Daily Times

KARACHI: Continuing its leadership role in transforming the quality of fuels in the country, Pakistan’s flagship oil marketing company Pakistan State Oil has imported the first vessel of the country’s foremost low-sulfur diesel product that ensures a healthier environment and better performance of vehicles.

The move comes just two months after PSO successfully launched higher-grade RON petrol for the first time in Pakistan. Bringing the fuel revolution that it triggered and spearheaded to a full-circle, PSO has received the first 55,000 MT low-sulfur diesel vessel from Kuwait, heralding a new era of premium quality diesel in the country with more to follow in the coming weeks and months. PSO’s new low-sulfur diesel product with 500 ppm (as opposed to 10,000 ppm that the existing local diesel products from Karachi-based refineries contain), is the first and the only EURO II compliant diesel to be shortly available on the Pakistani market. “I congratulate Pakistan State Oil on becoming the first OMC to import the country’s first environment and vehicle-friendly diesel product, and compliment the company for materializing the vision of the Government of Pakistan and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources of improved fuels in the country that has eluded us for decades,” said Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources. “It gives us great satisfaction that the country’s national oil marketing company has played the leading, proactive and responsible role in effectively transforming the country’s fuel landscape within a short span of time,” he added. With the new diesel product being rolled out, it is expected to assist in improving the environment and facilitating the climate change commitments of the government in addition to reducing health concerns associated with air pollution, as low-sulfur diesel is expected to significantly improve the air quality. The resultant emission reductions of hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen by use of low-sulfur diesel will be a huge step forward toward improving the country’s environment. “With the import of Pakistan’s first low-sulfur diesel vessel, PSO has yet again emerged as an industry leader, working hand-in-hand with MP&NR to realize the shared mission of better fuels in the country,” said Sheikh Imran ul Haque, CEO & MD Pakistan State Oil. “Having introduced LNG in 2015 and higher-RON 92/95 grade gasoline in November 2016, and now the low-emission diesel product, we are proud to be the torchbearer of Pakistan’s fuel revolution and will continue to introduce and promote quality fuels in the country,” he added.