Gasoline: Specifications, Testing, and Technology

About the Course

This extensive class provides broad coverage of the specifications, testing, technology, and U.S. regulations related to gasoline. You'll learn about the different types and components of gasoline, octane number, volatility, drivability, as well as product quality control throughout the motor gasoline product value chain. The course covers the ASTM, organization, it’s D02 Committee and D02.A Subcommittee on Gasoline, specifications related to gasoline, gasoline additives, oxygenates, the refining process, the quality and distribution of fuels, and much more.

The class is taught in a participatory atmosphere where questions and queries to the instructors and classmates are encouraged throughout the course. In addition to receiving the course presentation and notes, the attendee will receive copies of many key ASTM standards such as test methods, product specifications, and practices related to gasoline and oxygenates as well as other useful information.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Understand the structure and organization of ASTM D4814, Standard Specification for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel
• Recall how to interpret test data to determine if gasoline, included Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) meets required specifications
• Recall how compositional variables, refining processes and additives affect octane and volatility
• Define how product integrity is maintained throughout the storage and distribution system, from refinery to dispenser nozzle
• Discuss RFG, oxygenates and ethanol mixtures in gasoline
• Discuss RFG, mobile source air toxics (MSAT) requirements, the Federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirements, and other emissions-related fuels regulations
• Discuss what the petroleum industry is doing now, in the future to encourage conservation, reduce emissions, and reduce our carbon footprint

Who Should Attend

A scientific background is not required but is beneficial for this course. The course is especially suitable for those relatively new to fuels, in both hands-on positions and professional, supervisory, or managerial roles such as:

• Petroleum and alternative fuel company employees
• Pipeline and terminal operation
• Fuel testing laboratories
• Federal/State/Provincial and Local regulatory agencies
• Fuel Marketers and purchasing agents
• Engine and fuel injection/fuel system manufacturers
• Environmental Companies
• Consumer groups
• Attorneys involved in fuel related litigation
• Anyone involved in the purchase, sale, operations, or distribution of gasoline

Course Description

Virtual Sessions: held 10:00-3:00 pm EDT Monday-Friday.

In-person 3-day training courses will be held 8:30 am – 5:00 pm local time.

Both classes will have a workshop, question and answer session, and case stories of gasoline related issues as the last module.

Day 1 Module 1

• ASTM International and Committee D02 Petroleum Products, Fuels, Lubricants, and Additives
• Structure and Organization of ASTM D4814
• Subcommittee A Spark-Ignition Engine Fuels and Standards

Day 1 Module 2

• Gasoline Composition, Chemistry, Production, and Refining Processes to make Motor Gasoline (MG)
• Blending of components (hydrocarbons), oxygenates (ethanol and ethers) and other(s) to meet MG Specs (octane and volatility)

Day 1 Module 3

• Spark-Ignition engine overview – carburetor, port fuel injection (PFI) and direct injection (DI)
• Anti-Knock Index, Octane Number scale, Test methods and gasoline specs (D4814)
• Octane Number Requirement Increase (ORI) and Enhancers (Pb and Mn, MTBE),
• Detergent Requirements for gasoline and Altitude and Climatic Adjustments

Day 1 Modules 4-5

• Vapor Pressure and Vapor Liquid Ratio Tables 1, 3 and 4 of D4814
• ASTM Volatility Classes, Vapor Lock, regional and seasonal variation in volatility
• Distillation (D86 and D7345)
• Vapor Pressure test methods (D4953, D5191, D5842, D6378)
• Impact of Volatility Regulations
• Vapor Lock and V/L Ratio

Day 2 Module 6

Day 2 Module 7

• Cold and Hot Starting and Drivability
• CRC Structure and Organization; Relation to ASTM
• CRC Drivability Programs
• Drivability Indices and Equations

Day 2 Module 8

• Gasoline Specs D4814 and Test Methods (Table 2 of D4814)
• Product Sampling D4057 for testing
• Metals and Sulfur
• Copper and Silver corrosion
• D381 Gum Test and Contamination

Day 2 Module 9

• Oxidation Stability and Test methods
• Aromatics and Olefins by FIA-1319, SFC, GC
• Density manual and automatic test methods

Day 2 Module 10

• D4814 Section 6 on Workmanship
• Visual Inspection
• Phase separation and Water Sensitivity/Tolerance
• Gasoline Contamination and Filtration
• Steel Corrosion
• Sulfates

Day 3 Module 11

• Fuel Filtration and Particulate Methods
• Microbial Contamination and Microbial Induced Corrosion (MIC)
• Additives and Their Chemistry
• Oxidation and Corrosion Inhibitors, Metal Deactivators

Day 3 Module 12

• Gasoline Distribution, Pipelines, Rail, Marine, Truck/trailer
• Terminals, Depots and Storage, Maintenance Product Integrity testing
• Off-Road and Emergency Use, Extended and seasonal storage
• Small engine issues

3 Module 13

• Reformulated Gasoline and Renewable Fuel Standard Requirements
• EPA and CARB Testing Requirements
• Emissions and Regulatory Issues - Carbon Monoxide Reduction

Day 3 Module 14

• Future Trends - What the petroleum industry is doing now to reduce our dependence on hydrocarbons, reduce emissions, and reduce our carbon footprint

Day 3 Module 15

• Workshop, question and answer session with panel discussion, and case stories of gasoline related issues. This discussion will be customized for the specific attendance with participation invited from attendees.

ASTM Standards Referenced

Test Methods

• D86 Distillation of Petroleum Products
• D130 Detection of Copper Corrosion from Petroleum Products by Copper Strip Tarnish Test
• D381 Existent Gum in Fuels by Jet Evaporation
• D525 Oxidation Stability of Gasoline
• D4806 Standard Specification for Denatured Fuel Ethanol for Blending with Gasolines for Use as Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel
• D4814 Standard Specification for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel
• D4953 Standard Test Method for Vapor Pressure of Gasoline and Gasoline-Oxygenate Blends (Dry Method)
• D5188 Standard Test Method for Vapor-Liquid Ratio Temperature Determination of Fuels (Evacuated Chamber and Piston Based Method)
• D5191 Standard Test Method for Vapor Pressure of Petroleum Products and Liquid Fuels (Mini Method)
• D5453 Standard Test Method for Determination of Total Sulfur in Light Hydrocarbons, Spark Ignition Engine Fuel, Diesel Engine Fuel, and Engine Oil by Ultraviolet Fluorescence
• D5482 Standard Test Method for Vapor Pressure of Petroleum Products (Mini Method—Atmospheric)
• D5798 Standard Specification for Ethanol Fuel Blends for Flexible-Fuel Automotive Spark-Ignition Engines
• D6378 Standard Test Method for Determination of Vapor Pressure (VPX) of Petroleum Products, Hydrocarbons, and Hydrocarbon-Oxygenate Mixtures (Triple Expansion Method)
• D7039 Standard Test Method for Sulfur in Gasoline, Diesel Fuel, Jet Fuel, Kerosine, Biodiesel, Biodiesel Blends, and Gasoline-Ethanol Blends by Monochromatic Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry
• D7345 Standard Test Method for Distillation of Petroleum Products and Liquid Fuels at Atmospheric Pressure (Micro Distillation Method)
• D7667 Standard Test Method for Determination of Corrosiveness to Silver by Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel—Thin Silver Strip Method
• D7671 Standard Test Method for Corrosiveness to Silver by Automotive Spark-Ignition Engine Fuel-Silver Strip Method

Manuals

• Motor Gasoline Chapter from Fuels and Lubricants Handbook updated 2019

• CRC Report No. 667 Diesel Fuel Storage and Handling Guide, September 2014

Fee Includes

• All referenced ASTM standards and course notes
• Coffee breaks
• Course Completion Certificate with 2.1 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

This course also includes access to two free ASTM course:

• ASTM 101: Introduction to Standards
• ASTM 102: Selecting and Utilizing a Standard

About the Instructors

Mr. David R. Forester has over 44 years of experience in the fuel and refining additive business. He has over 35 US patents on development of diesel and jet fuel additives, refinery antifoulants, and other refinery and process related additives. He has designed, implemented and/or automated many fuel test methods, including many ASTM standards. He has been a member of ASTM Committee D02 for over 25 years and currently serves as Chairman of Subcommittee D02.14 Stability and Cleanliness of Liquid Fuels which has jurisdiction for over 50 ASTM standards, test methods, practices and guides. Mr. Forester has authored or co-authored multiple SAE and IASH papers or presentations, and authored Chapter 11, "Methods for Assessing Stability and Cleanliness of Liquid Fuels," in Significance of Tests for Petroleum Products 9th Edition published 2018 by ASTM. He was the "fuels" associate editor for the 2nd edition revision to The Fuels and Lubricant Handbook published 2019 by ASTM. Mr. Forester has previously been recognized with the Award of Appreciation (1989, 2002), Award of Excellence (2010), Lowrie B. Sargent, Jr. Award (2015), Sydney D. Andrews Scroll of Achievement (2016), Eagle Award (2017), Kurt Strauss Steady Hand Award (2020), the ASTM Award of Merit (2021) and most recently the George V. Dyroff Award of Honorary D02 Membership.

Dr. Jim Simnick has over 41 years' experience in fuel and refining technology at BP and Amoco, He retired in 2020 as BP's senior technical advisor - top fuels expert in North America. He wrote many sections and updates of ASTM standards, especially D4814. He is a member of ASTM Committee D02 for over 25 years and current Vice Chairman of Main Committee D02. He previously served on the ASTM Board of Directors (2014-2017). He wrote the chapter on gasoline for the ASTM Manual 1 Significance of Tests for Petroleum Products 9th Edition published 2018 by ASTM. Dr. Simnick has been the recipient of ASTM's highest technical award, Award of Merit.

About Sponsoring Committee

ASTM is one of the world's largest voluntary standards development organizations. ASTM standards have grown to be among the world's most widely used and accepted documents. The 82-volume Annual Book of ASTM Standards contain over 13,000 standards written by 34,000 members on our 140 technical committees. The standards referenced in this course were developed by Committee D02 on Petroleum Products, Liquid Fuels, and Lubricants. For information on Committee D02, go to our D02 technical committee page.

Attention: Professional Engineers

If your state has a continuing education requirement for license renewal, ASTM training courses and ASTM membership can help you meet that requirement.

Group Sessions

Do you have a group of 5 or more people interested in this course? Save time and money by bringing this course to your site. On-site training courses, either in person or virtual, can also be tailored to meet your specific needs. For more information, please contact sales here or call 1-877-909-ASTM.

How Learning Will Be Assessed

Learning will be assessed through a series of question and answer sessions.

Questions About the Training Course

For information on this training course, please contact Training

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Live Courses

• Statistics in ASTM Standard Test Method Development, Application, and Quality Assurance

Online Courses

• ASTM Petroleum Lab Technician Series

Proficiency Testing Program(s)

ASTM offers the following Proficiency Testing Program(s) for this:

• #2 Diesel Fuel
• #6 Fuel Oil
• Aviation (Turbine) Jet Fuel
• Biodiesel
• Cetane
• Crude Oil
• Engine Oil Lubricants
• Fuel Ethanol
• Liquefied Petroleum Gas
• Motor Gasoline
• Reformulated Gasoline
• Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel