MEETING CLEAN FUELS OBJECTIVES WITH THE FCC

Description:

Throughout the world, governments now regulate the composition and quality of transportation fuels, in particular gasoline, to reduce automobile exhaust emissions. U.S. E.P.A.’s Tier 2 specifications require that gasoline sulfur levels average 30 ppm at the refinery level by 2006, with a per-gallon cap of no more than 80 ppm, representing a 90% reduction in gasoline from baseline levels. The level of capital investment for the processing changes required to meet all fuel quality government mandates has been estimated by the N.P.R.A. at about $20 x 109 by 2010. In an industry that has seen hard times in recent years, refiners are looking for technological advances from FCC catalyst manufacturers in order to minimize further capital investment. This paper describes how new developments in Akzo Nobel FCC additives can help achieve these goals.