European gasoline survey shows decreasing lead, MON

Associated Octel Co. Ltd., London, has released the results of its 1994 survey of European gasoline quality. Octel collected and analyzed more than 200 gasoline samples taken from sampling points close to major European refineries. Over the past decade, Octel's surveys have demonstrated reduced use of lead antiknock compounds and increased use of high-octane blending components. As a result, says Octel, "Many refineries are limited with respect to motor octane quality, and many gasolines

Oct. 2, 1995

3 min read

Over the past decade, Octel's surveys have demonstrated reduced use of lead antiknock compounds and increased use of high-octane blending components. As a result, says Octel, "Many refineries are limited with respect to motor octane quality, and many gasolines are MON critical."

Despite increased blending of alkylate and isomerate into gasolines at European refineries, many gasolines tested had MONs close to minimum national requirements. In fact, in Octel's recent surveys, a number of samples failed to meet minimum MON specifications.

The problem occurs most commonly in refineries that use cracked components to form the larger portion of their gasoline pools. And, as lead has been removed from the gasoline pool in some areas, use of oxygenated compounds has increased to replace the lost octane.

Even when MON specifications are met, it is often at the expense of RON giveaway, according to Octel. Many European gasolines have RON levels greater than the market requirements.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show trends in, respectively, MON and RON, in four important European markets: France, Germany, Iberia (defined by Octel as Spain and Portugal), and the U.K.

For the samples tested, average RON in premium unleaded gasoline ranged from 95.4 in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden) to 98.6 in Benelux (including only Belgium and The Netherlands). Average MON in the premium unleaded samples ranged from 85.2 in Iberia to 87.6 in Benelux.

Other properties

For the leaded premium gasolines tested, the U.K. registered the lowest average benzene content-1.5 vol %. The highest average benzene level, 2.6%, was found in Germany, Benelux, and Mid-Europe (Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Slovakia, and Switzerland).

For unleaded premium gasoline, Germany's average 2.6 vol % was the highest average benzene content recorded by Octel. Italy and Benelux had the lowest average benzene, at 1.9 vol %.

For the leaded premium gasolines tested, average lead content ranged from 0.12 g Pb/l. in Italy to 0.30 g/l. in the Nordic countries.

Oxygenate content was, of course, higher in the unleaded gasolines tested. Average oxygenate content in leaded gasoline varied from 0.4 vol % in France to 6.5 vol % in the Nordic countries. For unleaded premium gasoline, average oxygenate levels ranged from 1.4 vol % in the U.K. to 4.0 vol % in Benelux.

Octel also found that most European gasolines now contain detergent additives. By contrast, in its 1993 survey, detergents were found mostly in unleaded grades.