Oilheat Manufacturers Association pushes for lower-sulfur heating oil standard

Diesel Fuel News, Feb 4, 2002

Citing recent research on fuel sulfur impact on heating oil equipment, OMA points out that lower sulfur levels (less than 500 ppm) in No. 1 and No. 2 heating oils can reduce deposits on heat exchanger surfaces and double heating appliance service intervals, along with lowering particulate and nitrogen oxides emissions.

While OMA doesn't see any big benefit if sulfur was cut further to U.S. EPA's 15 ppm cap for ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) in 2006, such a fuel wouldn't hurt heating oil systems. In some parts of the U.S., heating oil and diesel fuel already are identical; this could expand.