| Key Terms |
Definition |
| Barrel |
A unit of volume equal to 42 U.S. gallons.
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| Blending Plant |
A facility which has no refining capability but is either capable of producing finished
motor gasoline through mechanical blending or blends oxygenates with motor gasoline.
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| Conventional Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending (CBOB) |
Conventional gasoline blendstock intended for blending with oxygenates downstream of the
refinery where it was produced. CBOB must become conventional gasoline after blending with
oxygenates. Motor gasoline blending components that require blending other than with
oxygenates to become finished conventional gasoline are reported as "All Other Motor Gasoline
Blending Components." Excludes reformulated blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB).
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| Fuel Ethanol |
An anhydrous denatured aliphatic alcohol intended for gasoline blending as
described in Oxygenates definition.
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| Gasoline Treated as Blendstock (GTAB) |
Non-certified Foreign Refinery gasoline classified by an importer as blendstock to be either
blended or reclassified with respect to reformulated or conventional gasoline. GTAB is
classified as either reformulated or conventional based on emissions performance and the
intended end use.
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| Isobutane (C4H10) |
A normally gaseous branch-chain hydrocarbon. It is a colorless paraffinic gas that boils at a
temperature of 10.9º F. It is extracted from natural gas or refinery gas streams.
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| Methanol |
Blends of methanol and gasoline-grade tertiary butyl alcohol (GTBA) such that the total
oxygen content does not exceed 3.5 percent by weight and the ratio of methanol to GTBA is
less than or equal to 1. It is also specified that this blended fuel must meet ASTM volatility
specifications (commonly referred to as the "AARCO" waiver).
Blends of up to 5.0 percent by volume methanol with a minimum of 2.5 percent by volume
cosolvent alcohols having a carbon number of 4 or less (i.e., ethanol, propanol, butanol,
and/or GTBA). The total oxygen must not exceed 3.7 percent by weight, and the blend must meet
ASTM volatility specifications as well as phase separation and alcohol purity specifications
(commonly referred to as the "DuPont" waiver).
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| Motor Gasoline Blending |
Mechanical mixing of motor gasoline blending components, and oxygenates when required, to
produce finished motor gasoline. Finished motor gasoline may be further mixed with other
motor gasoline blending components or oxygenates, resulting in increased volumes of
finished motor gasoline and/or changes in the formulation of finished motor gasoline
(e.g., conventional motor gasoline mixed with MTBE to produce oxygenated motor gasoline).
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| Motor Gasoline Blending Components (MGBC) |
Naphthas (e.g., straight-run gasoline, alkylate, reformate, benzene, toluene, xylene) used for
blending or compounding into finished motor gasoline. These components include reformulated
gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB) but exclude oxygenates (alcohols, ethers),
butane, and pentanes plus. Note: Oxygenates are reported as individual components and are
included in the total for other hydrocarbons, hydrogens, and oxygenates.
|
| MTBE (Methyl tertiary butyl ether) |
An ether intended for gasoline blending as described in "Oxygenates."
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| Normal Butane (C4H10) |
A normally gaseous straight-chain hydrocarbon. It is a colorless paraffinic gas that boils
at a temperature of 31.1º F. It is extracted from natural gas or refinery gas streams.
|
| Other Oxygenates |
Includes ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), tertiary amyl methyl ether (TAME), tertiary
butyl alcohol (TBA), and other aliphatic alcohols and ethers intended for motor gasoline
blending (e.g., isopropyl ether (IPE) or n-propanol).
|
| Oxygenates |
Substances which, when added to gasoline, increase the amount of oxygen in that gasoline blend.
Ethanol, Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE), Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE), and methanol
are common oxygenates.
|
| Pentanes Plus |
A mixture of hydrocarbons, mostly pentanes and heavier, extracted from natural gas.
Includes isopentane, natural gasoline, and plant condensate.
|
| Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) Districts |
Geographic aggregations of the 50 States and the District of Columbia into five districts
by the Petroleum Administration for Defense in 1950. These districts were originally defined
during World War II for purposes of administering oil allocation.
Description and maps of PAD Districts and Refining Districts.
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| Reformulated Blendstock for Oxgenate Blending (RBOB) |
Specially produced reformulated gasoline blendstock intended for blending with oxygenates
downstream of the refinery where it is produced. Includes RBOB used to meet
requirements of the Federal reformulated gasoline program and other blendstock intended
for blending with oxygenates to produce finished gasoline that meets or exceeds emissions
performance requirements of Federal reformulated gasoline (e.g. California RBOB and
Arizona RBOB). Excludes conventional gasoline blendstocks for oxygenate blending (CBOB).
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| RBOB for Blending with Alcohol |
Motor gasoline blending components intended to be blended with an alcohol component
(e.g. fuel ethanol) at a terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.
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| RBOB for Blending with Ether |
Motor gasoline blending components intended to be blended with an ether component
(e.g. methyl tertiary butyl ether) at a terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.
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