Nippon Oil completes 26 Mgy ETBE plant; Japan to use 100 Mgy of ethanol for fuel additive that improves gasoline burning

In Japan, Nippon Oil announced that it has completed the first manufacturing facility for the ethanol-based additive ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE). The industry has said that it intends to distribute ETBE-blended gasoline in concentrations of up to 20 percent. ETBE gasoline is a cleaner burning fuel.

The Nippon Oil’s Negishi refinery in Yokohama will commence manufacturing in November with a name-plat capacity of 26 Mgy, en route to a planned national capacity of 22 Mgy of the additive. ETBE is roughly 42 percent ethanol by weight.

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