Cleaner Fuels

Cleaner fuels contribute significantly to the protection of the environment and of our health. Therefore, MOL Group makes every effort to produce fuels with reduced harmful emissions and higher renewable content.

The European Union seeks to promote cleaner fuels and to increase their market share, in each Member State. This will contribute to such EU objectives as meeting climate change commitments or environmentally friendly security of supply. According to REN Directive on bio-fuels, Member States must ensure that a minimum proportion of bio- and other renewable fuels is made available in their marketplaces, and must set national indicative targets.

MOL had already reached in 2005 the full compliance with 2009 fuel quality standards regarding to sulphur content. In compliance with regulations on bio-fuels MOL has developed fuels with a bio-component content to strengthen its regional position. Since 2004, sulphur-free fuels have been produced in Slovnaft but the ratio was only about 40% of the total diesel fuel production. Year by year Slovnaft has been producing more sulphur-free diesel to reach 100% by 2009. Bratislava Refinery produces jet fuel having a maximum sulphur content of 10 mg/kg. In 2010 INA introduced sulphur-free (maximum 10 mg/kg sulphur) gasoline and diesel to the Croatian market.

MOL Group complies with EU requirements by blending bio-ethanol into gasolines, and FAME into gas oils in its various markets.

Fuel quality
The reduction of the motor fuel's impact having on the environment plays an important part in our product development strategy. After the introduction of sulphur-free fuels, MOL started the production, blending and marketing of motor fuels containing bio-components, as specified by the EU Directive, to contribute to the decrease of the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) and the dependence on crude oil imports.

The environment-friendly advantages of bio-fuels include, on one hand, the minimal volume of vehicle emissions, while on the other hand, their production has smaller impact on the environment than that of fossil fuels. In July 2007, the E5 gasoline (with bio-ethanol equivalent between 4.4 and 5 vol. %) was introduced into Hungarian market. Slovnaft introduced B5 in Slovak market in 2005; E5 in 2006. We have continued the production and expanded the sales of B5 bio-diesel (5% FAME) in core markets such as Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia and since January 2008, in the Hungarian market as well. Since July 2009, B7 is produced for Austrian and German markets in MOL and Slovnaft refineries.

This has not only helped us achieve a very high quality of motor fuels, but it is also significantly facilitating Hungary to achieve bio-fuel targets. FAME production was started in December 2007 by the joint venture of MOL plc. and Rossi Beteiligungs GmbH in Komárom. On Slovakian side similar joint venture was started between Meroco j.s.a. and Slovnaft j.s.a in April 2008.

Thanks to gasoline and diesel performance additive package developed in cooperation with international additive producers, our motor fuels sold at the MOL and Slovnaft filling stations have excellent quality. The application of those most modern state-of-the-art functional additives in appropriately processed blending components ensures excellent application properties of the products, including more dynamic drivability, longer engine lifetime accompanied by a decrease in harmful substance emissions. Our fully treated gasoline and diesel products are the best fuels for high performance engines and for those individuals who expect maximum performance from their vehicle.

Preserving the quality of bio-product containing motor fuels can only be ensured through proper operating procedures for proper handling and maintenance of the whole logistic chain, including dewatering, complete draining, and other procedures to check mechanical and corrosion status in line with CEN TR 15367 Petroleum products - Automotive Motor Fuels – Guide for good housekeeping.