Fuel Suppliers See Problems In Meeting ’06 ULSD Deadline

n association of fuel suppliers and pipeline companies said it would ask the federal government to allow them to sell diesel fuel with slightly higher sulfur levels than environmental rules would allow next year.

The refinery and pipeline officials said they feared they would not be able to consistently deliver diesel fuel with only 15 parts per million of sulfur, because of contamination in pipelines and storage tanks that carry fuels with higher sulfur content.

The request by the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association follows a large pipeline company’s call for an extension of the mid-2006 deadline for delivering ultra-low sulfur diesel until pipeline companies can isolate and repair sites in pipeline systems where additional sulfur would contaminate the new ULSD.