California seeks MTBE alternatives

California congressional representatives are continuing to press for a bill that would allow the state alternatives to the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether in gasoline. Passage of the bill is unlikely this year, unless it is added to other legislation. The 1990 U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments required that reformulated gasoline (RFG) sold in the worst ozone nonattainment areas contain at least 2 wt % oxygenates.

Oct. 5, 1998

2 min read

California congressional representatives are continuing to press for a bill that would allow the state alternatives to the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether in gasoline.

Passage of the bill is unlikely this year, unless it is added to other legislation.

The 1990 U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments required that reformulated gasoline (RFG) sold in the worst ozone nonattainment areas contain at least 2 wt % oxygenates.

California's representatives complain that some of the state's drinking water has been contaminated by MTBE and want a waiver of the federal law, because the state has its own strict fuel standards.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) told a Senate environment committee hearing that the delegation's bill would allow refiners flexibility to reduce or eliminate MTBE as long as they achieve at least equivalent emissions cuts by using ethanol-blended gasolines and non-oxygenated gasolines.

Feinstein said that a recent federal study found the state has 13,278 sites where underground fuel tank leaks have affected groundwater supplies, and she noted that the MTBE plumes are more mobile in the water table than other additives.

Conflicting views

Chevron Products Co.'s Al Jessel testified that his company supports the legislation because it would apply only to one state and would remove the duplication and conflict between the respective requirements of the federal and California RFG programs.

He said that, because California RFG has stricter emission-reduction requirements than does the federal-spec RFG, refiners need more flexibility in making fuels. This bill would allow refiners to optimize use of oxygenates, potentially reducing MTBE and increasing ethanol, he noted: "Chevron and other companies would welcomed the flexibility to manufacture California cleaner-burning gasoline based on performance standards, not a mandated formula."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency opposes the rule change, saying refiners need oxygenates to meet emission standards and that the real problem is preventing gasoline tank leaks. The Department of Energy said it is unclear that eliminating the oxygenate requirement would cause a significant change in MTBE use in California. It noted that California refiners use about 100,000 b/d of MTBE, and they could not significantly reduce oxygenate use during the peak gasoline season without adding refinery capacity.