Fuel dye

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Plastic jerrycan containing 'red' diesel. Red Diesel - geograph.org.uk - 339947.jpg
Plastic jerrycan containing 'red' diesel.

Fuel dyes are dyes added to fuels, as in some countries it is required by law to dye a low-tax fuel to deter its use in applications intended for higher-taxed ones. Untaxed fuels are referred to as "dyed", while taxed ones are called "clear" or "white".

Contents

Aviation gasoline is dyed, both for tax reasons (avgas is typically taxed to support aviation infrastructure) as well as safety (due to the consequences of fuelling an aircraft with the wrong kind of fuel).

Types of dyes

The dyes used have to be soluble in the fuels they are added to and therefore in hydrocarbon-based nonpolar solvents ("solvent dyes"). Red dyes are often various diazo dyes, e.g., Solvent Red 19, Solvent Red 24, and Solvent Red 26. Anthraquinone dyes are used for green and blue shades, e.g., Solvent Green 33, Solvent Blue 35 and Solvent Blue 26.

The pure dyes found in modern liquid petroleum dyes are longer alkyl side chain forms of traditional dyes and normally multiple chain length variations of the chromophore are found within a typical commercial liquid petroleum dye. For instance, Sudan Red 462 is a form of Solvent Red 19, with the ethyl side chain replaced by either a 2-ethylhexyl or a tridecyl side chain. The longer branched side chains improve solubility dramatically, but in some cases the high solubility prevents the dye being isolated as a crystal, except at very low temperatures. The high-solubility liquid dyes originated with Morton International and BASF (ACNA Italy) as the primary inventors. For instance, Morton International created Solvent Blue 98 as a high solubility form of Solvent Blue 35. BASF created Solvent Blue 79 as its high solubility form of Solvent Blue 35. In some cases it is possible, with normal solvents—e.g., xylene—to prepare stable (to -20C) solutions at 65% "solids" content. The original powder dye form of the chromophore would not be soluble beyond 2% in xylene.

Only a few refineries worldwide still use powder dyes for colouring fuels, as although they are lower cost per active molecule of dye chromophore than the modified forms, they have significant handling issues and health and safety issues that inherently arise from the handling of azo dyes (reds/yellows/green mixes). It is advantageous to mix a liquid with a liquid instead of handling powdered dyes into a liquid.

Fuel dye in Europe

Fuel pumps in Ireland, with green gas oil and red kerosene, and notices that it is an offence to use marked fuels in a motor vehicle. Petrol pump, Aherlow.jpg
Fuel pumps in Ireland, with green gas oil and red kerosene, and notices that it is an offence to use marked fuels in a motor vehicle.

After August 2002, all European Union countries became obliged to add about 6 mg/L (0.034 oz/bbl) of Solvent Yellow 124, a dye with structure similar to Solvent Yellow 56, to heating fuel. This dye can be easily hydrolyzed with acids, splitting off the acetal group responsible for its solubility in nonpolar solvents, and yielding a water-soluble form. Like a similar methyl orange dye, it changes color to red in acidic pH. It can be easily detected in the fuel at levels as low as 0.3 ppm by extraction to a diluted hydrochloric acid, allowing detection of the red diesel added into motor diesel in amounts as low as 2–3%. With the implementation decision (EU) 2022/197 by the European Commission, ACCUTRACE Plus, developed by Dow Chemical Company, replaced the Euromarker Solvent Yellow 124 dye on January 18, 2024. The new Accutrace dye is significantly more difficult to remove from gas oil than its predecessor. Consequently, the introduction of this new fuel dye is expected to reduce the illegal conversion of gas oil, subject to reduced taxation, into diesel fuel. [1] [2] Accutrace can be detected in trace amounts using gas chromatography, both in laboratory and field settings. [3] Residues from both Accutrace and the previous Euromarker dyes persist in fuel tanks and filters long after the illegal gas oil has been discontinued. Thus, even months after switching to legitimate diesel fuel, traces of illegal gas oil use can still be identified.

United Kingdom

Motor Spirit (Regulation) Act 1948
Act of Parliament
Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (1901-1952).svg
Long title An Act to create certain offences in connection with the supply and use of motor spirit, and for purposes connected therewith.
Citation 11 & 12 Geo. 6. c. 34
Dates
Royal assent 28 May 1948
Petrol station in England, with 'red diesel' available for a lower price, but only for "off road use", i.e. agricultural machinery and similar. Station Road Garage - prices - geograph.org.uk - 847101.jpg
Petrol station in England, with 'red diesel' available for a lower price, but only for "off road use", i.e. agricultural machinery and similar.

In the United Kingdom, "red diesel" is dyed gas oil for registered agricultural or construction vehicles such as tractors, excavators, cranes and some other non-road applications such as boats. Red diesel carries a significantly reduced tax levy compared to un-dyed diesel fuel used in ordinary road vehicles. As red diesel is widely available in the UK, the authorities regularly carry out roadside checks. Unauthorised use incurs heavy fines but despite this, spot checks have occasionally found as many as one in five motorists using red diesel. [4]

Red diesel can also be used in road vehicles which are registered as off-road with the DVLA provided they are only used on private land. On 14 July 2014, the European Commission announced it was referring the United Kingdom to the European Court of Justice over the use of red diesel in propelling private pleasure craft on water. It believed the UK was not properly applying EU regulations for the fiscal marking of fuels. [5]

On 18 November 2014, a new measure to combat fuel laundering was set to result in the illegal trade being "virtually eliminated" in the United Kingdom, according to HM Revenue and Customs. A new dye was introduced in April 2015 in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. [6]

Carbon offset red diesel

Carbon offset red diesel is, as of 2014, available in the UK. It is marketed as an environmentally friendly alternative to regular red diesel. There is an extra cost incurred when purchasing carbon offset red diesel; however, some[ clarification needed ] suppliers of the fuel are donating the extra cost to projects aimed at lowering carbon emissions, meaning they make no extra profit from the sale of the fuel. [7]

Finland

Diesel (black) and dyed fuel oil (MPO; red) dispensers at a St1 petrol station in Tornio, Finland. Diesel-Motoroil Pump.jpg
Diesel (black) and dyed fuel oil (MPÖ; red) dispensers at a St1 petrol station in Tornio, Finland.

Low-tax dyed fuel oil (Finnish : polttoöljy; Swedish : brännolja; always abbreviated on nozzles as MPÖ) is available in many rural petrol stations in Finland, primarily intended for certain types of non-road vehicles such as tractors and driveable construction vehicles. Until 2002, furfural was used to dye fuel oil in Finland, when it was replaced with Solvent Yellow 124. Since 2008, boats and pleasure craft are no longer legally allowed to use low-tax fuel oil; instead, taxable diesel must be used for fuel.

Poland

Currently there are no naked-eye visible dyes in car fuels sold in Poland. Previously, during the time of Communist Party rule, the state-owned CPN fuel monopoly dyed leaded gasolines (marketed as "ethilins") in the following colors: 78 – blue, 86 – green, 94 – yellow, 98 – red. Diesel fuel, although unleaded, was also dyed a brown color.

Fuel dye in North America

In the United States of America, the Environmental Protection Agency mandates use of a red dye to identify fuels for off-road use. Solvent Red 26 is used in the United States as a standard, though it is often replaced with Solvent Red 164, which is similar to Solvent Red 26 but with longer alkyl chains. The Internal Revenue Service regulation 26 CFR 48.4082-1 mandates use of the same red dyes, in fivefold concentration, for tax-exempt diesel fuels such as heating oil; their argument for the higher dye content is to allow detection even when diluted with "legal" fuel. Detection of red-dyed fuel in the fuel system of an on-road vehicle will incur substantial penalties.

Fuel laundering

Organised crime gangs may "launder" low-price dyed fuel, removing the dye and selling it illegally to unsuspecting motorists at the higher price of undyed fuel. Paramilitary groups connected to political unrest in Northern Ireland have established laundering plants on both sides of the Irish border. In 2004, Northern Irish police discovered an illegal facility capable of removing the dye from 12 million L (2.6 million imp gal; 3.2 million US gal) per year. [8] In 2009, customs officials shut down a plant capable of removing the dye from 6.5 million litres of fuel per year. [9] In 2011, a plant capable of processing 30 million litres was discovered. [10] The European Union aims to combat fuel laundering with the introduction of the new fuel dye Accutrace starting from 2024. [1]

Fuel theft

Fuel is being dyed by companies such as Bord na Móna in Ireland in an effort to combat the widespread theft of fuel. [11]

Dyes used by country

Some dyes required in some countries are listed here:

CountryFuelDye
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Regular unleaded petrol undyed – clear to yellow (was purple or brown up to 2013, was red/orange until 2015) [12] [13]
Premium unleaded petrol undyed – clear to yellow [13]
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Heating oil any red dye and Solvent Yellow 124
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Off-road fuel (agriculture, construction, mining etc.)red/purple dye
Marine gasolineany red dye
Heating oilany red dye
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Heating oil Solvent Yellow 124
Diesel for construction and agriculture Solvent Yellow 124
Flag of France.svg  France Diesel (off-road) Solvent Red 24 and Solvent Yellow 124 [14]
Heating oil Solvent Red 24 and Solvent Yellow 124 [15]
Kerosene as heating fuel Solvent Yellow 124 [16]
Marine diesel Solvent Blue 35
Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia Solvent Yellow 124. SIA "Straujupīte" for diesel labeling is using no more than 0.2% of sulfur content. [17]

Diesel is labeled by adding one of the coloring matters to 1000 liters of oil products:

  • (N-ethyl-1- (4-fenilazofenilazo) naphthyl-2-amine – at least 5.0 grams;
Agricultural diesel [18] fiscal marker – Solvent Yellow 124, CAS Nr.34432-92-3 – at least 6.0 grams, and no more than 9.0 grams, per 1000 L
Solvent Blue 35, CAS no. 17354-14-2, or any other equivalent blue coloring – at least 7.0 grams per 1000 L [19]
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia Heating oil Automate Red NR or similar
Agricultural dieselAutomate Blue 8 GHF or similar
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Heating oil Solvent Yellow 124 + 4.1 gr/litre Solvent Red 19 or 5.3 gr tolyazotolyazo-ethylhexylbetanaphthylamine or 6.1 gr tolyazotolyazo-tridecylbetanaphthylamine and similar
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece Heating oil any red dye
Marine dieselany black dye
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary Heating oil Ferrocene
Flag of India.svg  India Subsidised Kerosene Blue dye
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia Pertalite (RON 90)Green dye
PERTAMAX (RON 92)Blue dye
PERTAMAX Turbo (RON 98)Red dye
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland Gas oilgreen dye = Solvent Yellow 124 and Anthraquinone Blue dye equivalent to Solvent Blue 35 and ACCUTRACE S10 ((3-(sec-butyl)-4-(decyloxy)phenyl)methanetriyl)tribenzene]] [20]
Kerosene Solvent Red 19, Solvent Yellow 124 and ACCUTRACE S10 ((3-(sec-butyl)-4-(decyloxy)phenyl)methanetriyl)tribenzene [20]
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Heating oilSolvent Red 161
Gas oilSolvent Green 32 or 33 and Solvent Yellow 124
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Agricultural dieselany red dye and Solvent Yellow 124 (the additive Furfural is obsolete)
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway Agricultural dieselany green dye
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal Agricultural diesel Solvent Blue 35
Heating oil Solvent Red 19 and similar
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Agricultural dieselany red dye + Solvent Yellow 124: Orden PRE/1724/2002 of 5 July.
Heating oilany blue dye + Solvent Yellow 124: Orden PRE/1724/2002 of 5 July.
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Heating oil Solvent Blue 35, Solvent Blue 79, Solvent Blue 98 and Solvent Yellow 124
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand Gasoline 95yellow dye
Gasoline 91red dye
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Gas oil ("red diesel") Solvent Red 24, quinizarin, Solvent Yellow 124 and ((3-(sec-butyl)-4-(decyloxy)phenyl)methanetriyl)tribenzene [21]
Rebated kerosene Coumarin, Solvent Yellow 124 and ((3-(sec-butyl)-4-(decyloxy)phenyl)methanetriyl)tribenzene [21]
Flag of Europe.svg  Europe many rebated Solvent Yellow 124 ("Euromarker") Transition commenced to replace this by ButoxyBenzene from 18 January 2024
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States low-tax fuels, high-sulfur fuels Solvent Red 26 3.9 lbs per 1000 barrels (11 mg/L), Solvent Red 164
WorldwideAviation gasoline 80/87red dye
Aviation gasoline 82ULpurple dye
Aviation gasoline 100LLblue dye
Aviation gasoline 100/130green dye

See also

Related Research Articles

Kerosene, or paraffin, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid which is derived from petroleum. It is widely used as a fuel in aviation as well as households. Its name derives from κηρός (kērós) meaning "wax", and was registered as a trademark by Nova Scotia geologist and inventor Abraham Gesner in 1854 before evolving into a generic trademark. It is sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gasoline</span> Liquid fuel derived from petroleum

Gasoline or petrol is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When formulated as a fuel for engines, gasoline is chemically composed of organic compounds derived from the fractional distillation of petroleum and later chemically enhanced with gasoline additives. It is a high-volume profitable product produced in crude oil refineries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Filling station</span> Facility which sells gasoline and diesel

A filling station is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline and diesel fuel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diesel fuel</span> Liquid fuel used in diesel engines

Diesel fuel, also called diesel oil, heavy oil (historically) or simply diesel, is any liquid fuel specifically designed for use in a diesel engine, a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignition takes place without a spark as a result of compression of the inlet air and then injection of fuel. Therefore, diesel fuel needs good compression ignition characteristics.

A fuel tax is an excise tax imposed on the sale of fuel. In most countries the fuel tax is imposed on fuels which are intended for transportation. Fuel tax receipts are often dedicated or hypothecated to transportation projects, in which case the fuel tax can be considered a user fee. In other countries, the fuel tax is a source of general revenue. Sometimes, a fuel tax is used as an ecotax, to promote ecological sustainability. Fuel taxes are often considered by government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service as regressive taxes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liquid fuel</span> Liquids that can be used to create energy

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References

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