1. Taiwan Experience regarding MTBE Use
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
7 July, 2005
Tzeng, Jenn-Nan
Lin, Kuen-Hai
Refinery and Manufacturing Research Institute
Chinese Petroleum Corporation

2. Outline Taiwan EPA unleaded gasoline Policy
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
Outline
Taiwan EPA unleaded gasoline Policy
The Amount of MTBE use in Taiwan
MTBE risk assessment in Taiwan
MTBE alternative study in Taiwan
Ethanol vs. MTBE
Future trend about MTBE
Conclusion

3. Vehicle Population Increasing Sharply
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
Vehicle Population Increasing Sharply
Vehicle population increases 50% during
19M
13M
Data source: Ministry of Transportation & Communications, ROC, May 2005.

4. Taiwan EPA unleaded gasoline Policy
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
Taiwan EPA unleaded gasoline Policy
EPA pushed the lead phase-down policy to reduce the lead concentration in the air from 1983 and CPC started to supply 82RON unleaded gasoline for 2T Motorcycle.
In 1990, EPA requested CPC to supply unleaded gasoline for new passenger car(new vehicle emission standard).
Lead additive(TEL) is phase-out from gasoline completely in Taiwan in CPC provided substitute additives to serve customers with old model cars.
Data source:

5. TEL phase-out from gasoline in Taiwan
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
TEL phase-out from gasoline in Taiwan
Leaded gasoline
was banned from 2000.
Data source: and CPC

6. CPC’s UL gasoline Time Schedule
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
CPC’s UL gasoline Time Schedule
#82ULG for 2T M
#92ULG
#95 ULG
#98 ULG
Gasoline
Lead, g/L
0.2
0.15
0.12
0.08
0.026
1984
1986
1990
1993
1997
1999
Leaded gasoline is banned
2000

7. MTBE & other Oxygenates
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
MTBE & other Oxygenates
Item
MTBE
ETBE
TAME
DIPE
Ethanol
IPA
TBA
Oxygen,wt%
18.2
15.7
34.7
26.6
21.6
Density ,g/cm3
0.744
0.75
0.77
0.733
0.79
RON
118
105
110
130
121
109
MON
101
102 99 96 93
RVP, psi 8
1.5
4.7
2.5
1.3
Blend RVP ,psi
7.3-10
2.9-5
5.2
17.6
LHV ,Btu/Lb
15100
15690
16393
11550
13300
14280
ELH,Btu/Lb
144
148
396
320
258
BP,℃ 55 72 86 68 78 82 83
Water solubility ,g/100g H2O
4.8
1.2
miscible

8. MTBE’s benefits to replace TEL
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
MTBE’s benefits to replace TEL
Benefits:
Good Octane booster to replace Lead compound TEL.
Contains oxygen and none of Sulfur, Aromatics and Olefins.
Low cost in production, easy blending with other gasoline components and without special transport and storage requirements.
MTBE has become the main alternative for TEL since 1990.

9. The production of MTBE in Taiwan
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
The production of MTBE in Taiwan
MTBE factory in Taiwan:
Tasco Chemical Corporation, 250K ton/year
Formosa Plastics Corporation, 153 K ton/year
Formosa Petrochemical Corporation
180K ton/year
MTBE is used to be blended into gasoline.
Data source: PetroChemical industry 2003 yearbook(Taiwan, ROC)

10. The Amount of MTBE use in Taiwan
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
The Amount of MTBE use in Taiwan
Data source: PetroChemical industry 2003 yearbook(Taiwan, ROC)

11. Blending Amount of MTBE in gasoline
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
Blending Amount of MTBE in gasoline
Remark:1.KOR, TOR, DOR are belong to CPC and FPC is abbr. of Formosa PetroChemical Corporation.

12. MTBE risk assessment in Taiwan
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
MTBE risk assessment in Taiwan
EPA finished the research project in 2003.
The project’s research items including:
To analyze and survey the releasing concentrations of MTBE in gasoline station.
To establish the risk assessment of the ingestion and inhalation of MTBE of the inhabitants.
To understand the assessments and preparation work of MTBE from foreign country before the regulation and the consideration of decision making.
Data source: ROC EPA research project, EPA-92-J

13. MTBE risk assessment in Taiwan
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
MTBE risk assessment in Taiwan
The project’s main conclusions:
Ingestion of MTBE risk on drinking water near the sampling point is in the allowable range.
Inhalation of MTBE risk on breathing air for people living nearby or refueling does also not exceed than the allowable range.
EU and Japan do not ban the MTBE use.
EU will enhance the management of storage tank.
Data source: ROC EPA research project, EPA-92-J

14. MTBE alternative study in Taiwan
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
MTBE alternative study in Taiwan
Legislative Yuan required EPA to review the use of MTBE in 2000.
BOE, MOEA finished the research project in The main conclusions are:
Ethanol is the most possible alternative for MTBE.
Ethanol cost is still high . The gasoline price will surge up if ethanol is blended into gasoline and the MTBE plants will face to a lot of economic loss.
The cost to enhance the management and remedy of storage tank is much less.
Data source: Research project from Bureau of Energy, MOEA, ROC, No in 2001.

15. Ethanol vs. MTBE Ethanol advantages: High RON
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
Ethanol vs. MTBE
Ethanol advantages:
High RON
None of Aromatics, Sulfur and Olefins.
High Oxygen content.
Ethanol gasoline emits less CO and total toxics than conventional gasoline.
Can be produced from biomass, such as sugar cane, corn, cellulose, woody plant, etc.

16. Ethanol vs. MTBE Ethanol disadvantages:
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
Ethanol vs. MTBE
Ethanol disadvantages:
Blending RVP will be increased( max. 1 psi)
 higher VOC emission.
Lower energy content than gasoline, higher evaporation latent heat
 fuel consumption is worse.
Existing phase separation and water absorption problem.
Can only be blended into gasoline in terminal tank.  increase the production and transportation cost.
Ethanol cost still high.(Importing required)

17. Future trend about MTBE
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
Future trend about MTBE
The gasoline regulations for 2007:
Required maximum Oxygen content increased to 2.7 wt.%.(current is 2 wt.%)
Lower Aromatics and Olefins content.(36 and 18 vol.% respectively)
MTBE will still play an important role in the near future.
CPC will continue to watch global trends for MTBE and study the alternatives for MTBE.

18. Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
Conclusions
EPA’s cleaner air policy facilitated the use of unleaded gasoline and the MTBE.
The future gasoline regulation will still require the use of MTBE to meet high octane, low aromatics and olefins spec.
The risk assessment result of MTBE from Taiwan EPA is in the allowable range.
Ethanol as the alternative to MTBE is still facing some problems.

19. Lead concentration trend
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
Lead concentration trend
Lead in gasoline (g/L)

20. Ethanol blending RVP RVP, kPa Ethanol blending amount, vol.%
Taiwan MTBE Clean Fuels Workshop 2005
Ethanol blending RVP
RVP, kPa
Ethanol blending amount, vol.%