DHAHRAN, 1 January — Saudi Arabia today introduced unleaded gasoline in the domestic market in a move to reduce air pollution and bolster regional environmental protection efforts, according to Ali Al-Naimi, minister of petroleum and mineral resources.

The local refineries of Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) started producing unleaded fuel today, said Naimi, who is also the chairman of the board of directors of the company.

He said the switchover from leaded to unleaded fuel would be gradual as the existing stocks were used up. All service stations will be offering unleaded fuel by January 2002, the target date set by the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

“The phase-in of the unleaded gasoline in the Kingdom represents an ambitious effort by the government to show its concern for the environment and to bring benefits of cleaner air to everyone,” Al-Naimi said.

Saudi Aramco’s president and CEO Abdullah S. Jumah said the company had been preparing its refineries and distribution facilities for the changeover since last year. Saudi Aramco’s domestic refineries are based in Ras Tanura, Riyadh, Jeddah and Yanbu, and it has bulk distribution plants at numerous locations across the country.

Company officials said the switchover to unleaded fuel would not have any negative effect on the performance of vehicles and that car engines would not require any modifications.

Saudi Aramco started reducing lead content in fuel since last year. For a certain duration, the new unleaded gasoline will be distributed mixed with the leaded fuel, which is already in the storage facilities and pipelines. The mixing will not create any problems either for the storage and distribution system or the for vehicle engines, the company reassured in a statement yesterday.

Explaining the benefits of the switchover, Saudi Aramco has also launched an awareness campaign under the theme, “Unleaded gasoline -- for the air we breathe.”