Recent Progress in Research and Development on Automotive Fuels in Japan

Future demand for lighter petroleum products, especially midbarrel, is expected to be higher than for residual fuel oil. Further, since the quality of crude oil imported into Japan will change from light to heavy, it is doubtful whether the supply of lighter products can meet demand. In order to balance supply and demand of lighter products and to secure a stable supply of automotive fuels for the unique Japanese market structure, several measures increasing the yield of lighter products from refineries and the development of alternate fuels are in progress in cooperation with the Japanese government and the private sector.