fuel offered from Dangote now probably meets standard European specification A-1. The test contained 254ppm of sulphur, far below the maximum 0.3pc content in jet A-1, and its freezing point was -57ºC, stricter than the European specification of maximum -47ºC. Weaker margins on jet could prompt refineries towards regrade possibilities for other middle distillates, primarily diesel, traders said. Jet fuel has been at a significant premium over diesel in northwest Europe for the past month, thanks to better demand. But these have weakened by more than half this week, to just $1.10/bl on 30 May from $2.50/bl at the start of the week. Dangote expects to begin exports of European-standard diesel in June . By Olivia Young and George Maher-Bonnett Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Indonesia to finalise roadmap to develop SAF by June


31/05/24
31/05/24

Indonesia to finalise roadmap to develop SAF by June

Singapore, 31 May (Argus) — The Indonesia government hopes to finalise a national roadmap and action plan for the industrial development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by June. The roadmap and proposed action plan consists of three main pillars, demand, supply and enablers, according to the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment on 29 May. This involves ensuring raw material availability, certainty of SAF offtake, and mechanisms to reduce impact on prices, among other aims. The country also plans to announce a presidential regulation related to the SAF roadmap on the sidelines of the Bali International Air Show in September, with no further details disclosed. The action plan is prepared with a 2025-30 timeline and will be reviewed and updated periodically. The demand pillar was discussed previously, and the ministry is holding a meeting on 31 May to discuss the supply and enablers pillars. The roadmap currently focuses on used cooking oil (UCO) and crude palm oil (CPO) residue as SAF feedstocks. Seaweed is also a potential raw material to be researched, said Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan on 29 May. "SAF is the most effective solution" to reduce carbon emissions, based on various data, studies, and increasing aviation activity, said Luhut. The government might choose to keep more feedstocks like UCO domestically, given the country's aims to produce more SAF, and potentially impose export taxes, raise export levies or adjust domestic market obligations (DMO), market participants said. But they noted these measures to regulate exports will be more likely with higher domestic refinery capabilities to take waste-based feedstocks, and nothing is concrete for now. Pertamina State-owned oil company Pertamina plans to power a plane with a small amount of imported blended SAF during the Bali International Air Show in September, said a company source. The SAF will be UCO-based and consist of around 15pc SAF blended with fossil jet fuel. Pertamina previously supplied 2.4pc SAF-blended jet fuel to national airline Garuda Indonesia, and the country's first successful test flight using a commercial aircraft was conducted on 26 October 2023. Pertamina previously produced SAF and renewable diesel at its Cilacap and Dumai refineries, but using refined, bleached and deodorised palm oil. It plans to bring the second phase of its Cilacap "green refinery" on line in 2026's fourth quarter, which will use palm and waste-based feedstocks such as UCO and palm oil mill effluent (Pome) oil to produce around 132,000 t/yr of SAF. Indonesia exported an average of 235,800 t/yr of UCO between 2019-23, according to GTT data. Malaysia was the top recipient of volumes as the country is also a main location where UCO is aggregated before beingexported elsewhere, followed by the Netherlands and Singapore. By Sarah Giam Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Trump found guilty in criminal 'hush money' case


30/05/24
30/05/24

Trump found guilty in criminal 'hush money' case

Washington, 30 May (Argus) — Former president Donald Trump was found guilty today on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in relation to the reimbursement of a $130,000 payment to an adult film star ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The unanimous guilty verdict, from a 12-member jury in New York, will inject further uncertainty into the presidential election on 5 November, where Trump is the presumed Republican nominee and is leading in many polls against President Joe Biden. Trump is the first former US president to face a criminal trial, and his conviction means he will run for office — on a campaign focused in part on rolling back energy sector regulations and expanding drilling — as a convicted felon. Sentencing is scheduled for 11 July. Trump has argued the criminal charges, filed by New York state prosecutors, were "ridiculous" and were a politically motivated attempt to interfere with his campaign. At trial, Trump's attorneys argued against the credibility of a key witness, Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen, who testified that Trump directed the falsification of the business records to conceal a "hush money" payment to the adult film star following an alleged affair. "This was a rigged, disgraceful trial," Trump said following the verdict, "but the real verdict is going to be November 5 by the people, and they know what happened here." Despite the conviction, Trump, if elected, could still serve as president. Trump could face up to four years in prison, and sentencing will be decided by the judge overseeing the case. Trump is separately facing dozens of other felony charges in federal and Georgia state court, but those cases have faced delays and may not go to trial before the election. President Joe Biden's campaign said Trump has "always mistakenly believed" he would not face consequences. Biden's campaign said that despite the verdict, it would be up to voters to decide whether Trump is re-elected. "Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president," Biden's campaign said. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

California diesel inventories hit all-time low: CEC


30/05/24
30/05/24

California diesel inventories hit all-time low: CEC

Houston, 30 May (Argus) — Combined California diesel stocks fell to the lowest level in California Energy Commission (CEC) history in the week ended 24 May. Combined diesel inventories — including in-state CARB, non-California EPA and renewable diesel — totaled 2.3mn bl after significant draws across grades, despite a sharp increase in-state CARB diesel output during the week, according to CEC data going back to 2005. In-state CARB diesel stocks totaled 1.37mn bl by the end of the week and marked a 13pc drop from the week prior. Other diesel fuel inventories contracted by nearly 17pc to 929,000 bl. Production of in-state CARB diesel jumped by nearly 40pc in the week to 128,000 b/d, while other diesel output — including non-California EPA and renewable diesel — plummeted by more than 44pc to average 51,000 b/d. In-state CARBOB gasoline production dipped by 2.8pc to average 800,000 b/d from the week prior, although inventories added a nominal 1.8pc to a nine-week high of 6.10mn bl. Total gasoline production trended 2.7pc lower at 879,000 b/d. California jet fuel production jumped by nearly 18pc to 321,000 b/d, the highest level since 19 April. Inventories grew by 0.6pc to 3.24mn bl, continuing a trend of largely stable volumes since 10 May. Crude throughputs increased by 9.4pc to 1.44mn b/d as stocks shrank by 19pc to 11.1mn bl — the lowest volume since January 2024. By Jasmine Davis California refining throughputs and storage Commodity 24-May-24 17-May-24 ± Throughputs '000 b/d Crude 1,440 1,316 124 CARBOB 800 823 -23 Total gasoline 879 904 -25 Jet fuel 321 273 48 California distillate 128 92 36 Inventories '000 bl Crude 11,098 13,670 -2,572 CARBOB 6,098 5,988 110 Jet fuel 3,235 3,215 20 California distillate 1,373 1,586 -213 California Energy Commission Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

ISO publishes new marine fuel specification


30/05/24
30/05/24

ISO publishes new marine fuel specification

London, 30 May (Argus) — The International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) published its new marine fuel specification standard today. The 7th edition of the specification standard, ISO 8217:2024, will replace its predecessor, ISO 8217:2017, which has now been withdrawn. The document encompasses seven categories for distillate fuels, four categories for residual fuels at or below 0.5pc sulphur content, five categories for residual fuels blended with fatty acid methyl ester (Fame) biodiesel and five categories for residual fuels above 0.5pc sulphur. Some of the changes had previously been discussed and are confirmed. These include the removal of the previous 7pc Fame limit when blended with distillate marine fuels. This is now possible up to 100pc. The distinction between winter and summer quality for cloud point and cold filter plugging point (CFPP) has also been removed. And there is now a requirement to report the net heat of combustion for a distillate fuel grade as well as the requirement for a minimum cetane number and oxidation stability. By Hussein Al-Khalisy Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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