Sinopec and PetroChina have started to supply GB IV gasoline in both wholesale and retail markets of Dongguan City, South China’s Guangdong Province, according to company sources.
The two oil giants are allocating GB IV gasoline to subsidiary sales branches and gas stations in Dongguan, the sources said.
Another major CNOOC is yet to offer GB IV gasoline in the city, although it has stopped the supply of GB III gasoline there. Its sales branch in Dongguan is preparing receiving GB IV gasoline.
Retail prices of GB IV gasoline are flat with GB III gasoline in Dongguan at present, because most private gas stations there have yet to fill their stocks with GB IV gasoline.
"Our underlying gas stations are now selling GB IV gasoline at GB III gasoline's prices", a source with PetroChina's sales branch in Dongguan said.
According to regulations, retail prices of 93-Ron and 97-Ron GB IV gasoline are Yuan 7.89/liter and Yuan 8.54/liter, up Yuan 0.16/liter and Yuan 0.17/liter from GB III grades, respectively.
A main gasoline blender in Dongguan said it will take about half a month for his company to sell out GB III gasoline, and then, it will start to offer GB IV gasoline. The company supplied GB IV gasoline to nearby Shenzhen City earlier.
The Dongguan municipal government has so far set no deadline for local private gas stations to upgrade gasoline quality. Some traders predicted the interim period may be a month or so, but it may depend on the actual progress and the government's inspection, market sources said.
The sulfur content of GB IV gasoline should be no more than 50ppm, versus 150ppm under GB III standard, according to an announcement issued by the Economic & Information Commission of Guangdong Province and the Environment Protection of Guangdong Province.
China published GB IV standard for vehicle-use gasoline on May 12, 2011 with interim period due Dec 31, 2013.
