Tosco tests MTBE-free gasoline sales

Tosco Corp., Stamford, Conn., has begun a pilot program to market in three northern California counties gasoline that does not contain the oxygenate methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). "The project was initiated to explore alternatives to the use of MTBE in California gasoline," said Tosco. MTBE has been found in groundwater and surface waters in the state. The MTBE-free fuel will be sold at 50 retail outlets in the region, all carrying the 76 brand. Gasoline sold at those stations will be

April 27, 1998

2 min read

Tosco Corp., Stamford, Conn., has begun a pilot program to market in three northern California counties gasoline that does not contain the oxygenate methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE).

"The project was initiated to explore alternatives to the use of MTBE in California gasoline," said Tosco. MTBE has been found in groundwater and surface waters in the state.

The MTBE-free fuel will be sold at 50 retail outlets in the region, all carrying the 76 brand. Gasoline sold at those stations will be blended with ethanol to meet oxygen requirements.

The pilot project will last 6 months and encompass all 76-branded stations in Contra Costa, Marin, and Sonoma counties.

Tosco Chairman Thomas D. O'Malley said, "This gasoline we are producing will meet all of California's strict air quality requirements without the use of MTBE and will reduce the risk to the state's valuable water resources."

The fuel is being produced at Tosco's Rodeo, Calif., refinery.

Producing it there enables Tosco to ship the ethanol-blended fuel to nearby outlets without having to move through the usual pipelines and terminals.

"Segregation of ethanol-blended gasoline from MTBE-blended gasoline is a requirement that cannot be met with current distribution facilities," said Tosco. "Expansion of the program to other areas of the state would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, under current conditions."

O'Malley said that elimination of MTBE from gasoline would not be easy, nor would it happen overnight. He expressed his support of the Fein- stein/Bilbray bill, which would allow reduction or elimination of oxygenate use, except where required for wintertime carbon monoxide control.

"Without this legislation, our ability to reduce or eliminate MTBE throughout California will be severely hampered."