Role in E20 gasoline blending strategy Under the ethanol blended motor spirit (EBMS) programme, the Indian Government has targeted 20% renewable ethanol blending in the gasoline pool by 2025-26. The introduction of E20 gasoline marks a significant shift in India’s strategy toward greener transportation fuels. While ethanol offers environmental and economic benefits, its inclusion in the gasoline pool poses complex challenges for refiners, especially in terms of maintaining fuel properties within regulatory limits. The blending of ethanol into gasoline also increases the RON, as ethanol possesses a high octane number (RON ~109). However, EBMS specifications require a four unit higher RON (95) compared to unblended gasoline (91) to meet the performance, emissions, and durability standards of modern engines. Additionally, ethanol increases the RVP of the gasoline blend, which can affect volatility and drivability. Ethanol also contributes substantially to the overall oxygen content of the blend. Since the permissible oxygen content in gasoline is limited to 7.4wt%, excessive reliance on other oxygenate-based octane boosters, such as MTBE or ETBE, can restrict ethanol blending capacity, creating a trade-off between octane improvement and regulatory compliance. In this context, the oxygenate-free nature of the Octamax product emerges as a key enabler for maximising ethanol blending without compromising on octane quality or breaching oxygen limits. With a BRON exceeding 110, it can serve as a high-octane base component, compensating for the presence of lower-octane hydrocarbons in the blend while preserving oxygen headroom for ethanol. The product also has low RVP, which provides flexibility for the addition of ethanol. This gives refiners the much-needed flexibility to design compliant E20 fuels without the risk of exceeding mandated oxygen thresholds. Moreover, the use of Octamax product supports broader fuel formulation strategies where low- RON naphtha streams, which would otherwise require costly upgrading, can be blended into the gasoline pool. The resulting increase in pool volume and blending freedom can be beneficial for Indian refiners as they adapt to the E20 roadmap and plan for even higher ethanol blends in the future.
• Environmentally safe operation. • High BRON (>100) and low RVP of product. The product obtained is a high RON and low RVP gasoline blending stream, which can be utilised for direct blending without further treatment. It has been observed that there is a buffer with respect to olefins (maximum limit 21 vol%) in the motor spirit (MS) blend of the majority of Indian refineries. Typically, FCC gasoline is the only source of olefins in MS, and there is a reduction in the olefins content of FCC gasoline due to deep desulphurisation. Blending of ethanol further enhances the buffer available with respect to olefins content in the gasoline pool. The high RON (>110) of the Octamax product provides significant octane credit to the gasoline pool, enabling the upgradation of low-RON naphtha into finished gasoline. This octane buffer enables refiners to incorporate a higher proportion of otherwise marginal streams, which effectively swell the gasoline pool and “ While ethanol offers environmental and economic benefits, its inclusion in the gasoline pool poses complex challenges for refiners, especially in terms of maintaining fuel properties within regulatory limits ” improve overall yield. Additionally, the superior octane quality of the Octamax stream offers operational flexibility in producing premium- grade fuels, such as IndianOil’s XP100, catering to niche high-performance markets. This strategic blending flexibility not only enhances product slate optimisation but also contributes to improved gross refining margins (GRMs). In addition to its economic benefits, it is an environmentally friendly technology that not only enables the production of cleaner gasoline but is also inherently safe. It does not involve the use of hazardous chemicals, generates no hazardous effluents, and has an overall low carbon footprint. It enables the production of cleaner gasoline that meets BS-VI specifications and thus contributes towards vehicular emission reduction. Since the technology employs moderate temperature and pressure, the energy consumption per unit quantity of feed is significantly lower, resulting in a low carbon footprint.
Refining India
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