EPA Announces Decision for
Regulation of Fuel and Fuel Additives:
Modification to Octa mix Waiver
Regarding TXCeed
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing
modification of the Texas MethanoPs gasoline-alcohol fuel waiver,
also known as OCTAMIX, to allow the use of Spirit of 21st Century
LLC corrosion inhibitor, TXCeed.
Elements of this Notice
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
On March 23, 2011, Spirit of 21st Century LLC requested EPA allow the use of its
alternative corrosion inhibitor, TXCeed, in the OCTAMIX gasoline-alcohol fuel
blend which otherwise would not be allowed under the waiver. Spirit of 21st Century
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-solvent mixture; a maximum
limit of 40 percent by weight of the co-solvents mixture is placed on the pentanols, hexanols, hepta-
nols and octanols; and the heptanols and octanols are limited to 5 percent by weight of the co-solvent
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-12-020
May 2012
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LLC subsequently followed up its March 23rd request with additional information on
May 17, 2011 and August 15, 2011. TXCeed is a fuel additive formulation consisting of a
corrosion inhibitor.
On December 14, 2011, EPA published a notice in the Federal Register (76 FR 77828)
announcing receipt of Spirit of 21st Century LLC's request and inviting comment on it. The
comment period closed on January 13, 2012. There were no comments in response to this notice.
Spirit of 21st Century LLC provided data showing their corrosion inhibitor, TXCeed, passed
ASTM5 and NACE6 corrosion test results. With this notice, EPA is announcing its decision to
modify the OCTAMIX waiver to allow the use of TXCeed 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, TXCeed, 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.
For More Information
You can access the rule and related documents on EPA's Office of Transportation and Air
Quality (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
5 ASTM D130-0481 and ASTM D4814-10a
6 NACE Standard TMO172-2001.
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