Vietnam introduces more stringent sulfur levels

Vietnam plans to cut the sulfur content from 0.5% to 0.05% for automotive diesel and to 0.25% for industrial use from early January 2007. However, oil-trading companies in the country, all state-run, proposed using only products with 0.25% sulfur. Oil importers, including Petrolimex, which has more than a 60% market share, expressed concerns over the Ministry of Trades decision. Lower sulfur diesel fuel is more expensive, a trading company pointed out. (December 21, 2006)