Regulatory Announcement

EPA Announces Decision for 

Regulation of Fuel and Fuel Additives: 

Modification to Octamix Waiver 

Regarding TXCeed 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing 

modification of the Texas Methanol’s 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/l) 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, heptanols 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. 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality 

EPA-420-F-12-020

 June 2012

 
Regulatory Announcement

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 D130-04ε1 and ASTM D4814-10a 6 NACE Standard TM0172-2001. 

2