@aaron.rupar except 70% of US #oil #refining is designed for higher sulfur crude not the light #crude we produce in the US. This is why Trump wants to control foreign heavy crude oil. Too many people don't understand this

The federal #energyminister, #ChrisBowen, has just #announced a temporary #downgrade in #Australia’s #fuelquality #standards, a move designed to put an extra 100m litres per month enter the system.

Bowen has told parliament that in order to assist with getting more supply into the system and to try and put downward pressure on prices, the government will allow a 60-day change to #allow #highersulfurlevels in #fuel.

The petrol supply will be prioritised for regional areas. It would otherwise have been exported to countries overseas.

*****

#Sulphur is not about wear and tear - it’s about #pollution, and that means #airquality.

Sulphur is a chemical composition of #crudeoil; there’s no escaping it. During the #refining process, sulphur needs to be removed.

The nasty little bi-product of the combustion process in question here is SOx (oxides of sulphur), which are not unlike oxides of nitrogen (made infamous thanks to Volkswagen) found in diesel. Oxides of sulphur need removing by the catalytic converter, with the help of platinum (expensive, rare).

Euro 5 is the current emissions standard, but our fuel is #below the #benchmark that would allow vehicles to achieve that. So Euro 6 standards have zero chance of being adopted for the foreseeable future.

It might mean the fumes will make people sick & the lower quality fuel will fuck your engine… but hey! They’ve got a plan. 🤬

#auspol

Why Products Made from Crude Oil Are as Valuable as Gold

YouTube

Monday, November 10, 2025

Ukraine's nuclear safety still at risk even after Zaporizhzhia plant connected to backup power -- Ukraine looking to order 27 Patriot air defense systems -- Explosions rock Voronezh amid reported drone attack on Russian power plant -- Russia's air defenses are wide open; there's just one problem ... and more

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2025/11/monday-november-10-2025/

Sunday, November 2, 2025

Analysis: 5 lessons on air defense and underground architecture from Kharkiv -- Ukrainian drones strike oil terminal, tanker in Russia's Krasnodar Krai -- Drones spotted over military base in Belgium for second time in 24 hours -- Russia claims HUR special forces raid in embattled Pokrovsk thwarted, Ukraine denies, Syrskyi insists "no encirclement" ... and more

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2025/11/sunday-november-2-2025/

I asked work colleagues (aged from early 20s to their 30s, 3 from UK, one from RO and other from ZW) if they had been taught about processing and #refining of #crudeoil during #science lessons at high school during 90s/2000s.

When I was in high school myself, every other science lesson was about it (and a good portion of teaching materials were corporate propaganda from #BP / #Shell)

Only the lady from Zimbabwe had been taught about #oil and #coal (possibly with similar material to my generation!), the chap from Romania (with an interest in cars) did know a bit about it but had not learned in school.

It is not surprising there is limited knowledge of the impacts of #fossilfuel amongst recent generations (ironically, it may even have been #greenwashed out of #education !)

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Estonia open to hosting UK's nuclear-capable F-35 jets, minister says after Russian incursion -- "We'll leave you to rot:" UN report details horrific torture of Ukrainian civilians in Russian captivity -- Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries drop Russian diesel exports to 5-year low, FT reports -- Is NATO already at war with Russia? It depends who you ask ... and more

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2025/09/wednesday-september-24-2025/

From ⁨⁨⁨⁨⁨#AnnafromUkraine⁩⁩⁩⁩⁩ @[email protected]

🧵 👇

UKRAINIAN DISRUPTOR STRATEGY: #RUSSIA DEFEAT ON ALL FRONTS Vlog 1157: War in Ukraine

#Ukraine managed to destroy Russian #BlackSeaFleet, 20% of their #oil #refining industry, dozens of cruise #missile carriers and many more with just #drones! The war of the 21st century is very different from the classic military training, that is why #NATO needs Ukraine, and boots on the ground of the Coalition of the Willing can, actually, learn ...

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