Petrobras can't confirm viscosity of fuel sold during 0.5% tests

Fuel offered in Rio will "most likely" have a lower viscosity, but supplier unable to confirm exact level.

Image credit: Petrobras

Updated on 22 Aug 2019 12:41 GMT

Bunker supplier Petrobras confirmed on Thursday that its Duque de Caxias Refinery, located in Rio de Janeiro, will be performing tests for the production of fuel that complies with the upcoming 0.5 percent global cap on sulphur content, which is due to come into force in January. Petrobras explained that during the testing period, the marine fuels offered in Rio de Janeiro "most likely will contain a lower viscosity". "Although we guarantee the ISO 8217:2005 [fuel standard] in the Port of Rio de Janeiro, being a period of tests, we are not able to know precisely the viscosity of the products beforehand to be offered," Petrobras added. Earlier this year, in April, Petrobras announced that it had produced its first batch of very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) and also carried out its first bunker delivery of the IMO 2020-compliant product. The fuel was made at the company's Isaac Sabbá refinery in Manaus, located in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Petrobras also previously noted that other refineries in its network were in the process of testing the production of fuel that complies with the soon-to-be-implemented limit of 0.5 percent.