Ed Murphy of the American Petroleum Institute said he doubts whether the existing technology can even remove sulfur from diesel to the extent that the EPA wants.

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The reactor, according to Petrobras, was built with technology to produce oil with low sulfur content, respecting the new environmental standards on fuel quality.

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Pollutants like sulfur are removed, and GreatPoint uses conventional air-chilling technology to separate out the carbon dioxide, which it plans to pump into the ground for enhanced oil recovery.

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Thanks to mandated installation of emissions-reduction technology, since 1990 U.S. emissions of sulfur dioxide have dropped from more than 15 million tons per year to less than 4 million tons.

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The latest industry blueprint from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which took effect in October, cut maximum thresholds for sulfur dioxide emissions.

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Technology has made it possible for power plants such as this to reduce conventional pollutants such as sulfur dioxide.

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