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Article

4 Feb 2013

Author:
Reuters

State-owned oil companies in firing line over Beijing's pollution [China]

[R]ancid haze enveloping Beijing has turned the spotlight on the mainland's two largest oil companies…[A]nalysts say the oil companies' foot-dragging and disregard of environmental regulations underscore a critical challenge facing a toothless ministry in its mission to curb air pollution…Delays in implementing stricter emission standards are rooted in money…who should pay for refining cleaner fuels…To supply cleaner diesel, the oil firms must invest tens of billions of yuan to remove the sulphur content, said Xiaoyi Mu…at the University of Dundee…PetroChina, the listed arm of CNPC, said in a statement that all automotive diesel produced by PetroChina in 2012 met existing emissions standards…[and] added PetroChina would "push forward upgrading of fuel quality, and supply clean, good quality and diversified products"…Sinopec chairman Fu Chengyu…acknowledged that China's refineries are one of the main parties that should bear responsibility for air pollution. Even so, he added that was not because fuel failed to meet standards but rather because fuel standards were not sufficient.