A new regulation in Turkey introduces production of base oil from waste mineral oils as an activity which requires a license and outlines principles for these activities. The Regulation Amending the Petroleum Market License Regulation ("Amendment Regulation") was published in Official Gazette number 29602 on 23 January 2016, entering into effect on 1 February 2016.

Significant changes introduced by the Amendment Regulation include:

  • Mineral oil license holders or distributor license holders can produce base oil from waste mineral oil, provided the production is registered in their licenses as a sub-registration.
  • Applications to amend certain aspects of mineral oil licenses or distributor licenses, which have a sub-registration for base mineral oil, will be examined by the Petroleum Market Head of Department. These include applications to:
    • Change license information in relation to production of mineral oil and base oil usage.
    • Insert or remove a sub-registration for base oil production in their licenses.
    • Insert or remove a registration for production of mineral oils.
  • If a license holder cannot carry out dealership activity for more than six months, the Petroleum Market Head of Department will cancel transportation, dealership and eligible consumer licenses, as well as other licenses, via a resolution by the Energy Market Regulatory Board.
  • Mineral oil license holders or distributor license holders with a base mineral oil sub-registration in their license can produce base oil from waste mineral oil in their licensed mineral oil facilities.
  • Existing mineral oil license holders or distributor license holders, which have a mineral oil sub-registration in their license, can produce base oil from waste mineral oil until 1 January 2018, without inserting a sub-registration for base oil production into their licenses.

Please see this link for full text of the Amendment Regulation (only available in Turkish).

Information first published in the MA | Gazette, a fortnightly legal update newsletter produced by Moroğlu Arseven.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.