Throughout the life cycle of an oil product, the largest environmental impact is generated during its use.
In the 1960s, to prevent SOx (sulfur oxides) emissions from polluting the air in urban areas, the oil industry made investments in heavy fuel oil desulfurizers to reduce the environmental impacts.
In the 1970s, rapid motorization caused air pollution problems. To respond to the demands of the community, the oil industry has actively decreased environmental loads generated by gasoline and diesel fuel oil.
We will continue these activities to preserve the atmospheric environment and to improve the quality of oil products.
To reduce the environmental impact of gasoline, from 2000 Cosmo Oil has been promoting such measures as using low-benzene gasoline,
reducing gasoline vapor pressure, and cutting the sulfur content of gasoline (supplying sulfur-free gasoline).
Low-Benzene Gasoline
Recognizing that benzene is a toxic substance that can harm the human body, since January 2000 Cosmo Oil has reduced the benzene content of its gasoline from 5% to below 1%.
Reducing Vapor Pressure
Determined to reduce evaporative emissions, a cause of photochemical smog, since 2001 we have reduced gasoline vapor pressure of gasoline produced in summer from less than 78 kPa to less than 72 kPa. From 2005, we have been producing gasoline with a vapor pressure of less than 65 kPa.
Reducing Sulfur Content of Gasoline (Sulfur-Free Gasoline)
Reducing the sulfur content of gasoline provides the dual benefits of cutting air pollutants while maximizing performance of automobile exhaust purifying systems. The Cosmo Oil Group has been supplying sulfur-free gasoline (with a sulfur content of less than 10 ppm) since 2005.
In response to changing restrictions on exhaust emissions, the oil industry has utilized leading-edge technologies to reduce the sulfur content in diesel fuel oil. Cosmo Oil began supplying diesel fuel oil with a sulfur content of 50 ppm in April 2003 and sulfur-free diesel fuel oil (with a sulfur content of less than 10 ppm) in January 2005. Combining the use of sulfur-free diesel fuel oil with environmentally friendly vehicles not only yields reductions in NOx (nitrogen oxides) and PM (particulate matter) emissions, but can also help improve fuel efficiency. Accordingly, reducing sulfur content in this manner is expected to be an effective means of cutting CO
2 emissions and contributing to the prevention of global warming.
Changes in sulfur in diesel fuel oil in Japan
The sulfur content of kerosene for home-fuel is less than 0.008 wt.% which allows you to safely burn it indoors.
