Octane enhancers
Straight-run gasoline produced by refineries may, or may not, meet the minimum octane number required by the specifications, depending on the quality of crude petroleum and the refinery process. Thus, refiners add octane enhancers, or boosters, to ensure the minimum requirements are met.
Many types of octane enhancer are used by refiners:
•Organic:
•Alcohol and ethers, including ethanol, methanol, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) etc.
•Aromatic amines/oxygenates (which burn ash-free)
•Non-organic:
This section provides an overview of octane enhancers found in gasoline sold in New Zealand.