Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) will start distribution of Euro IV standard petroleum products throughout the country by Wednesday.

The state-owned petroleum monopoly received the first batch of high-grade petroleum products from Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) on Sunday, following delivery of 4,092 kilolitres of diesel and 792 kilolitres of petrol from IOC depots in Raxaul and Barauni, NOC Spokesperson Sitaram Pokharel said.

The petroleum products have been stored at NOC’s depots in Amlekhgunj and Thankot. 

“We will start selling these products from Tuesday or Wednesday,” Pokharel said, adding, “Prices of petroleum products will not go up once NOC starts selling the Euro IV standard fuel.”

Some 40 years ago, IOC had entered into an agreement with NOC to supply petroleum products to the Nepali market. At present, the state-owned enterprise has been importing fuel of Euro III standard from the Indian oil supplier. As IOC has started distribution of Euro IV standard fuel in the Indian market, NOC has also started importing the high-grade fuel. 

According to Pokharel, NOC, as of now, has been importing high grade fuel partially from selected depots of IOC. 

“In the coming days, we will completely replace Euro III fuel with Euro IV,” he said. Nepal had received a batch of 1,300 kilolitres of the high-grade fuel from China during the blockade imposed by India.

Euro IV standard fuel is more environment-friendly and less polluting. Its sulphur content is only 50 ppm compared to 350 ppm for Euro III standard fuel. The use of gasoline of superior quality is expected to increase the efficiency of vehicles, resulting in higher mileage. Use of Euro IV standard gasoline is also expected to control air pollution significantly.

According to NOC, the normal daily requirement of petrol and diesel in the domestic market is around 1,100 kilolitres and 2,700 kilolitres, respectively.