Summary and Analysis of the 2011 

Gasoline Benzene Pre-Compliance 

Reports 
NOTICE 

This technical report does not necessarily represent final EPA decisions or 

positions. It is intended to present technical analysis of issues using data 

that are currently available. The purpose in the release of such reports is to 

facilitate the exchange of technical information and to inform the public of 

technical developments.

EPA-420-R-12-007 

January 2012

Compliance Division 

Office of Transportation and Air Quality 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Summary and Analysis of the 2011 

Gasoline Benzene Pre-Compliance 

Reports
Table of Contents

I. Executive Summary...............................................................................................................................................1

II. Gasoline Benzene Program Overview...................................................................................................................2

III. Gasoline Benzene Pre-Compliance Reporting Requirements ...............................................................................3

IV. Summary Data ......................................................................................................................................................4

A. Nationwide Analysis .......................................................................................................................................4

1. Refinery Numbers and Production .............................................................................................................4

2. Projected Credit Generation and Use .........................................................................................................5

3. Project Scope and Timing...........................................................................................................................7

B. PADD Analysis ..........................................................................................................................................7

1. PADD 1 ....................................................................................................................................................10

2. PADD 2 ....................................................................................................................................................11

3. PADD 3 ....................................................................................................................................................12

4. PADD 4 ....................................................................................................................................................13

5. PADD 5 ....................................................................................................................................................14

C. Comparison of 2010 and 2011 Pre-compliance Reports.........................................................15
I. Executive Summary

1

I. Executive Summary

Most refiners planning to produce gasoline after January 1, 2011 were required to

submit annual pre-compliance reports to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

indicating their progress toward complying with EPA’s gasoline benzene standards. Under

the gasoline benzene regulations finalized on February 26, 2007, reports were due by June 1

of each year from 2008 through 2011 in order to provide updates on refiners’ compliance

plans. This report summarizes information received from refiners in their 2011 precompliance reports, and is the last such report that will be issued under the benzene

regulations.

Refiners’ benzene pre-compliance reports had to contain estimates of average daily

gasoline production and annual average benzene concentration from June 1, 2007 through

December 31, 2015. For those refiners planning on participating in the credit program, the

reports had to contain a projection of how many credits will be generated or used by each

refinery. The pre-compliance reports had to also contain information outlining each

refinery’s timeline for complying with the gasoline benzene standards and provide

information regarding engineering plans (e.g., design and construction), and capital

commitments for making the necessary modifications to produce gasoline which meets the

new benzene standards.

EPA received benzene pre-compliance reports for 113 refineries in 2011. The 2011

benzene pre-compliance reports showed that:

- refiners are planning to comply with the benzene standards on time by installing

new equipment to reduce benzene at many of their refineries and using the

averaging, banking and trading provisions in the regulations to comply at the rest

- 58 refineries are planning to install equipment to reduce gasoline benzene

- 55 refineries are not planning to install equipment to reduce gasoline benzene

because they already comply with the gasoline benzene standards, or are

planning to use credits for compliance, or are exiting the gasoline market

- 30 refineries are planning to generate early credits from 2007 through 2010, and

37 refineries are planning to generate standard credits beginning in 2011

- overall average reported benzene levels are expected to decrease from 1.06

volume percent (vol%) in 2007 to 0.62 vol% in 2015

- sufficient benzene credits are anticipated to be available for overall industry

compliance

This data represents estimates made by refiners, some of whose final actual

compliance plans may change. While the reported information is subject to change, the

results provide the clearest snapshot of refiners’ aggregate benzene compliance plans

available as of June 1, 2011. They represent the assessment of those who have first-hand

knowledge of the unique situation faced by each refinery.
___________________________II. Gasoline Benzene Program Overview

2

II. Gasoline Benzene Program Overview

The Mobile Source Air Toxics (MSAT2) final rule (72 FR 8428, February 26,

2007) contains a two-step approach to reducing the benzene content of gasoline.

Beginning January 1, 2011, importers and most refineries were required to import or

produce gasoline containing no more than 0.62 vol% benzene on an annual average basis.

This 0.62 vol% benzene standard can be met by using credits. In addition, beginning July

1, 2012, importers and most refineries are required to import or produce gasoline with a

maximum annual average gasoline benzene content of 1.3 vol%. A refinery’s or

importer’s actual annual average gasoline benzene level may not exceed this maximum

average standard. Credits may not be used to meet the 1.3 vol% standard.

The MSAT2 rule includes provisions for refiners and importers to generate

gasoline benzene credits. Refiners could generate early benzene credits from June 1,

2007 through December 31, 2010 at a refinery by implementing certain technological

improvements specified in the regulations which reduced the refinery’s annual average

gasoline benzene by at least 10%, compared to the refinery’s average benzene from

January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2005. Refiners and importers may generate

standard benzene credits beginning in 2011 if a refinery’s or importer’s annual average

gasoline benzene is less than 0.62 vol%. Early benzene credits may be used to comply

with the 0.62 vol% standard during the 2011, 2012 and 2013 averaging periods, while

standard benzene credits may be used to comply with the 0.62 vol% standard within five

years from the year they were generated. For both early credits and standard credits, one

credit is equivalent to one gallon of benzene removed from gasoline. Gasoline benzene

credits may be transferred nationwide.

Small Refiner Flexibilities

Additional compliance flexibilities are provided for small refiners in the gasoline

benzene regulations. The criteria for qualification as a gasoline benzene small refiner are

similar to those under the Gasoline Sulfur and Diesel Sulfur rules. To qualify as “small”,

a refiner must: 1) have produced gasoline by processing crude oil through refinery

processing units from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005; 2) have employed no

more than 1,500 people company-wide, based on the average number of employees for

all pay periods from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005; and, 3) have a

corporate crude oil capacity less than or equal to 155,000 bpcd for 2005.

Small refiners are allowed an additional four years to comply with each benzene

standard. They must begin complying with the 0.62 vol% standard no later than January

1, 2015, and begin complying with the 1.3 vol% standard no later than July 1, 2016.

Other Flexibilities

In addition to allowing refiners and importers to use credits to meet the 0.62 vol%

annual average standard, the gasoline benzene regulations also allow refiners and
___________________________II. Gasoline Benzene Program Overview

3

importers to carry forward a benzene deficit from one year to the next year. If a refinery

or importer exceeds the 0.62 vol% annual average standard, and does not procure

sufficient credits to meet the standard, they may offset the deficit during the following

year by reducing their benzene concentration below 0.62 vol%, and/or procuring credits.

Benzene deficits for one year must be offset during the following year, and may not be

carried over for a second consecutive year.

III. Benzene Pre-Compliance Reporting Requirements

The gasoline benzene regulations required refiners to submit annual precompliance reports for each of their refineries to EPA. The first pre-compliance report

was due by June 1, 2008 and subsequent reports were due annually through June 1, 2011.

The pre-compliance reports had to contain the following information:

1. Any changes in the refiner's basic company or facility information since

registration.

2. Estimates of the average daily volume of gasoline produced at each refinery.

The volume estimates must include gasoline produced during the periods of

June 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007, and calendar years 2008 through

2015.

3. An estimate of the average gasoline benzene concentration for the periods

listed above in 2.

4. For refineries expecting to participate in the benzene credit program, estimates

of the number of credits generated and/or used during the periods listed above

in 2.

5. Information on project schedule by known or projected completion date (by

quarter) for each stage of the project (strategic planning, front-end

engineering, detailed engineering and permitting, procurement and

construction, and commissioning and startup).

6. Basic information regarding the selected technology pathway for compliance

(e.g. re-routing of benzene precursors or other technologies, revamp versus

grassroots, etc.).

7. Whether capital investments have been made or are projected to be made.

8. An update of the progress in each of these areas.

The pre-compliance reporting requirements did not apply to certain types of

gasoline, including imported gasoline, gasoline produced for and used in California,

gasoline produced by small refiners, gasoline exported for use outside the United States,

and gasoline produced through distillation of transmix. These products are not included

in this summary and analysis.

We recognize that the pre-compliance reports contain preliminary information

and that final decisions on benzene removal plans may not have been made in all cases by
_______________III. Benzene Pre-Compliance Reporting Requirements

4

the reporting deadline. Accordingly, the information in this summary and analysis is

based on the best available refinery information as of June 1, 2011.

IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

A. Nationwide Analysis

1. Refinery Numbers and Production

We received benzene pre-compliance reports in 2011 for 113 refineries. Refiners

indicated that, for most of their refineries, they have made decisions on producing

gasoline which meets the benzene standards beginning January 1, 2011. Table 1 shows

the aggregated results for all reporting refineries for the four years leading up to the

beginning of the gasoline benzene standards, and Table 2 shows the aggregated results

for the first five years that the 0.62 vol% standard is in effect. 1

Table 1

Reported Data for Total U.S., 2007-2010

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010

# reporting refineries 113 113 113 110

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 7,068,403 6,856,856 6,910,177 6,793,853

Average benzene concentration, vol% 1.06 1.09 1.01 0.94

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 20 20 23 25

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% and < or = 1.3 vol% 45 40 47 47

# refineries with benzene > 1.3 vol% 48 53 43 38

Table 2

Reported Data for Total U.S., 2011-2015

Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

# reporting refineries 107 107 107 107 107

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 7,140,264 7,377,608 7,482,903 7,454,180 7,463,901

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.75 0.65 0.62 0.62 0.62

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 55 62 68 69 70

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 52 45 39 38 37

1 The total number of reporting refineries decreases by 3 in 2010, due to the closure of 2 refineries in 2009

and 1 refinery exiting the gasoline market in 2010. The total number of refineries decreases by 3 more in

2011 due to the closure of 1 more refinery in 2010, a refiner combining 2 refineries into 1 refinery in 2010,

and 1 more refinery exiting the gasoline market in 2011.
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

5

Table 1 shows that in 2007, only 20 refineries produced gasoline averaging 0.62

vol% benzene or less. Also in 2007, 93 refineries produced gasoline averaging greater

than 0.62 vol% benzene, including 48 refineries that produced gasoline averaging greater

than 1.3 vol% benzene. Table 2 shows that 35 of these 93 refineries planned to begin

producing gasoline averaging 0.62 vol% benzene or less by 2011, as the number of

refineries producing gasoline averaging 0.62 vol% benzene or less increased from 20 in

2007 to 55 in 2011. The number of refineries producing gasoline averaging 0.62 vol%

benzene or less further increases to 68 by 2013, after the 1.3 vol% benzene maximum

annual average standard takes effect on July 1, 2012.

Table 2 shows that the average benzene concentration for all reporting refineries

is greater than 0.62 vol% in 2011 and 2012, as some refiners plan to use early credits to

meet the 0.62 vol% standard in 2011 and 2012. Average benzene concentration for all

reporting refineries decreases to 0.62 vol% beginning in 2013.

Tables 1 and 2 also show that refiners increased production of gasoline by

approximately 72,000 bbls/day from 2007 to 2011, and plan to increase production by

approximately 324,000 bbls/day from 2011 to 2015. Figure 1 illustrates reported

gasoline production, by benzene concentration, for each reported year. By 2013,

approximately 73 percent of all gasoline will contain 0.62 vol% benzene or less, as some

refiners plan to use standard credits to meet the 0.62 vol% standard in 2013 and later.

Figure 1. Reported U.S. Gasoline Production and Benzene Content, 2007-2015

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Year

Gasolineproduction,

thousand bbls/day

> 0.62%

< or = 0.62%

2. Projected Credit Generation and Use

Table 3 shows total reported gasoline benzene credits generated and used for each

reported year. Thirty refineries indicated they generated a total of 216.0 million benzene

credits (1 credit = 1 gallon benzene removed) during the early credit generation period

from June 1, 2007 through December 31, 2010. Twenty five of these refineries are
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

6

owned by refiners who own multiple refineries. To spread out the transition to the 0.62

vol% standard, refiners plan to use some of these early credits during the 2011 and 2012

compliance periods. In 2011, 37 refineries are projected to generate a total of 50.8

million credits, and 52 refineries are projected to use a total of 180.7 million credits. In

2012, 44 refineries are projected to generate a total of 68.2 million credits and 45

refineries are projected to use a total of 107.4 million credits. Annual generation of

standard credits is slightly lower than annual credit usage in 2013 and 2014, and annual

generation of standard credits begins to exceed annual usage in 2015, when 48 refineries

are projected to generate 76.3 million credits and 37 refineries are projected to use only

74.1 million credits.

Table 3

Reported Gasoline Benzene Credits for Total U.S., 2007-2015

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 total

# refineries generating benzene credits 6 12 18 28 30

Benzene credits generated, millions 10.5 28.8 70.5 106.3 216.0

Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

# refineries generating benzene credits 37 44 47 48 48

# refineries using benzene credits 52 45 39 38 37

Benzene credits generated, millions 50.8 68.2 76.5 75.1 76.3

Benzene credits used, millions 180.7 107.4 77.0 75.7 74.1

Figure 2 shows cumulative projected generation and usage of gasoline benzene

credits for each reported year. Refiners are planning to generate sufficient credits for

overall compliance during each annual compliance period from 2011 onward.

Figure 2. Cumulative U.S. Gasoline Benzene Credits

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Year

Benzene Credits, millions

Generated

Used
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

7

3. Project Scope and Timing

In addition to providing projections of gasoline production, benzene

concentration, and credit generation/usage, refiners had to also provide information

outlining both their timeline for compliance with the gasoline benzene standards and their

engineering plans (e.g., design and construction) in their pre-compliance reports. We

requested that refiners report their progress according to the following five stages: 1)

strategic planning, 2) planning and front-end engineering, 3) detailed engineering and

permitting, 4) procurement and construction, and 5) commissioning and start-up.

In the 2011 benzene pre-compliance reports, refiners indicated they have plans to

install new benzene reduction facilities at 58 refineries. Most of these refineries have

completed and started up their projects to comply with the gasoline benzene standards.

The remaining refineries are well into the procurement and construction phase, and

generally expect to start up their benzene reduction facilities in 2011 or 2012.

Most of the 58 refineries indicated that they planned to use one or more of the

gasoline benzene reduction strategies identified by EPA in the gasoline benzene

rulemaking. Reported scopes for benzene compliance projects are summarized in the

following list:

- 17 refineries plan to install additional naphtha pre-fractionation capacity to

reduce the amount of benzene precursors in their naphtha reformer feed

- 15 refineries plan to install a new reformate splitter tower

- 11 refineries plan to install a new benzene saturation unit

- 1 refinery plans to install new benzene extraction facilities

- 8 refineries plan to revamp existing benzene extraction facilities.

- 1 refinery plans to install a new isomerization unit

- 5 refineries plan to revamp existing isomerization units

- 10 refineries plan to outhaul benzene-rich light reformate to other refineries for

processing

In addition, 9 refineries indicated they planned to make operational changes to

reduce gasoline benzene.

Refiners indicated they were not planning to install benzene reduction facilities at

55 refineries, either because these refineries already comply with the gasoline benzene

standards, or because they are planning to use credits for compliance.

B. PADD Analysis

This section presents information specific to each Petroleum Administration for

Defense District (PADD). Tables 4, 5 and 6 show aggregated reported data for 2007,

2011 and 2015, by PADD.2From 2007 to 2011, reported national average benzene

2 These tables do not include imported gasoline, gasoline used in California, gasoline produced by small

refiners, gasoline exported outside the U.S., and gasoline produced by transmix processors.
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

8

concentration decreased by 30 percent, with the largest decrease occurring in PADD 5

(37 percent), followed by PADD 2 (36 percent), PADD 3 (31 percent), PADD 4 (17

percent), and PADD 1 (13 percent). Also from 2007 to 2011, the number of refineries

producing gasoline containing 0.62 vol% benzene or less increased from 20 to 55, with

the largest increase occurring in PADD 3 (18 refineries), followed by PADD 2 (8

refineries), PADD 1 (4 refineries), PADD 5 (3 refineries), and PADD 4 (2 refineries).

From 2011 to 2015, reported average benzene concentration decreases further in each

PADD, with the largest decreases occurring in PADDs 2, 4 and 5. From 2011 to 2015,

15 additional refineries begin producing gasoline containing 0.62 vol% benzene or less,

including 4 refineries in PADD 1, 3 refineries in PADD 2, 6 refineries in PADD 3, 1

refinery in PADD 4, and 1 refinery in PADD 5.

Table 4

Reported Data by PADD for 2007

PADD 1 PADD 2 PADD 3 PADD 4 PADD 5 total U.S.

# reporting refineries 16 21 45 12 19 113

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 1,197,810 1,656,183 3,578,123 240,781 395,506 7,068,403

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.81 1.31 0.96 1.56 1.43 1.06

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 4 1 9 0 6 20

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 12 20 36 12 13 93

Table 5

Reported Data by PADD for 2011

PADD 1 PADD 2 PADD 3 PADD 4 PADD 5 total U.S.

# reporting refineries 14 20 42 12 19 107

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 1,068,071 1,749,324 3,684,696 261,600 376,573 7,140,264

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.70 0.84 0.66 1.30 0.90 0.75

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 8 9 27 2 9 55

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 6 11 15 10 10 52

Table 6

Reported Data by PADD for 2015

PADD 1 PADD 2 PADD 3 PADD 4 PADD 5 total U.S.

# reporting refineries 14 20 42 12 19 107

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 1,143,880 1,775,024 3,881,312 277,879 385,806 7,463,901

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.61 0.67 0.56 0.94 0.71 0.62

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 12 12 33 3 10 70

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 2 8 9 9 9 37

Tables 4, 5 and 6 also show that most of the increase in projected total U.S.

gasoline production from 2007 to 2015 occurs in PADD 3, with lesser increases in

PADDs 2 and 4, and decreases in PADDs 1 and 5. From 2007 to 2015, projected total

U.S. gasoline production increases by approximately 395,000 bbls/day, including
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

9

increases of approximately 303,000 bbls/day in PADD 3, 119,000 bbls/day in PADD 2,

and 37,000 bbls/day in PADD 4, and decreases of approximately 10,000 bbls/day in

PADD 5, and 54,000 bbls/day in PADD 1.

Figure 3 illustrates the effect of the benzene standards on national average

benzene levels from 2007 through 2015. Figure 3 also shows the volume-weighted

contribution of each PADD to national average benzene concentration for each reported

year. PADD 3 consistently has the greatest volume-weighted contribution because

PADD 3 consistently produces the most gasoline of any PADD (even though PADD 3

has the lowest gasoline benzene concentrations among all PADDs from 2011 through

2015). Conversely, PADD 4 consistently has the smallest volume-weighted contribution

because PADD 4 consistently produces the least gasoline of any PADD (even though

PADD 4 has the highest gasoline benzene concentrations among all PADDs in every

reported year).

Figure 3. PADD Contributions to National Average Benzene, 2007-2015

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Year

Benzene Concentration, vol%

PADD 5

PADD 4

PADD 3

PADD 2

PADD 1

More detailed information for each PADD is shown below in Tables 7 through

16.
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

10

1. PADD 1

Reported data for 16 PADD 1 refineries is summarized below in Tables 7 and 8.3

PADD 1 average gasoline benzene concentration decreased from 0.81 vol% in 2007 to

0.70 vol% in 2011, as the number of refineries producing gasoline containing 0.62 vol%

benzene or less increased from 4 to 8. PADD 1 average gasoline benzene concentration

decreases further to 0.61 vol% by 2015, as 4 more refineries reduce their gasoline

benzene concentration to 0.62 vol% or less. Projected gasoline production also decreases

from 2007 to 2015 by approximately 54,000 bbls/day, primarily due to the closure of 2

refineries in 2009.

Table 7

Reported Data for PADD 1, 2007-2010

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010

# reporting refineries 16 16 16 14

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 1,197,810 1,213,370 1,211,632 1,060,827

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.81 0.75 0.73 0.74

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 4 6 7 4

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 12 10 9 10

Table 8

Reported Data for PADD 1, 2011-2015

Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

# reporting refineries 14 14 14 14 14

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 1,068,071 1,147,888 1,136,495 1,140,499 1,143,880

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.70 0.64 0.63 0.62 0.61

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 8 8 10 11 12

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 6 6 4 3 2

3 These tables do not include imported gasoline, gasoline produced by small refiners, gasoline exported

outside the U.S., and gasoline produced by transmix processors.
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

11

2. PADD 2

Reported data for 21 reporting PADD 2 refineries is summarized below in Tables

9 and 10.4PADD 2 average gasoline benzene concentration decreased from 1.31 vol% in

2007 to 0.84 vol% in 2011, as the number of refineries producing gasoline containing

0.62 vol% benzene or less increased from 1 to 9. PADD 2 average gasoline benzene

concentration decreases further to 0.67 vol% by 2015, as 4 more refineries reduce their

gasoline benzene concentration to 0.62 vol% or less. The total number of reporting

refineries decreases by 1 in 2011 due to a refiner combining 2 refineries into a single

refinery in 2010, and projected gasoline production increases from 2007 to 2015 by

approximately 119,000 bbls/day.

Table 9

Reported Data for PADD 2, 2007-2010

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010

# reporting refineries 21 21 21 21

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 1,656,183 1,616,478 1,696,519 1,689,434

Average benzene concentration, vol% 1.31 1.31 1.24 1.20

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 1 1 1 2

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 20 20 20 19

Table 10

Reported Data for PADD 2, 2011-2015

Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

# reporting refineries 20 20 20 20 20

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 1,749,324 1,757,589 1,797,958 1,780,073 1,775,024

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.84 0.71 0.67 0.67 0.67

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 9 11 12 12 12

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 11 9 8 8 8

4 These tables do not include imported gasoline, gasoline produced by small refiners, gasoline exported

outside the U.S., and gasoline produced by transmix processors.
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

12

3. PADD 3

Reported data for 45 PADD 3 refineries is summarized below in Tables 11 and

12.5PADD 3 average gasoline benzene concentration decreased from 0.96 vol% in 2007

to 0.66 vol% in 2011, as the number of refineries producing gasoline containing 0.62

vol% benzene or less increased from 9 to 27. PADD 3 average gasoline benzene

concentration decreases further to 0.56 vol% by 2015, as 6 more refineries reduce their

gasoline benzene concentration to 0.62 vol% or less. The total number of reporting

refineries decreases by 3 in 2011 due to the closure of 1 refinery in 2010 and 2 other

refineries exiting the gasoline market in 2011, and projected gasoline production

increases from 2007 to 2015 by approximately 303,000 bbls/day.

Table 11

Reported Data for PADD 3, 2007-2010

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010

# reporting refineries 45 45 45 45

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 3,578,123 3,301,912 3,383,544 3,437,531

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.96 1.00 0.94 0.81

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 9 8 9 16

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 36 37 36 29

Table 12

Reported Data for PADD 3, 2011-2015

Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

# reporting refineries 42 42 42 42 42

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 3,684,696 3,824,895 3,880,221 3,866,079 3,881,312

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.66 0.59 0.56 0.56 0.56

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 27 31 33 33 33

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 15 11 9 9 9

5 These tables do not include imported gasoline, gasoline used in California, gasoline produced by small

refiners, gasoline exported outside the U.S., and gasoline produced by transmix processors.
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

13

4. PADD 4

Data for 12 reporting PADD 4 refineries is summarized below in Tables 13 and

14.6PADD 4 average gasoline benzene concentration decreased from 1.56 vol% in 2007

to 1.30 vol% in 2011, as the number of refineries producing gasoline containing 0.62

vol% benzene or less increased from 0 to 2. PADD 4 average gasoline benzene

concentration decreases further to 0.94 vol% by 2015, as refineries further reduce their

gasoline benzene concentration. Projected gasoline production also increases from 2007

to 2015 by approximately 37,000 bbls/day.

Table 13

Reported Data for PADD 4, 2007-2010

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010

# reporting refineries 12 12 12 12

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 240,781 365,974 249,841 251,753

Average benzene concentration, vol% 1.56 1.59 1.51 1.41

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 0 0 0 0

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 12 12 12 12

Table 14

Reported Data for PADD 4, 2011-2015

Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

# reporting refineries 12 12 12 12 12

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 261,600 265,349 280,795 281,295 277,879

Average benzene concentration, vol% 1.30 1.12 0.95 0.95 0.94

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 2 2 3 3 3

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 10 10 9 9 9

6 These tables do not include imported gasoline, gasoline used in California, gasoline produced by small

refiners, gasoline exported outside the U.S., and gasoline produced by transmix processors.
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

14

5. PADD 5

Data for 19 reporting PADD 5 refineries is summarized below in Tables 15 and

16.7PADD 5 average gasoline benzene concentration decreased from 1.43 vol% in 2007

to 0.90 vol% in 2011, as the number of refineries producing gasoline containing 0.62

vol% benzene or less increased from 6 to 9. PADD 5 average gasoline benzene

concentration decreases further to 0.71 vol% by 2015, as refineries further reduce their

gasoline benzene concentration. Projected gasoline production also decreases slightly

from 2007 to 2015 by approximately 10,000 bbls/day.

Table 15

Reported Data for PADD 5, 2007-2010

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010

# reporting refineries 19 19 19 18

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 395,506 359,122 368,641 354,308

Average benzene concentration, vol% 1.43 1.54 1.25 1.18

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 6 5 6 3

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 13 14 13 15

Table 16

Reported Data for PADD 5, 2011-2015

Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

# reporting refineries 19 19 19 19 19

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 376,573 381,886 387,434 386,234 385,806

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.90 0.74 0.71 0.71 0.71

# refineries with benzene < or = 0.62 vol% 9 10 10 10 10

# refineries with benzene > 0.62 vol% 10 9 9 9 9

7 These tables do not include imported gasoline, gasoline used in California, gasoline produced by small

refiners, gasoline exported outside the U.S., and gasoline produced by transmix processors.
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

15

C. Comparison of 2010 and 2011 Pre-compliance Reports

The 2011 pre-compliance reports show slightly higher overall projected reduction

in benzene during the early credit generation period (June 1, 2007 through December 31,

2010), compared to the 2010 pre-compliance reports. The 2011 pre-compliance reports

also show that benzene concentrations from 2011 through 2015 are projected to be

approximately the same as those in the 2010 pre-compliance reports. Table 17 lists

projected national gasoline production and average benzene concentration from the 2010

and 2011 pre-compliance reports.

Table 17

Projected Gasoline Production and Benzene Concentration for Total U.S.,

2007-2015

2007 2008 2009 2010

2010 benzene reports

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 7,068,133 6,848,290 6,940,991 7,108,910

Average benzene concentration, vol% 1.06 1.09 1.02 0.99

2011 benzene reports

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 7,068,403 6,856,856 6,910,177 6,793,853

Average benzene concentration, vol% 1.06 1.09 1.01 0.94

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

2010 benzene reports

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 7,463,850 7,614,155 7,674,550 7,657,239 7,660,011

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.73 0.65 0.62 0.62 0.62

2011 benzene reports

Reported gasoline production, bbls/day 7,140,264 7,377,608 7,482,903 7,454,180 7,463,901

Average benzene concentration, vol% 0.75 0.65 0.62 0.62 0.62

The 2011 pre-compliance reports show more early credits being generated from

2007 through 2010, compared to the 2010 pre-compliance reports. However, the 2011

pre-compliance reports also show fewer standard credits being generated and more

credits being used from 2011 through 2015, compared to the 2010 pre-compliance

reports. Table 18 lists projected credit generation and usage from the 2010 and 2011 precompliance reports, along with the cumulative credit surplus by the end of each year from

2007 through 2015. Figure 4 illustrates that the 2011 pre-compliance reports continue to

show a cumulative credit surplus at the end of each year from 2007 through 2015, but the

cumulative credit surplus by the end of 2015 is smaller than the cumulative credit surplus

from the 2010 pre-compliance reports.
_____________________________IV. Gasoline Benzene Summary Data

16

Table 18

Projected Gasoline Production and Benzene Concentration for Total U.S.,

2007-2015

2007 2008 2009 2010

2010 benzene reports

Benzene credits generated, millions 10.6 29.9 67.7 96.3

Cumulative credit surplus, millions 10.6 40.5 108.1 204.4

2011 benzene reports

Benzene credits generated, millions 10.5 28.8 70.5 106.3

Cumulative credit surplus, millions 10.5 39.3 109.8 216.0

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

2010 benzene reports

Benzene credits generated, millions 55.2 79.8 81.1 79.9 80.4

Benzene credits used, millions 175.1 111.8 78.7 78.4 78.0

Cumulative credit surplus, millions 84.5 52.5 54.9 56.3 58.8

2011 benzene reports

Benzene credits generated, millions 50.8 68.2 76.5 75.1 76.3

Benzene credits used, millions 180.7 107.4 77.0 75.7 74.1

Cumulative credit surplus, millions 86.1 46.9 46.4 45.8 48.0

Figure 4. Cumulative U.S. Gasoline Benzene Credit Surplus

0

50

100

150

200

250

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Year

Cumulative credit surplus,

millions

2010 reports

2011 reports