| 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.
|
| Barrel |
A unit of volume equal to 42 U.S. gallons.
|
| Blending Plant |
A facility which has no refining capability but is either capable of producing finished
motor gasoline through mechanical blending or blends oxygenates with motor gasoline.
|
| Conventional Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending (CBOB) |
Motor gasoline blending components intended for blending with oxygenates to produce finished conventional
motor gasoline.
|
| 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.
|
| Crude Oil Input |
The total crude oil put into processing units at refineries.
|
| Fuel Ethanol |
An anhydrous alcohol (ethanol with less than 1% water) intended for gasoline blending as described in the
Oxygenates definition.
|
| 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. |
| Gross Inputs |
The crude oil, unfinished oils, and natural gas plant liquids put into atmospheric crude oil
distillation units.
|
| 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).
|
| 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.
|
| Operable Capacity |
The amount of capacity that, at the beginning of the period, is in operation; not in operation
and not under active repair, but capable of being placed in operation within 30 days; or not
in operation but under active repair that can be completed within 90 days. Operable capacity
is the sum of the operating and idle capacity and is measured in barrels per calendar day or
barrels per stream day.
|
| 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).
|
| Percent Utilization |
Represents the utilization of all crude oil distillation units. The rate is calculated by
dividing gross inputs to these units by the operating/operable refining capacity of the unit.
|
| 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.
|
| Refinery |
An installation that manufactures finished petroleum products from crude oil, unfinished oils,
natural gas liquids, other hydrocarbons, and oxygenates.
|
| Reformulated Blendstock for Oxgenate Blending (RBOB) |
Motor gasoline blending components intended for blending with oxygenates to produce finished reformulated
motor gasoline.
|
Definitions