Illegal base oil use affects fuel consumption in Turkey

Illegal use of base oils mixed with solvents is continuing to halt the growth of Turkey’s fuel consumption, according to the country’s petroleum industry association, Petder. According to Platts, Petder Head Metin Erol said a drop of 9.4% in overall petroleum fuel sales–transport fuels plus fuel oil–over the first six months of the year was due in large part to as much as 500,000 metric tons of base oils and solvents being sold illegally into the diesel fuel market. The Petder report said overall fuel consumption had dropped by 9.4% from 8.7 million metric tons in the first half of 2009 to 7.9 million metric tons in the first half of this year. (July 30, 2010)