Mexico has established strict sulfur requirements because sulfur is a big pollutant that the country is trying to remove from fuels. Our studies found they were actually maintaining a low level of sulfur throughout the country. Interest in Mexico s fuel quality stemmed from several major automotive manufacturers who produce cars in Mexico for sale in that country, the United States, and South America. Estrada says automobiles manufactured in Mexico contain local fuel when they roll off the assembly line, and manufacturers wanted to ensure that the fuel meets their specifications. Others who may benefit from this report include manufacturers of automotive parts and additives, as well as regulatory agencies on both sides of the border because of the high amount of trade and traffic between Mexico and the United States.
Additional information is on the internet at mexicofuelreport.swri.org .
The Institute s permeation research facility has performed the first known permeation study on a tubular product that transports natural gas. SwRI is one of the first organizations to branch outside of using permeation studies on fuel tanks and other components used by the automotive industry, says Mike Luna, a program manager in the Fire Technology Department. I think we will start seeing more tubular products being tested for permeation. This could actually affect a wide range of industries from water pipelines to various types of gas pipelines and anything in between. For this first study, SwRI is evaluating the permeation of natural gas in an underground pipeline.