Is sulfur content a function of gasoline grade?

That is, does premium generally contain less sulfur than regular? If that were the case I'd happily buy premium. Oil company websites have little info about sulfur content of their gasolines.

Reply to
Richard Schumacher
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Generally not. A few companies (BP-Amoco and, more recently, Shell) have been marketing lowered-sulphur premium fuels in some markets. But no, sulphur content primarily varies by locale, more specifically by age and technology of local refineries.

Here in Ontario, we've got some of North America's filthiest-burning, highest-sulpur roadgoing motor fuels. Worst of the worst is Esso (Exxon, in the states) with ultra-high-sulphur gasoline and diesel from their ancient Sarnia refinery. Petro-Canada's fuel is the lowest sulphur 'cause they've got the newest refinery around.

DS

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

According to this, Esso says they'll be making gas that meets the 2005 low-sulfur standards by the end of November in all 4 of their Canadian refineries:

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Something of a flip-flop from their previous "we'll comply with the regs, nothing more" attitude..

Reply to
Robert Hancock

Esso huh? You know why it was changed to Exxon don't you? Because of a little phrase - Que es esso? And Esso was just an expanded phonetic of SO or Standard Oil.

Reply to
COTTP

Used to be Eastern States Standard Oil Co.

Mobile used to be Socony Vacuum(sp), which was Standard Oil Company of New York. All kinds of names back in the good old days.

Reply to
David L. Foreman

Wow, that *is* a policy about-face.

Whatever. Whoever sells the lowest-sulphur gasoline that does not contain alcohol, that's the company I'll patronise.

DS

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Approximately 10/20/03 19:02, Richard Schumacher uttered for posterity:

Sulfur content is more a function of the crude oil stock, but is mostly due to poor refinery operation or design... with older refineries generally being the worst offenders. For a given refinery, you *might* get less sulfur in the premium due possibly to differences in processing, but I wouldn't count on it.

Usually with a catalytic convertor, sulfured fuel is fairly easy to spot, or more correctly, smell.

Reply to
Lon Stowell

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