Key Terms |
Definition |
All Other Motor Gasoline Blending Components |
Naphthas (e.g. straight-run gasoline, alkylate, reformate, benzene, toluene, xylene) used for
blending or compounding into finished motor gasoline. Includes receipts and inputs of Gasoline
Treated as Blendstock (GTAB). Excludes conventional blendstock for oxygenate blending (CBOB),
reformulated blendstock for oxygenate blending, oxygenates (e.g. fuel ethanol and methyl
tertiary butyl ether), butane, and pentanes plus.
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Barrel |
A unit of volume equal to 42 U.S. gallons.
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Conventional Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending (CBOB) |
Motor gasoline blending components intended for blending with oxygenates to produce finished conventional
motor gasoline.
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Conventional Gasoline |
Finished motor gasoline not included in the oxygenated or reformulated gasoline categories.
Excludes reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB)
as well as other blendstock.
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Conventional Gasoline, Ed55 and Lower |
Finished conventional motor gasoline blended with a maximum of 55 volume percent denatured fuel ethanol. |
Conventional Gasoline, Greater than Ed55 |
Finished conventional motor gasoline blended with denatured fuel ethanol where the volume percent of denatured fuel ethanol exceeds 55%. |
Crude Oil |
A mixture of hydrocarbons that exists in liquid phase in natural underground
reservoirs and remains liquid at atmospheric pressure after passing through
surface separating facilities. Depending upon the characteristics of the crude
stream, it may also include:
Small amounts of hydrocarbons that exist in gaseous phase in natural
underground reservoirs but are liquid at atmospheric pressure after being
recovered from oil well (casinghead) gas in lease separators and are subsequently
commingled with the crude stream without being separately measured. Lease
condensate recovered as a liquid from natural gas wells in lease or field
separation facilities and later mixed into the crude stream is also included;
Small amounts of nonhydrocarbons produced with the oil, such as sulfur and
various metals;
Drip gases, and liquid hydrocarbons produced from tar sands, oil sands,
gilsonite, and oil shale.
Liquids produced at natural gas processing plants are excluded. Crude oil is refined to produce
a wide array of petroleum products, including heating oils; gasoline, diesel and jet fuels;
lubricants; asphalt; ethane, propane, and butane; and many other products used for their
energy or chemical content.
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Distillate Fuel Oil |
A general classification for one of the petroleum fractions produced in conventional
distillation operations. It includes diesel fuels and fuel oils. Products known as No. 1,
No. 2, and No. 4 diesel fuel are used in on-highway diesel engines, such as those in trucks
and automobiles, as well as off-highway engines, such as those in railroad locomotives and
agricultural machinery. Products known as No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 fuel oils are used primarily
for space heating and electric power generation.
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Exports |
Shipments of crude oil and petroleum products from the 50 States and the District of Columbia
to foreign countries, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other U.S. possessions and territories.
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Finished Motor Gasoline |
A complex mixture of relatively volatile hydrocarbons with or without small quantities of
additives, blended to form a fuel suitable for use in spark-ignition engines. Motor gasoline,
as defined in ASTM Specification D 4814 or Federal Specification VV-G-1690C, is characterized
as having a boiling range of 122 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10 percent recovery point to
365 to 374 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90 percent recovery point. Motor Gasoline includes
conventional gasoline; all types of oxygenated gasoline, including gasohol; and
reformulated gasoline, but excludes aviation gasoline. Note: Volumetric data on blending
components, such as oxygenates, are not counted in data on finished motor gasoline until
the blending components are blended into the gasoline. |
Fuel Ethanol |
An anhydrous alcohol (ethanol with less than 1% water) intended for gasoline blending as described in the
Oxygenates definition.
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Gasoline Treated as Blendstock (GTAB) |
Non-certified Foreign Refinery gasoline classified by an importer as blendstock to be either blended or reclassified with respect to
reformulated or conventional gasoline. GTAB was classified on EIA surveys as either reformulated or conventional based on emissions performance and the intended end use in data through the end of December 2009. Designation of GTAB as reformulated or conventional was discontinued beginning with data for January 2010. GTAB was reported as a single product beginning with data for January 2010. GTAB data for January 2010 and later months is presented as conventional motor gasoline blending components when reported as a subset of motor gasoline blending components. |
Imports |
Receipts of crude oil and petroleum products into the 50 States and the District of Columbia
from foreign countries, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other U.S. possessions and territories.
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Kerosene-Type Jet Fuel |
A kerosene-based product having a maximum distillation temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit
at the 10-percent recovery point and a final maximum boiling point of 572 degrees Fahrenheit
and meeting ASTM Specification D 1655 and Military Specifications MIL-T-5624P and MIL-T-83133D
(Grades JP-5 and JP-8). It is used for commercial and military turbojet and turboprop aircraft
engines.
Commercial - Kerosene-type jet fuel intended for use in commercial aircraft.
Military - Kerosene-type jet fuel intended for use in military aircraft.
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Motor Gasoline Blending |
Mechanical mixing of motor gasoline blending components, and oxygenates when required, to
produce finished motor gasoline. Finished motor gasoline may be further mixed with other
motor gasoline blending components or oxygenates, resulting in increased volumes of
finished motor gasoline and/or changes in the formulation of finished motor gasoline
(e.g., conventional motor gasoline mixed with MTBE to produce oxygenated motor gasoline).
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Motor Gasoline Blending Components |
Naphthas (e.g., straight-run gasoline, alkylate, reformate, benzene, toluene, xylene) used for
blending or compounding into finished motor gasoline. These components include reformulated
gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB) but exclude oxygenates (alcohols, ethers),
butane, and pentanes plus. Note: Oxygenates are reported as individual components and are
included in the total for other hydrocarbons, hydrogens, and oxygenates.
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Net Imports |
Imports minus exports.
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OPRG |
"Oxygenated Fuels Program Reformulated Gasoline" is reformulated gasoline which is intended
for use in an oxygenated fuels program control area.
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Oxygenated Gasoline (Including Gasahol) |
Oxygenated gasoline includes all finished motor gasoline, other than reformulated gasoline,
having oxygen content of 2.0 percent or higher by weight. Gasohol containing a minimum
5.7 percent ethanol by volume is included in oxygenated gasoline. Oxygenated gasoline was
reported as a separate product from January 1993 until December 2003 inclusive. Beginning
with monthly data for January 2004, oxygenated gasoline is included in conventional gasoline.
Historical data for oxygenated gasoline excluded Federal Oxygenated Program Reformulated Gasoline
(OPRG). Historical oxygenated gasoline data also excluded other reformulated gasoline with a
seasonal oxygen requirement regardless of season.
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Oxygenates |
Substances which, when added to gasoline, increase the amount of oxygen in that gasoline blend.
Ethanol, Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE), Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE), and methanol
are common oxygenates.
Fuel Ethanol: Blends of up to 10 percent by volume anhydrous ethanol (200 proof) (commonly referred to as the
"gasohol waiver").
Methanol: Blends of methanol and gasoline-grade tertiary butyl alcohol (GTBA) such that the total oxygen content
does not exceed 3.5 percent by weight and the ratio of methanol to GTBA is less than or equal to 1. It is also
specified that this blended fuel must meet ASTM volatility specifications (commonly referred to as the "ARCO"
waiver).
Blends of up to 5.0 percent by volume methanol with a minimum of 2.5 percent by volume cosolvent alcohols having a carbon number of 4 or less (i.e., ethanol, propanol, butanol, and/or GTBA). The total oxygen must not exceed 3.7 percent by weight, and the blend must meet ASTM volatility specifications as well as phase separation and alcohol purity specifications (commonly referred to as the "DuPont" waiver).
MTBE (Methyl tertiary butyl ether): Blends up to 15.0 percent by volume MTBE which must meet the ASTM D4814
specifications. Blenders must take precautions that the blends are not used as base gasolines for other
oxygenated blends (commonly referred to as the "Sun" waiver).
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Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) Districts |
Geographic aggregations of the 50 States and the District of Columbia into five districts
by the Petroleum Administration for Defense in 1950. These districts were originally defined
during World War II for purposes of administering oil allocation.
Description and maps of PAD Districts and Refining Districts.
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Petroleum Products |
Petroleum products are obtained from the processing of crude oil (including lease condensate),
natural gas, and other hydrocarbon compounds. Petroleum products include unfinished oils,
liquefied petroleum gases, pentanes plus, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline, naphtha-type jet
fuel, kerosene-type jet fuel, kerosene, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, petrochemical
feedstocks, special naphthas, lubricants, waxes, petroleum coke, asphalt, road oil, still gas,
and miscellaneous products.
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Ppm |
Parts per million.
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Propane (C3H8) |
A normally gaseous straight-chain hydrocarbon. It is a colorless paraffinic gas that boils
at a temperature of - 43.67 degrees Fahrenheit. It is extracted from natural gas or refinery
gas streams. It includes all products designated in ASTM Specification D1835 and Gas Processors
Association Specifications for commercial propane and HD-5 propane.
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Propylene (C3H6) |
An olefinic hydrocarbon recovered from refinery processes or petrochemical processes.
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RBOB for Blending with Ether |
Motor gasoline blending components intended to be blended with an ether component
(e.g. methyl tertiary butyl ether) at a terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.
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RBOB for Blending with Alcohol |
Motor gasoline blending components intended to be blended with an alcohol component
(e.g. fuel ethanol) at a terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.
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Reformulated (Blended with Alcohol) |
Reformulated gasoline blended with an alcohol component (e.g. fuel ethanol) at a
terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.
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Reformulated Blendstock for Oxgenate Blending (RBOB) |
Motor gasoline blending components intended for blending with oxygenates to produce finished reformulated
motor gasoline.
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Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) |
Finished gasoline formulated for use in motor vehicles, the
composition and properties of which meet the requirements of the reformulated gasoline
regulations promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 211(k)
of the Clean Air Act. It includes gasoline produced to meet or exceed emissions performance
and benzene content standards of federal-program reformulated gasoline even though the gasoline
may not meet all of the composition requirements (e.g. oxygen content) of federal-program
reformulated gasoline. Reformulated gasoline excludes Reformulated Blendstock for Oxygenate
Blending (RBOB) and Gasoline Treated as Blendstock (GTAB). Historical reformulated gasoline
statistics included Oxygenated Fuels Program Reformulated Gasoline (OPRG).
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Residual Fuel Oil |
A general classification for the heavier oils, known as No. 5 and No. 6 fuel oils, that remain
after the distillate fuel oils and lighter hydrocarbons are distilled away in refinery operations.
It conforms to ASTM Specifications D396 and D975 and Federal Specification VV-F-815C.
No. 5, a residual fuel oil of medium viscosity, is also known as Navy Special and is defined in
Military Specification MIL-F-859E, including Amendment 2 (NATO Symbol F-770). It is used in
steam-powered vessels in government service and inshore powerplants. No. 6 fuel oil includes
Bunker C fuel oil and is used for the production of electric power, space heating, vessel
bunkering, and various industrial purposes.
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Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) |
Petroleum stocks maintained by the Federal Government for use during periods of major supply
interruption.
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Sulfur |
A yellowish nonmetallic element, sometimes known as "brimstone." It is present at various
levels of concentration in many fossil fuels.
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Total Motor Gasoline |
Includes finished motor gasoline and motor gasoline blending components.
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