Diesel Quality and ULSD Availability in El Salvador — A Field Report
In the past year, El Salvador has seen a lot of change. For overlanders, the main concerns are safety and Diesel quality. And El Salvador has good news on both fronts.
Last update: November 2023
An overview
El Salvador does have some Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) but most Diesel sold is at 500 ppm sulfur.
Global Sulphur Levels. UN Environment Programme. [1]
It is important to mention that you will not encounter the term USLD at gas stations in El Salvador. Most gas stations will give no information whatsoever about the sulfur content.
In El Salvador, Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) is known as Ultra Bajo Azufre Diésel or Diésel Ultra Bajo en Azufre.
Don’t confuse it with Bajo en Azufre, as this means 500 ppm sulfur content. In English, this is called Low-Sulfur Diesel (LSD).
It is worth noting that El Salvador uses the US gallon.
Where to find ULSD in El Salvador
Only one reliable gas station chain in El Salvador sells ULSD: Puma Energy at a maximum of 15 ppm sulfur content and the name of the product is ION Diesel.
Pumps with ION Diesel will typically have a banner near them indicating this. Puma gas stations in El Salvador are not so modern, compared to neighboring Guatemala.
El Salvador is a small country, but Puma gas stations with ULSD are conveniently along the country.
Here is an incomplete list of Puma gas stations with ULSD:
- Puma (near Santa Ana)
- Puma El Desvio (in the middle of the country, on the Carr. Panamericana before entering Santa Tecla/San Salvador).
- Puma Oriental (near San Miguel)
- Puma El Triangulo (in San Miguel)
Do you know other gas stations with ULSD in El Salvador? Drop a comment below and let me know.
Going north or south?
Check out the following field reports for these countries:
Conclusion
I hope this article helped you get an idea of the Diesel situation in El Salvador. Leave a comment in the section below if you have any questions or would like to share your own experience. I would love to hear from you!
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