Published fresh results of A-95 gasoline quality inspection in Ukraine

The Consumer Expertise Institute tested the quality of A-95 gasoline at Ukrainian gas stations – not all fuel samples passed the tests…

Consumption of liquefied petroleum gas in Ukraine increased to 2.03 million tons (+11.1%) in 2019 compared to 2018. Moreover, last year, the autogas market volume exceeded the gasoline market volume, which amounted to 1.95 million tons in 2019. The decrease in gasoline consumption in Ukraine is due to the growth of used foreign car registrations, most of which are equipped with diesel engines, as well as the conversion of both new and used cars to run on gas. Against these trends, the quality of gasoline offered to motorists comes to the forefront.

The Consumer Expertise Institute conducted another inspection of the most popular 95th gasoline. The experts paid attention not only to major network gas stations but also to more modest automobile fuel distributors. In this study, samples from 11 networks were selected – Parallel, WOG, KLO, Chipo, Glusco, ANP, UPG, SunOil, Grand petrol, Avantage, and Marshall. Samples were sent to a certified laboratory where they were tested for compliance with the standards of the relevant DSTU 7687:2015 (gasoline A-95-Euro5). Samples were tested on key parameters – octane number, sulfur content, volumetric parts of aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, ethanol, and methanol.

Of the 12 samples, only one failed to meet DSTU requirements.

First and foremost, the most important engine performance parameter was checked – the octane number, which characterizes the resistance of fuel to detonation — premature combustion of gasoline in the combustion chamber. Detonation is harmful to the engine not only because it increases fuel consumption and reduces power but also due to premature engine wear from extra loads. The octane number was measured using the research method, according to which the standard is set at a level not lower than 95.0 units. All samples complied with the standard, with excellent results shown by the WOG (96.8) and Parallel samples (96.7).

A “reserve” was also demonstrated by Chipo (96.6) and KLO (Shebel 95) (96.5). The ratings are closed by UPG (95.3) and Marshall (95.4) samples. The next important indicator is sulfur content. High amounts of this substance in fuel lead to the formation of deposits, contamination of fuel injectors, and rapid catalyst wear. Naturally, when burning high-sulfur fuel, more harmful gases are released into the atmosphere, which we breathe.

According to DSTU standards for A-95-Euro5, sulfur content should not exceed 10 mg/kg.

Among the fuel samples studied, Marshall’s fuel led the anti-rating, almost doubling the norm – 19.5. Another sample turned out to be “borderline” – 10 mg/kg of sulfur was found in fuel from Avantage. For comparison, the leaders had a minimal sulfur amount – WOG (3 mg/kg) and KLO (Shebel 95) (4 mg/kg). It is worth noting that compared to previous studies, the fuel indicators for Chipo and Parallel (5 mg/kg) have improved.

The result of the KLO network is especially pleasant, as Shebel 95 fuel is produced at the domestic Shebelinsky Oil Refinery. Next, fuel was evaluated for benzene content. This substance is capable of washing off the oil film, leading to increased wear of engine cylinders. According to DSTU, the volumetric share of benzene content should not exceed 1%. According to this indicator, the violator was Marshall’s fuel, which exceeded the norm by 3.4 times!

The least sulfur was found in samples collected at Parallel (0.38%) and WOG (0.39%) gas stations. No exceedances were found when checking the volumetric part of aromatic hydrocarbons. For reference, an increase in “aromatics” content increases exhaust toxicity, and more deposits form in the combustion chamber. For all participants, this indicator is within limits, with a good margin. Minimum values were for KLO (Shebel 95) and Parallel.

In this category, Marshall’s fuel became abnormally low (15%), while UPG (28.8%) and ANP (29.3%) ended up at the bottom of the list.

Finally, the test identified oxygen-containing compounds – ethanol and methanol in the gasoline composition. Unfortunately, not all samples were able to pass this test. According to DSTU standards, the volumetric content of ethyl and methyl alcohol should not exceed 3% for methanol and 5 to 10% for (bio)ethanol. 11 out of 12 fuel samples passed the check, but the A-95 sample from Marshall gas station showed a high alcohol content, significantly exceeding acceptable standards.

Summing up the research, it is worth noting that most Ukrainian network gas stations not only offer fuel meeting European standards but also improve its quality over time. Unfortunately, the risk of refueling with fuel rich in sulfur and alcohol still exists…