{"id":"F2025L00174","name":"Fuel Quality Standards (Paraffinic Diesel) Determination 2025","slug":"fuel-quality-standards-paraffinic-diesel-determination-2025","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":442748,"registerId":"F2025L00174-fast-fetch-1775957697768","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Fuel Quality Standards (Paraffinic Diesel) Determination 2025","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nFuel Quality Standards (Paraffinic Diesel) Determination 2025\n\nI, Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, make the following determination.\n\nDated  16/02/2025  \n\nChris Bowen  \n\nMinister for Climate Change and Energy\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Fuel standard for paraffinic diesel\n\n \n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Fuel Quality Standards (Paraffinic Diesel) Determination 2025.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument The day after this instrument is registered.\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under section 21 of the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000.\n\n4  Definitions\n\nNote: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in section 4 of the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000, including fuel.\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nASTM followed by an alphanumeric code means the testing method developed under that code by the standards development organisation called ASTM International.\n\nbiodiesel has the same meaning as in the Fuel Quality Standards (Biodiesel) Determination 2025.\n\nconventional diesel has the same meaning as in the Fuel Quality Standards (Conventional Diesel) Determination 2025.\n\nEN followed by a numeric code means the testing method developed under that code by the European Committee for Standardization.\n\nIP followed by a numeric code means the testing method developed under that code by the chartered professional body called the Energy Institute.\n\nmg/kg means milligrams per kilogram and is equivalent to ‘parts per million’ or ‘ppm’ by mass.\n\n% m/m means per cent mass by mass, and is equivalent to ‘mass %’, ‘% mass’ and ‘weight %’.\n\nparaffinic diesel means a fuel that:\n\n (a) consists of a minimum of 95% paraffinic (alkane) hydrocarbons before any blending with biodiesel; and\n\n (b) is suitable for use as a substitute for conventional diesel.\n\n% v/v means per cent volume by volume, and is equivalent to ‘volume %’, ‘vol %’ and ‘% vol’.\n\n5  Fuel standard for paraffinic diesel\n\n (1) In relation to a parameter mentioned in an item of the following table, paraffinic diesel must comply with the specification for that parameter mentioned in that item.\n\n (2) For subsection (1), compliance with the specification for a parameter is determined by using the testing method for that parameter mentioned in that item of the table.\n\n- Fuel standard for paraffinic diesel\n- Item Parameter Specification Testing Method\n- 1 Ash content 0.01% m/m maximum ASTM D482\n- 2 Biodiesel 7.0% v/v maximum EN 14078\n- 3 Carbon residue—10% distillation residue 0.3% m/m maximum ASTM D4530\n- 4 Conductivity at ambient temperature For paraffinic diesel held by a terminal or refinery for sale or distribution: 50 pS/m minimum at ambient temperature ASTM D2624\n- 5 Copper strip corrosion—3 h at 50°C Class 1 ASTM D130\n- 6 Density at 15°C 765–810 kg/m³ ASTM D1298\n- 7 Derived cetane number 51 minimum ASTM D6890\n- 8 Distillation: (a) % v/v recovered at 250°C; (b) % v/v recovered at 350°C;(c) T95 (a) for % v/v recovered at 250°C: 65% v/v maximum;(b) for % v/v recovered at 350°C: 85% v/v minimum;(c) for T95: 360°C maximum ASTM D86\n- 9 Filter blocking tendency 2.0 maximum IP 387\n- 10 Flash point 61.5°C minimum ASTM D93\n- 11 Kinematic viscosity 2.0–4.5 mm2/s at 40°C ASTM D445\n- 12 Lubricity 400 µm maximum IP 450\n- 13 Manganese content 2.0 mg/kg maximum EN 16576\n- 14 Oxidation stability for all paraffinic diesel 2.5 mg/100 mL maximum ASTM D2274\n- 15 Oxidation stability for paraffinic diesel with >2.0 vol% biodiesel 20.0 hours minimum EN 15751\n- 16 Sulfur content 10 mg/kg maximum ASTM D5453\n- 17 Total aromatics content 1.7 % m/m maximum EN 12916 Procedure B\n- 18 Total contamination 24 mg/kg maximum EN 12662\n- 19 Water content 200 mg/kg maximum ASTM D6304\n\n\n (3) Any biodiesel component of paraffinic diesel must meet the requirements of section 6 of the Fuel Quality Standards (Biodiesel) Determination 2025.\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This Determination appears to serve its original intended purpose: establishing quality standards for paraffinic diesel fuel. It does not expand beyond this narrow technical remit. The instrument is a standard-setting determination under section 21 of the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000, which is precisely the mechanism Parliament established for prescribing fuel standards. The scope remains tightly confined to the 19 specified fuel parameters and their testing methodologies."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument: only 5 substantive sections plus definitions","19 defined parameters in a single table with clear specifications and testing methods","Minimal cross-referencing: only references to the parent Act (Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000) and two related Determinations (Biodiesel and Conventional Diesel)","Simple conditional logic: only one substantive condition in section 5(3) regarding biodiesel compliance","Straightforward definitions section with 8 defined terms, mostly incorporating external standards by reference","No nested exceptions or complex temporal provisions","Single purpose instrument: establishes one fuel standard without ancillary regulatory machinery"],"plain_english_summary":"This Determination sets mandatory quality standards for paraffinic diesel — a cleaner-burning diesel made via Fischer-Tropsch — so producers, importers, distributors and ultimately vehicle owners can be confident the fuel won’t harm engines or emissions systems. \n\nIt requires the fuel to meet strict chemical and safety parameters (very low sulfur, limited aromatics, controlled biodiesel blending) and uses recognised international test methods for compliance."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument defines paraffinic diesel and prescribes specific quality and testing requirements. It does not state that it alters the scope of other instruments; instead it cross‑references the Biodiesel and Conventional Diesel Determinations for related definitions and requirements (s4, s5(3))."},"complexity_factors":["Numerous precise numeric limits across multiple fuel properties (density, viscosity, sulfur, aromatics, etc.)","Reliance on many external, technical testing standards (ASTM, EN, IP) that require laboratory capability","Cross-references to other instruments (Fuel Quality Standards (Biodiesel) Determination 2025; Conventional Diesel Determination) increasing regulatory interdependence (s4, s5(3))","Different obligations depending on context (e.g. minimum conductivity for fuel held by terminals/refineries) creating compliance geometry (s5(2), item 4)","Technical measurement units and thresholds (mg/kg, % m/m, % v/v, mm2/s) necessitating specialist interpretation and calibration","Limited administrative discretion in the instrument itself — fixed specifications reduce policy ambiguity but raise technical compliance burden"],"plain_english_summary":"This determination sets mandatory fuel-quality specifications and prescribed test methods for paraffinic diesel used as a substitute for conventional diesel, defining the fuel and listing numeric limits and methods (see s4, s5). It applies to refiners, terminals, importers, distributors and anyone selling or holding paraffinic diesel for supply.\n\nSuppliers bear testing and compliance costs and must use the specified test methods; terminals/refineries must meet a minimum conductivity when holding fuel (s5(2), item 4). Any biodiesel component must also meet the Biodiesel Determination requirements (s5(3))."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/fuel-quality-standards-paraffinic-diesel-determination-2025","history":"/api/acts/fuel-quality-standards-paraffinic-diesel-determination-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/fuel-quality-standards-paraffinic-diesel-determination-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/fuel-quality-standards-paraffinic-diesel-determination-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/fuel-quality-standards-paraffinic-diesel-determination-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/fuel-quality-standards-paraffinic-diesel-determination-2025/documents"}}