Anxious Transition to ULSD Smoother Than Expected — So Far

s new diesel standards took effect in 2006, refiners and fuel retailers said the nationwide transition to ultra-low-sulfur diesel was smoother than expected, despite concerns that the new fuel would cause supply shortages in some parts of the United States.

On Oct. 15, the deadline set by the Environmental Protection Agency for retail sale of ULSD, diesel suppliers across the country brought the fuel to market, beginning a transition that “is arguably the most costly and complex change ever experienced in the U.S. fuels market,” said Red Cavaney, president of the American Petroleum Institute.

According to the EPA, ULSD is currently the primary diesel fuel produced in the United States, representing about 90% of the nation’s total highway diesel fuel production.