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Debate on Role of Biofuels Livens Up at Hart's World Refining & Fuels Conference - Latin America

Posted on: Tuesday, 5 June 2007, 15:00 CDT

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The 7th Annual Hart World Refining & Fuels Conference -- Latin America held at the Sheraton Rio Hotel here kicked-off its opening session with a lively discussion about biofuels.

Paulo Roberto Costa, downstream director for Petrobras, pointed out in a keynote presentation that Brazil, already a world leader in ethanol production for the domestic market, is now seeking to expand ethanol exports to Venezuela, Nigeria, the U.S. and Japan. Costa stated that for cost reasons, such ethanol ought to be blended into gasoline in a similar way to that which is done in the U.S. and Brazil.

On the other hand, Tomiyuki Kudo, President of Japan Energy Center, said in a separate presentation here that Japan would prefer to pursue a path of blending ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE) rather than ethanol into gasoline for the Japanese market.

Japan is keen to increase its use of biofuels as part of its Japan Clean Air Program, which has already achieved the desulphurization of both gasoline and diesel fuel to ultra-low sulfur levels years in advance of legislative deadlines.

Using ETBE rather than ethanol blending simplifies the distribution of renewable fuel through the existing gasoline pipeline, terminal and service station network, Kudo pointed out. However, Costa argued that ethanol can be blended and distributed at relatively low cost, such that conversion to ETBE is not really necessary.

Such lively discussions are a regular feature of Hart's World Refining & Fuels Conferences.

Over 200 industry and government representatives from countries like Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Japan, India, France, and the USA are attending this conference on "International Success with Clean Fuels & Technology Advancements," which is taking place at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Rio de Janeiro from June 4 to June 6. Other topics covered at the conference include biodiesel, low-sulfur diesel and ULSD implementation in the Western Hemisphere, New Developments in Marine and Jet Fuel Quality & Emissions, and Successful Energy Policies in Latin America.

Petrobras confirmed at the conference that they are working with the Brazilian government to get a blend of 5% biodiesel approved -- compared to the 2% currently authorized by the legislation -- to use in their buses and fleet.

Speakers at the conference include * Miguel Almada, Secretariat of Agriculture, Farming and Fishing of Argentina * Dr. Eduardo Cavalcanti, RioBiodiesel Programme Coordinator, State of Rio de Janeiro * Plinio Mario Nastari, President, Datagro * Byron Chiliquinga, Renewable Resources and Environment Coordinator, OLADE * Maria Antonieta Souza, ANP

For more information about this and future conferences, visit our website at http://www.hartenergyconferences.com/ .

Headquartered in Houston, with representation in New York, London, Washington, Brussels, Bahrain, Singapore, and many other global cities, Hart Energy Publishing's market-leading publications include Oil and Gas Investor, E&P, FUEL and PipeLine and Gas Technology. Hart also produces newsletters, custom publishing products, conferences, and unique multi- and single-client consulting services. Hart Energy Consulting is a leading full-service information, analysis and communication resource for the worldwide energy industry. Multi-client consulting services already include the International Fuel Quality Center (IFQC), with over 100 members from industry and government, the Global Biofuels Center and World Refining & Fuels Services to 2020 (WRFS).

Press Contact: Florence Kosmala Director of Marketing Hart Energy Consulting (1) 713.260.6461 fkosmala@hartenergy.com

Hart Energy Publishing

CONTACT: Florence Kosmala, Director of Marketing of Hart EnergyConsulting, +1-713-260-6461, fkosmala@hartenergy.com

Web site: http://www.hartenergy.com/http://www.hartenergyconferences.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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