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Fuel Regulations

Australia: Automotive Fuels

Diesel Fuel

The quality of automotive fuels in Australia has been regulated by a number of legal instruments, including the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000, the Fuel Quality Standards Regulations 2001 and the Fuel Standard (Automotive Diesel) Determination 2001 [4196], updated in 2019 [4197]. Fuel quality standards are administered by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

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Two groups of standards are applicable to diesel fuels:

  • Environmental Standards regulate fuel parameters that have a direct impact on the environment.
  • Operability Standards address those parameters of diesel that do not have a direct impact on emissions but, if not controlled, can have adverse impacts on the efficient operation of the engine.

The environmental standards include sulfur content in diesel fuel, the maximum level of which has been reduced on the following schedule:

  • 500 ppm from 31 December 2002
  • 50 ppm from 1 January 2006
  • 10 ppm from 1 January 2009

Since March 2009, diesel fuel may contain up to 5% of biodiesel without a labeling requirement. A standard for B100 is available [6158]. Pending the approval of a B20 standard, B20 blends are approved on a temporary basis (e.g., [6159]).

Petrol

The parameters and testing methods for petrol fuels were implemented by the Fuel Standard (Petrol) Determination 2001 [4199]. Later specifications, the Fuel Quality Standards (Petrol) Determination 2019 [4200] are effective from 1 October 2019 and the Fuel Quality Standards (Petrol) Determination 2024 [6154] are effective from 25 April 2024.

The standards include sulfur content in petrol, the maximum level of which has been reduced on the following schedule:

  • 500 ppm from 1-Jan-2002 for 91 RON grade
  • 150 ppm from 1-Jan-2002 for 95 RON grade
  • 150 ppm from 1-Jan-2005 for 91 RON grade
  • 50 ppm from 1-Jan-2008 for 95 RON grade
  • 10 ppm from 15-Dec-2025 for all grades

Aromatics have also been limited in petrol since 1-Oct-2019 to a maximum of 45%. A pool average of 42% applied until the end of 2021 and 35% from 2022 onwards. Petrol with a RON between 95-98 is limited to a maximum of 35% aromatics from 15-Dec-2025.

Up to 10% ethanol can be blended into petrol since 2003. The standard for ethanol as a blend component is included in the petrol standard. A standard for E85 has been available since 2012 [6157][6156][6155].

Leaded petrol was phased-out effective 1-Jan-2002. The sale of leaded petrol in Australia is now prohibited, except in cases specifically authorized by the Minister of the Environment and Energy.