Petrojam ready for E10 roll out

Petrojam’s General Manager, Winston Watson, says the refinery is ready to supply both grades of E10 (a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline) to service stations, island wide.
Mr. Watson said that as of November 1, both E10 87 and E10 90 (Octanes) will be rolled out in Montego Bay. E10 90 will be introduced to Kingston, and other areas where E10 87 is already available, on November 2.

This means that motorists will have access to ethanol-based E10 gasolene in both the 87 and 90 grades. Once both products are fully established, E10 will be the only gasoline product available from Petrojam.

Energy and Mining Minister Hon. James Robertson, has assured the public that, with E10, all harmful substances associated with gasoline will be removed from the environment. He has described the switch to E-10 as a modernisation of the petroleum products market in Jamaica, bringing it into the 21st Century.

Mr. Watson said a number of infrastructural changes have been completed at Petrojam's Montego Bay refinery, to ensure that the company can consistently produce and supply E-10 to an island wide market.

"In preparation for the full roll out of E10, we put in two additional tanks in Montego Bay, one for ethanol, with a storage capacity of 10,000 barrels, and one for gasoline, with a storage capacity of 20,000 barrels. We have also installed additional loading bays, so we should be able to adequately supply the market," he said.

Project Coordinator for the E-10, Nicole Smith, is assuring the motoring public that the E-10 gasoline goes through rigorous testing to ensure optimum quality.

"We have a programme that accompanies this E10 roll out, which includes inspection of gas stations and increased vigilance by the Bureau of Standards. Also Petrojam continues to operate a laboratory, where we test all our products to meet the specifications of the Petroleum Quality Control Act," she said.

"We have also instituted, at the loading rack, a manual system of checking the level of ethanol that is in the gasoline, and when it goes to the gas stations there are still further checks from the Ministry and the Bureau of Standards," she pointed out.

She explained that a pilot study was done in 2006 in which about 70 vehicles, of various age ranges and types, were tested and that project was successful. The vehicles were also assessed by the auto dealers and produced good results; so there is confidence in the product.

All motor vehicles manufactured around the world after 1986 can efficiently use the E-10 fuel, while vehicles manufactured before that date can be made to use it with minor adjustments.

E10 has been available in the 87 grade since November, 2008, in Kingston and other eastern parishes, as well as parishes in central Jamaica, and has accounted for about 46% of gasoline sales from the refinery.
 

Source: Jamaica Information Service (JIS)