In the United States (Federal Register, vol. 79, no. 81, April 28, 2014) required
reductions in the gasoline sulfur content under the Tier 2 program began in 2004 with
refinery and importer caps of 300 wt-ppm and a corporate average cap of 120 ppm.
For most refiners and importers, compliance with the final sulfur standards (30 annual
average and 80 per-gallon cap) was required beginning in 2006. The Tier 2 program
Table 2 Gasoline quality requirements
Regular gasoline
Premium gasoline
Effective date: September 2002
Research octane number
(RON)
100 minimum
ASTM D2699
Motor octane number
(MON)
82.0 minimum
91.0 minimum
91.0 minimum
ASTM D2700
Color
Off white
Orange
Visual
Distillation:
vol% distilled @
70 °C Minimum
20
22
ASTM D86
vol% distilled @ 100 °C
Not applicable
ASTM D86
Maximum
50
50
Minimum
60
60
vol% distilled @ 180 °C
Minimum
90
90
End point °C
220 °C maximum 210 maximum
ASTM D86
Residue vol%
2 maximum
2 maximum
ASTM D86
Vapor pressures
Psig @ 100 °F
Summer 10 max 7.0 min
ASTM D323
Winter 13.5 max 8.5 min
Copper strip corrosion
(3hr at 50 °C)
Class 1 maximum
ASTM D130
Sulfur wt%
0.035 max
IP 336 or
ASTM D5453
Existent gum (solvent
washed) (mg/100 ml)
4 maximum
ASTM D381
Oxidation stability
induction period
(minutes)
360 minimum
ASTM D525
Other specifications for regular and premium grade gasoline are:
Lead, mg/litre
5 maximum
IP 224
Benzene, vol%
4 maximum
ASTM D5580
Total aromatics
42 maximum (regular)
48 maximum (premium)
ASTM D 5580
Oxygenates, vol%
1 maximum (except ethanol)
ASTM D 4815
Ethanol, vol%
10 % maximum
Olefins, vol%
18 maximum
ASTM D 1319
652
D.S.J. Jones