EPA Announces Notice for Regulation
of Fuel and Fuel Additives:
Modification to Octa mix Waiver
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing notice
and seeking comment on a request from Baker Hughes to allow an
alternative corrosion inhibitor, TOLAD MFA-10A, to be used within
Texas Methanol's gasoline-alcohol fuel, also known as OCTAMIX.
Elements of this Notice
This notice provides notice to the public and seeks comment on the request from
Baker Hughes to allow an alternative corrosion inhibitor, TOLAD MFA-10 A, to be
used within Texas Methanol's gasoline-alcohol fuel, also known as OCTAMIX,
The Texas Methanol Corporation received a waiver under CAA section 211(f)(4)
for a gasoline-alcohol fuel blend, known as OCTAMIX,1 provided that the resultant
fuel is composed of a maximum of 3.7 percent by weight fuel oxygen, a maximum of
5 percent by volume methanol, a minimum of 2.5 percent by volume co-solvents2
and 42.7 milligrams per liter (mg/1) of Petrolite TOLAD MFA-10 corrosion inhibitor3.
In the OCTAMIX waiver, the Agency invited other corrosion inhibitor manufacturers
to submit test data to establish, on a case-by-case basis, whether their fuel additive
formulations are acceptable as alternatives to TOLAD MFA-10.4
1 OCTAMIX decision, 53 FR 3636 (February 8, 1988).
2 The co-solvents are any one or a mixture of ethanol, propanols, butanols, pentanols, hexanols,
heptanols and octanols with the following constraints; the ethanol, propanols and butanols or
mixtures thereof must compose a minimum of 60 percent by weight of the co-sol vent mixture; a
maximum limit of 40 percent by weight of the co-solvents mixture is placed on the pentanols,
hexanols, heptanols and octanols; and the heptanols and octanols are limited to 5 percent by weight
of the co-sol vent mixture.
3 Additional conditions were the final fuel must meet ASTM volatility specifications contained in
ASTM D439-85a, as well as phase separation conditions specified in ASTM D-2 Proposal P-176 and
Texas Methanol alcohol purity specifications.
4 53 FR at 3637.
SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
EPA-420-F-12-006
January 2012
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On October 14, 2011, Baker Hughes requested EPA allow the use of its alternative corrosion
inhibitor, TOLAD MFA'IOA, in the OCTAMIX gasoline'alcohol fuel blend which otherwise
would not be allowed under the waiver. Baker Hughes subsequently followed up its October
14th request with additional information on December 6, 2011. TOLAD MFA'IOA is a fuel
additive formulation consisting of a corrosion inhibitor,
EPA will examine the data submitted by Baker Hughes, along with all comments received from
interested parties, to determine whether use of the corrosion inhibitor, TOLAD MFA'IOA, in
place of the original corrosion inhibitor TOLAD MFA'10, would cause or contribute to vehicles
or engines failing to meet their emissions standards when using OCTAMIX. If use of TOLAD
MFA'IOA does not cause or contribute to such failures, EPA will modify the OCTAMIX waiver
to allow the use of TOLAD MFA-10A as an alternative corrosion inhibitor to TOLAD MFA-10,
Health and Environmental Impacts
There will be no adverse health or environmental impact as a result of allowing this alternative
corrosion inhibitor, TOLAD MFA'IOA, and the clean air benefits of EPA's gasoline motor
vehicle fuel programs will continue to be realized.
Gasoline Supply Benefits
This action may provide additional flexibility to the regulated community by allowing an
additional corrosion inhibitor for use in Texas Methanol's gasoline-alcohol fuel, also known as
OCTAMIX. The notice rule solicits comments on allowing this alternative corrosion inhibitor.
Public Participation Opportunities
We welcome your comments on this notice. Comments will be accepted for 30 days beginning
when this notice is published in the Federal Register. All comments should be identified by Docket
ID No. EPA'HQ'OAR-2011-0894 and submitted by one of the following methods:
Internet: www.regulations.gov
E-mail: A-and-R-Docket@epa.gov
Mail:
Environmental Protection Agency
Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center (6102T)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20460
Hand Delivery:
EPA West Building
EPA Docket Center (Room 3340)
1301 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC
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For More Information
You can access the rule and related documents on EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Qual-
ity (OTAQ) Web site at:
www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/registrationfuels/notices.htm
For more information on this rule, please contact Joe Sopata at:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality (6406J)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 343-9034
E-mail: sopata.joe@epa.gov
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