STUDY SPARKS GERMAN CALL FOR BENZENE REDUCTION IN EUROPEAN GASOLINE

Aug. 1, 1994
Germany's Environment Ministry has called for a reduction in benzene content of gasoline sold throughout the European Union. The cost to Europe's refiners could be as much as $70/metric ton of gasoline produced in addition to a growing list of spending requirements. Umweltbundesamt, the ministry's technical division, asked Europe's refiners to produce low benzene gasoline prior to legislation expected to be proposed by the European Commission this year.

Germany's Environment Ministry has called for a reduction in benzene content of gasoline sold throughout the European Union.

The cost to Europe's refiners could be as much as $70/metric ton of gasoline produced in addition to a growing list of spending requirements.

Umweltbundesamt, the ministry's technical division, asked Europe's refiners to produce low benzene gasoline prior to legislation expected to be proposed by the European Commission this year.

Umweltbundesamt's call follows completion of a study for the ministry by Arthur D. Little Ltd., London. The study set out requirements for reducing benzene and other emissions from gasoline and their effect on EC refineries.

RFG TESTS

Tests on a car running one type of reformulated gasoline (RFG) without a catalytic converter showed reductions of 18% in hydrocarbon emissions, 29% in carbon monoxide, and 16% in nitrogen oxides compared with fuels currently on sale in Europe.

Running the same RFG in a car fitted with a catalytic converter showed a 42% reduction in hydrocarbon emissions and a 27% reduction in carbon monoxide, though with limited effect on NOx emissions compared with fuels on sale.

"The consumer should have the opportunity to reduce emissions, particularly carcinogenic emissions, for the benefit of his own health and environment," Umweltbundesamt said.

To achieve this ideal, EC refiners face incremental costs of $2530/metric ton of gasoline to pro duce RFG with 1% benzene maximum, 30% aromatics maximum, and meeting stricter volatility, sulfur content and distillation limits.

The study showed there would be significant differences across Europe in costs for upgrading to produce RFG according to location and type of refinery.

CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS

"Incremental capital investment in EC refineries by 2000 would, assuming current technology, range from $7 billion to $10 billion without accounting for an incremental $6-7 billion for methyl tertiary butyl ether plant construction outside the EC," the Arthur D. Little report said.

Those investments are in addition to investments needed by EC refiners for normal maintenance, a lighter demand barrel from heavier crude oils, and quality improvement under existing and forthcoming legislation.

Severe reformulation requirements would require refiners to spend an extra $70/metric ton of gasoline, the report said. This would be the case for RFG with 0.5% maximum benzene, 30% maximum aromatics, and 200 ppm maximum sulfur content.

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