Regulatory Announcement

EPA Announces Notice for Regulation 

of Fuel and Fuel Additives: 

Modification to Octamix 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-10A, 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/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 

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-12-006

January 2012 
Regulatory Announcement

On October 14, 2011, Baker Hughes requested EPA allow the use of its alternative corrosion 

inhibitor, TOLAD MFA-10A, 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-10A 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-10A, 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-10A 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-10A, 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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Regulatory Announcement

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
 

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