Meeting the challenge of reformulated gasoline

The need to include oxygenates in motor fuel in certain areas of the United States and the effect of government-mandated aromatics and endpoint reduction will dramatically change gasoline composition and processing technology. The refinery product that boils in the range of 350-450 F will be particularly difficult for a refiner to blend into gasoline if the gasoline endpoint or 90% point (T90) specifications are reduced. The UOP I-Forming process selectively cracks naphtha, kerosene, or both to generate high yields of isobutane. It can offer a cost-effective solution to some of the requirements of reformulated gasoline (RFG). Isobutane is used for the manufacture of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) (after dehydrogenation to isobutene) or the production of gasoline alkylate. This article describes reformulated gasoline; the I-Forming process; and process variables.