Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 7
By Dalga Khatinoglu – Trend:
Iran will continue blending methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) with gasoline.
Currently the share of MTBE in the domestic gasoline production stands at 2-3 percent, CEO of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) Abbas Kazemi told Mehr Feb. 7.
MTBE is a gasoline additive used as an oxygenate to raise the octane number. While MTBE has been replaced by ethanol in the US after it contaminated drinking water, other countries still use it. Its offensive odour and taste can render water undrinkable, while its health effects are unclear.
Kazemi added that currently about 2.5 to 3 million liters per day (ml/d) of MTBE is produced in the country to be blended with the gasoline produced in some refineries.
“However, the gasoline which is distributed in eight major metropolitans doesn’t have MTBE composite,” said Kazemi.
Iran produces 22 ml/d of gasoline based on Euro 4 standard, which is distributed in metropolitans.
According to an official document, prepared by Oil Ministry and seen by Trend, Iran used 1.4 ml/d of MTBE in the gasoline produced in petrochemical plants during seven months of current fiscal year (started on March 21, 2016).
The volume was 7.1 ml/d in 2013.
This is while, Kazemi said last October that Iran will fully eliminate MTBE additive from its gasoline.