An Investigation into the Quality of Distillate Diesel Fuel at Selected Service Stations in Freetown’s Western Area

Year : 2026 | Volume : 16 | Issue : 01 | Page : 1 14
    By

    Kanneh Umaru*,

  • Turay Issa,

  1. Lecturer, Department of Chemistry, Njala University, , Sierra Leone
  2. Lecturer, Department of Chemistry, Njala University, , Sierra Leone

Abstract

As a critical energy source for global transport and industry, diesel fuel quality is of paramount importance. This study evaluates and compares the quality of diesel fuel samples by analyzing key parameters: sulfur content, density, cetane index, and kinematic viscosity. The properties of diesel fuel samples from six (6) Fuel Stations of various Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are compared with National Technical specifications limits of the Sierra Leone Standards Bureau, the only established National Quality Unfractured responsible for fuel quality. Six diesel samples were taken from different filling stations in the Western Area of Freetown, one from each station. Sampling was carried out using clean, unused polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles with screw caps. Before collecting each sample, a small volume of the same diesel was used to rinse the bottle to limit contamination. All subsequent analyses followed the relevant American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and Institute of Petroleum (IP) standard test methods. The resulting values for each parameter were then benchmarked against the national Technical Specification limits for diesel fuel issued by the Sierra Leone Standards Bureau (SLSB), the state-mandated authority for fuel quality standards. All sampled fuels met minimum regulatory requirements, indicating effective baseline quality control in the retail market. Despite universal compliance, substantial variations were observed across all parameters, with sulfur content showing the highest variability (CV = 74.56%). While most fuel samples complied with the minimum standards for kinematic viscosity, density, and flash point, a significant finding was universal compliance with the sulfur limit. All sampled stations supplied diesel with sulfur content below the maximum permitted threshold of 1000 ppm (0.10% by weight). However, to ensure consistent quality, the findings emphasize that vigilance must extend across the full fuel supply chain, from import terminals to retail fuel pumps.

Keywords: Cetane index, diesel fuel quality, kinematic viscosity, sierra leone fuel standards, sulfur content

[This article belongs to Journal of Petroleum Engineering & Technology ]

How to cite this article:
Kanneh Umaru*, Turay Issa. An Investigation into the Quality of Distillate Diesel Fuel at Selected Service Stations in Freetown’s Western Area. Journal of Petroleum Engineering & Technology. 2026; 16(01):1-14.
How to cite this URL:
Kanneh Umaru*, Turay Issa. An Investigation into the Quality of Distillate Diesel Fuel at Selected Service Stations in Freetown’s Western Area. Journal of Petroleum Engineering & Technology. 2026; 16(01):1-14. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopet/article=2026/view=238025


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Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 16
Issue 01
Received 15/01/2026
Accepted 23/01/2026
Published 19/02/2026
Publication Time 35 Days
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