§ 80.340 - What standards and requirements apply to refiners producing gasoline by blending blendstocks into previously certified gasoline (PCG)?

§ 80.340 What standards and requirements apply to refiners producing gasoline by blending blendstocks into previously certified gasoline (PCG)?

(a) Any refiner who produces gasoline by blending blendstock into PCG must meet the requirements of § 80.330 to sample and test every batch of gasoline as follows:

(1)

(i) Sample and test to determine the volume and sulfur content of the PCG prior to blendstock blending.

(ii) Sample and test to determine the volume and sulfur content of the gasoline subsequent to blendstock blending.

(iii) Calculate the volume and sulfur content of the blendstock, by subtracting the volume and sulfur content of the PCG from the volume and sulfur content of the gasoline subsequent to blendstock blending. The blendstock is a batch for purposes of compliance calculations and reporting. For purposes of this paragraph (a), compliance with the applicable cap standard under § 80.195(a) shall be determined based on the sulfur content of the gasoline subsequent to blendstock blending.

(2) In the alternative, a refiner may sample and test each batch of blendstock when received at the refinery to determine the volume and sulfur content, and treat each blendstock receipt as a separate batch for purposes of compliance calculations for the annual average sulfur standard and for reporting. This alternative applies only if every batch of blendstock used at a refinery during an averaging period has a sulfur content that is equal to, or less than, the applicable per-gallon cap standard under §§ 80.195 or 80.216.

(b) Refiners who blend only butane into PCG may meet the sampling and testing requirements by using sulfur test results of the butane supplier, provided that the following requirements are also met:

(1) The sulfur content of the butane received from the butane supplier must not exceed the following sulfur standards on a per-gallon basis as follows:

(i) (A) 120 ppm in 2004;

(B) 30 ppm from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2016; and

(C) 10 ppm on or after January 1, 2017.

(ii) Except that the per-gallon sulfur content of butane blended to PCG that is designated as GPA gasoline shall not exceed 150 ppm from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2006.

(2) The refiner obtains test results from the butane supplier that demonstrate that the sulfur content of each load of butane supplied does not exceed the applicable per-gallon sulfur standard under paragraph (b)(1) of this section through test results of samples of the butane contained in the storage tank from which the butane blender is supplied.

(i) Testing for the sulfur content of the butane by the supplier must be subsequent to each receipt of butane into the supplier's storage tank, or the testing must be immediately before transfer of butane to the butane blender.

(ii) The testing must be performed by the method specified in § 80.46(a)(2) or by the alternative method specified in § 80.46(a)(4).

(iii) The butane blender must obtain a copy of the butane supplier's test results, at the time of each transfer of butane to the butane blender, that reflect the sulfur content of each load of butane supplied to the butane blender.

(3) The sulfur content and volume of each batch of gasoline produced is that of the butane the refiner blends into gasoline for purposes of calculating compliance with the standards in §§ 80.195 and 80.216.

(4) The refiner must conduct a quality assurance program of sampling and testing for each butane supplier that demonstrates the butane sulfur content does not exceed the applicable per-gallon sulfur standard in paragraph (b)(1) of this section. The frequency of butane sampling and testing, for each butane supplier, must be one sample for every 500,000 gallons of butane received, or one sample every 3 months, whichever results in more frequent sampling.

(5) If any of the requirements of this section are not met, in whole or in part, for any butane blended into gasoline, that butane is deemed in violation of the gasoline sulfur standards in § 80.195 or § 80.216, as applicable.

(c) The procedures in §§ 80.65(i) and 80.101(g)(9) may be applied for purposes of demonstrating compliance with the sulfur standards under this subpart.

(d) Refiners who blend only blender-grade pentane into PCG pursuant to the requirements of § 80.85 may meet the sampling and testing requirements by using sulfur test results of the pentane supplier pursuant to the requirements § 80.85, provided that the following requirements are also met:

(1) The sulfur content and volume of each batch of gasoline produced is that of the blender-grade pentane the refiner blends into gasoline for purposes of calculating compliance with the standards in §§ 80.195 and 80.216.

(2) If any of the requirements of this section are not met, in whole or in part, for any pentane blended into gasoline, that pentane is deemed in violation of the gasoline sulfur standards in § 80.85, or § 80.86, § 80.195, § 80.216 as applicable.

[65 FR 6823, Feb. 10, 2000, as amended at 66 FR 67108, Dec. 28, 2001; 68 FR 57820, Oct. 7, 2003; 79 FR 23652, Apr. 28, 2014]