Eastern Petroleum, Unioil offer Euro 4 diesel products in Phl

**jang** · February 19th, 2011 05:17 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Independent oil players Eastern Petroleum Corp. (EPC) and Unioil Philippines Inc. have jointly launched in their Metro Manila retail stations the first Euro 4 diesel products in the country.

EPC chairman Fernando Martinez told reporters that the new Euro 4 products will be sold in its 25 stations at no extra cost. Unioil likewise will offer these products in 25 of its stations located in the metropolis.

He said EPC and Unioil jointly import the Euro 4 diesel products with Unioil to make it more cost efficient. All Euro 2 diesel products, he said, had been phased out.

The two oil companies started offering the new product on Feb. 14.

Martinez said they would be importing some 40 million liters of Euro 4 products every month, challenging other players, especially the bigger oil firms, to follow their lead.

“I am calling and challenging our bigger partners in the industry to follow the same path without charging more from consumers. Its about time that we set aside some business gains in favor of a cleaner air,” he said.

At present, the country’s oil firms are only Euro 2 compliant. In Europe, all oil companies have been carrying Euro-5 products.

He also said they hope to offer similar grade in gasoline products within the year.

Euro 4, which could provide 90 percent less sulfur content, is guaranteed to lower the emission of impurities by as much as 60 percent.

Martinez said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) conducted the test on two pick-up utility vehicles which have been in use from three to five years.

“After draining its fuel tank and fuelling it with Euro 4, the vehicles were allowed to test drive within Metro Manila. After two hours of continuous driving, emission test from DENR conducted last Feb. 10 and 14 showed significant results. Emission of impurities were reduced by as much as 60 percent. And to show prolonged improvement, the pick-up trucks were tested after three days of Euro 4 use. Not only did it surpass the DENR standards, but it even decreased emission further by as much as 60 percent. Indeed Euro 4 is now the cleanest and most competitively priced diesel for the motorist,” he said.

He said EPC, through the introduction of Euro 4-compliant diesel, is now geared to join other environmental advocates, committed to the full implementation of the Clean Air Act which prescribed the desired emission standard and fuel quality, but has been hampered by repeated refusal from some oil companies to introduce higher grade fuels.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=66

**GTi** · February 19th, 2011 07:41 PM

If this is really true then... HALLELUJAH!!! I can't believe this day has finally come! Where are those 25 stations?! Our Trooper won't be so smoky now.

We'd finally be able to get the European CRDi variants of those small cars! And hopefully, soon enough, the GDI variants of the Accent, Elantra and Sonata!

**sm2by** · February 19th, 2011 07:42 PM

That is great news, this could encourage Philippine car manufacturers to bring out more diesel variants of different models, like the CR-V i-CDTi or the Yaris D4D from Europe

...

**GTi** · February 19th, 2011 07:45 PM

According to a Philippine Star article, Unioil and Eastern Petroleum are now starting to import Euro 4 diesel and are phasing out their Euro 2 diesel products. By the looks of it, soon all oil companies would be offering Euro 4 fuels soon. Would this finally mean a cleaner environment for all of us?

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=66

**Thumbdrive** · February 19th, 2011 08:29 PM

great news indeed

**locoroco777** · February 19th, 2011 09:46 PM

First euro 4? How bout SEAOIL's euro 4? does it mean its all marketing? hehe

**SiRbossR** · February 19th, 2011 09:47 PM

THIS IS GREAT NEWS! yey!

**GTi** · February 20th, 2011 12:12 AM

Hopefully the other small oil companies will follow suit immediately. And the Big 3 will follow soon after.

**ghosthunter** · February 20th, 2011 01:13 AM

I doubt if the big 3 would convert to Euro4 diesel standards unless the government would enact a law requiring such level of diesel to be sold locally.

The small petroleum companies can easily switch to euro4 without much investment because they import finished products. They do not have investments into refineries and such.

And since if it was just the small players would be selling euro4 diesel, their impact on the environment would be small if any detectable effect at all. It's because even if the fuel is clean but the engine is not at tiptop shape, it's still going to blow out smoky exhaust.

**GTi** · February 20th, 2011 03:58 PM

But wouldn't the big 3 be pressured to do so for fear of losing their customers? If all the independent oil companies offer Euro 4 diesel, definitely customers, especially those with CRDi engines, will go there due to more bang for the buck and better and longer life for their engines.

For proof about the more bang for the buck, whenever there's a Seaoil station near a big 3 gas station, the big 3 station doesn't get many customers as compared to the Seaoil station.