The "Euro-3" fuel will be available at petrol stations (PS), taking into account delivery times, in the second half of August, closer to the end of the month. Importantly, all PS must indicate the ecological class of the fuel at the time of sale.
Previously, the government issued a decree that permitted the production, import, and trade of gasoline and diesel fuel that met the "Euro-2", "Euro-3", and "Euro-4" environmental standards (K2, K3, and K4 in the Russian classification) until 1 July 2027. Since 13 August of this year, there has been a ban on the circulation of fuel classes lower than "Euro-5" in Russia, which had been in effect since July 2016.
As highlighted in the government’s statement, this measure is temporary and aimed at saturating the domestic market with necessary fuel volumes. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak particularly emphasised that information about the fuel class must be clearly presented at petrol stations for consumer accessibility.
The easing of requirements is linked to a reduction in gasoline and diesel production due to unscheduled repairs at oil refineries (OR) following drone attacks. Technologically, the production of "Euro-3" is simpler and does not require installations used in the production of low-sulfur and low-aromatic fuel. Therefore, even some affected refineries (if only this equipment was halted) will be able to continue fuel production.
Moreover, repairs scheduled for late spring and the first half of summer at some ORs have been postponed to a later date, and their downtime may also impact market saturation. ORs are complex facilities that cannot operate fully without periodic maintenance shutdowns. Authorising the production and trade of "Euro-3" will help maintain production volumes.
In a conversation with "RG", Dmitry Gusev, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the "Reliable Partner" Association and a member of the Expert Council for the "Petrol Stations of Russia" competition, explained that the lower the ecological class of the gasoline, the more can be produced. This does not imply a rejection of "Euro-5"; simply, in areas where it will be insufficient, fuel of a lower ecological class can be used, he clarified.
According to Sergey Tereshkin, CEO of Open Oil Market, when fuel imports from Belarus reached production capacity limits and imports from India became complicated due to high logistical costs, the relaxation of fuel property requirements becomes the primary means of preventing risks of shortages in the domestic market.
The majority of "Euro-3" fuel production is likely to come from small ORs with low processing depth (there are around 20 such facilities in Russia, with a total processing volume of 12 million tonnes per year), according to Sergey Frolov, Managing Partner of NEFT Research. However, the government has not disclosed an official list of refineries authorised to supply such fuel. It is unlikely to be found at the petrol stations of major oil companies. Nevertheless, petroleum products at PS must be labelled, and consumers must be warned that they are purchasing gasoline below "Euro-5" standards.
On the other hand, as previously mentioned, the production of "Euro-3" is technologically simpler, which means its production cost is lower, resulting in a lower price. This will not only help keep prices stable in the domestic market but will also make importing "Euro-3" into Russia more cost-effective than "Euro-5". However, as Gusev noted, it will be significantly more challenging for importers to find available volumes of "Euro-3" for supply to our country compared to "Euro-5".
This is not a rejection of "Euro-5", but rather a means to compensate for the missing fuel volumes in the market with "Euro-3".
There remains a need to assess the impact of "Euro-3" on the environment and on vehicle health. Regarding the former, Tereshkin explains that while the maximum sulphur content in "Euro-5" gasoline is 10 mg per kg of fuel, in "Euro-3" it is 150 mg per kg, and the maximum concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons is 35% compared to 42%, respectively.
As for the impact on vehicles, it is known that "Euro-3" should not be used in modern cars classified as "Euro-5" and "Euro-6". According to Tereshkin, using fuel with a high sulphur content risks damaging oxygen sensors, reducing engine oil efficiency, and degrading the active layer of the catalyst, which is used to clean exhaust gases.
Frolov observes that "Euro-3" may adversely affect vehicle components related to exhaust control (catalysts, particulate filters, lambda sensors) and can negatively impact engines due to a higher risk of corrosion and soot buildup.
Furthermore, Tereshkin notes that any potential damage to a vehicle depends on the duration of using such fuel. If it concerns one or two weeks, one can likely manage simply by cleaning the engine injectors at a service centre. More severe damages occur after several months of use. This is somewhat similar to consuming fast food: it’s one thing to have a hamburger and fries for lunch, and an entirely different matter if one eats fast food every day for six months.
Source: RG.RU
