|  Definitions, Sources and Explanatory Notes |
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|  Category:   | Petroleum Refining & Processing |
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|  Topic:      | Blender Net Input               |
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|   Definitions |  |
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| Key Terms                                             | Definition                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
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| Barrel                                                | A unit of volume equal to 42 U.S. gallons.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Blending Plant                                        | A facility which has no refining capability but is either capable of producing finishedmotor gasoline through mechanical blending or blends oxygenates with motor gasoline.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| Conventional Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending (CBOB) | Motor gasoline blending components intended for blending with oxygenates to produce finished conventional motor gasoline.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Fuel Ethanol                                          | An anhydrous denatured aliphatic alcohol intended for gasoline blending as described in Oxygenates definition.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| Gasoline Treated as Blendstock (GTAB)                 | Non-certified Foreign Refinery gasoline classified by an importer as blendstock to be either blended or reclassified with respect to reformulated or conventional gasoline.  GTAB  was classified on EIA surveys as either reformulated or conventional based on emissions performance and the intended end use in data through the end of December 2009.  Designation of GTAB as reformulated or conventional was discontinued beginning with data for January 2010.  GTAB was reported as a single product beginning with data for January 2010.  GTAB data for January 2010 and later months is presented as conventional motor gasoline blending components whenreported as a subset of motor gasoline blending components.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| Isobutane (C4H10)                                     | A normally gaseous branch-chain hydrocarbon. It is a colorless paraffinic gas that boils at a temperature of 10.9o F. It is extracted from natural gas or refinery gas streams.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Liquefied Refinery Gases (LPG)                        | Liquefied petroleum gases fractionated from refinery or still gases. Through compression and/or refrigeration, they are retained in the liquid state. The reported categories are ethane/ethylene, propane/propylene, normal butane/butylene, and isobutane/isobutylene. Excludes still gas.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| Methanol                                              | Blends of methanol and gasoline-grade tertiary butyl alcohol (GTBA) such that the total oxygen content does not exceed 3.5 percent by weight and the ratio of methanol to GTBA is less than or equal to 1. It is also specified that this blended fuel must meet ASTM volatility specifications (commonly referred to as the "AARCO" waiver).Blends of up to 5.0 percent by volume methanol with a minimum of 2.5 percent by volume cosolvent alcohols having a carbon number of 4 or less (i.e., ethanol, propanol, butanol, and/or GTBA). The total oxygen must not exceed 3.7 percent by weight, and the blend must meet ASTM volatility specifications as well as phase separation and alcohol purity specifications (commonly referred to as the "DuPont" waiver).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| Motor Gasoline Blending                               | Mechanical mixing of motor gasoline blending components, and oxygenates when required, toproduce finished motor gasoline. Finished motor gasoline may be further mixed with othermotor gasoline blending components or oxygenates, resulting in increased volumes of finished motor gasoline and/or changes in the formulation of finished motor gasoline(e.g., conventional motor gasoline mixed with MTBE to produce oxygenated motor gasoline).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| Motor Gasoline Blending Components (MGBC)             | Naphthas (e.g., straight-run gasoline, alkylate, reformate, benzene, toluene, xylene) used for blending or compounding into finished motor gasoline.  These components include reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB) but exclude oxygenates (alcohols, ethers), butane, and pentanes plus. Note: Oxygenates are reported as individual components and are included in the total for other hydrocarbons, hydrogens, and oxygenates.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| MTBE (Methyl tertiary butyl ether)                    | An ether intended for gasoline blending as described in "Oxygenates."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Natural Gas Liquids                                   | Those hydrocarbons in natural gas that are separated from the gas as liquids through the process of absorption, condensation, adsorption, or other methods in gas processing or cycling plants. Generally such liquids consist of propane and heavier hydrocarbons and are commonly referred to as lease condensate, natural gasoline, and liquefied petroleum gases.  Natural gas liquids include natural gas plant liquids (primarily ethane, propane, butane, and isobutane; see Natural Gas Plant Liquids) and lease condensate (primarily pentanes produced from natural gas at lease separators and field facilities; see Lease Condensate).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| Natural Gas Plant Liquids                             | Those hydrocarbons in natural gas that are separated as liquids at natural gas processing plants, fractionating and cycling plants, and, in some instances, field facilities.  Lease condensate is excluded.  Products obtained include ethane; liquefied petroleum gases (propane, butanes, propane-butane mixtures, ethane-propane mixtures); isopentane; and other small quantities of finished products, such as motor gasoline, special naphthas, jet fuel, kerosene, and distillate fuel oil.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| Normal Butane (C4H10)                                 | A normally gaseous straight chain hydrocarbon that is a colorless paraffinic gas which boils at a temperature of 31.1 degrees Fahrenheit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Other Oxygenates                                      | Includes ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), tertiary amyl methyl ether (TAME), tertiarybutyl alcohol (TBA), and other aliphatic alcohols and ethers intended for motor gasolineblending (e.g., isopropyl ether (IPE) or n-propanol).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| Oxygenates                                            | Substances which, when added to gasoline, increase the amount of oxygen in that gasoline blend.  Ethanol, Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE), Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE), and methanol are common oxygenates.Fuel Ethanol
: Blends of up to 10 percent by volume anhydrous ethanol (200 proof) (commonly referred to as the "gasohol waiver").
Methanol
: Blends of methanol and gasoline-grade tertiary butyl alcohol (GTBA) such that the total oxygen contentdoes not exceed 3.5 percent by weight and the ratio of methanol to GTBA is less than or equal to 1. It is also specified that this blended fuel must meet ASTM volatility specifications (commonly referred to as the "ARCO" waiver).
Blends of up to 5.0 percent by volume methanol with a minimum of 2.5 percent by volume cosolvent alcohols having a carbon number of 4 or less (i.e., ethanol, propanol, butanol, and/or GTBA). The total oxygen must not exceed 3.7 percent by weight, and the blend must meet ASTM volatility specifications as well as phase separation and alcohol purity specifications (commonly referred to as the "DuPont" waiver).
MTBE (Methyl tertiary butyl ether)
: Blends up to 15.0 percent by volume MTBE which must meet the ASTM D4814 specifications.  Blenders must take precautions that the blends are not used as base gasolines for other oxygenated blends (commonly referred to as the "Sun" waiver). |
| Pentanes Plus                                         | A mixture of hydrocarbons, mostly pentanes and heavier, extracted from natural gas. Includes isopentane, natural gasoline, and plant condensate.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) Districts  | Geographic aggregations of the 50 States and the District of Columbia into five districts by the Petroleum Administration for Defense in 1950. These districts were originally defined during World War II for purposes of administering oil allocation. Description and maps of PAD Districts and Refining Districts.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| RBOB for Blending with Alcohol                        | Motor gasoline blending components intended to be blended with an alcohol component (e.g., fuel ethanol) at a terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.  RBOB product detail by type of oxygenate was discontinued effective with data for January 2010.  Beginning with data for January 2010, RBOB was reported as a single product.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| RBOB for Blending with Ether                          | Motor gasoline blending components intended to be blended with an ether component (e.g., methyl tertiary butyl ether) at a terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.  RBOB product detail by type of oxygenate was discontinued effective with data for January 2010.  Beginning with data for January 2010, RBOB was reported as a single product.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| Reformulated Blendstock for Oxgenate Blending (RBOB)  | Motor gasoline blending components intended for blending with oxygenates to produce finished reformulated motor gasoline.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Renewable Diesel Fuel                                 | Diesel fuel and diesel fuel blending components produced from renewable sources that are coprocessed with petroleum feedstocks and meet requirements of advanced biofuels.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| Renewable Fuels (Other)                               | Fuels and fuel blending components, except biomass-based diesel fuel, renewable diesel fuel, and fuelethanol, produced from renewable biomass.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
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| For definitions of related energy terms, refer to the   EIA Energy Glossary. |
|  	Sources |
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|  | Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-815, "Monthly Bulk Terminal And Blender Report".
EIA Forms & Instructions
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Background, Survey Methodology and Statistical Details
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|  	Explanatory Notes |
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|  | "All Other Oxygenates" includes ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), tertiary amyl   methyl ether (TAME), tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA), and other aliphatic alcohols and   ethers intended for motor gasoline blending (e.g., isopropyl ether (IPE) or n-propanol).  Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.  
  RBOB with Ether, RBOB with Alcohol, and Reformulated GTAB Motor Gasoline Blending Components are discontinued as of the January 2010 reporting period.
  Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.  
  Description and maps of PAD Districts and Refining Districts  from the Petroleum Supply Monthly. |
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