What is gasoline?

Gasoline is a complex mixture of relatively volatile hydrocarbons with or without small quantities of additives, blended to form a fuel suitable for use in spark-ignition engines. Motor gasoline, as defined in ASTM Specification D 4814, is characterized as having a boiling range of 122 to 158 degrees F at the 10-percent recovery point to 365-374 degrees F at the 90-percent recovery point.

• Conventional gasoline: Finished motor gasoline not included in the oxygenated or reformulated gasoline categories. Note: This category excludes reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB) as well as other blendstocks.
• OPRG: “Oxygenated Fuels Program Reformulated Gasoline” is reformulated gasoline which is intended for use in an oxygenated fuels program control area.
• Oxygenated gasoline (including gasohol): Oxygenated gasoline includes all finished motor gasoline, other than reformulated gasoline, having oxygen content of 2.0% or higher by weight. Gasohol containing a minimum 5.7% ethanol by volume is included in oxygenated gasoline. Oxygenated gasoline was reported as a separate product from January 1993 until December 2003, inclusive. Beginning with monthly data for January 2004, oxygenated gasoline is included in conventional gasoline. Historical data for oxygenated gasoline excluded Federal Oxygenated Program Reformulated Gasoline (OPRG). Historical oxygenated gasoline data also excluded other reformulated gasoline with a seasonal oxygen requirement regardless of season.
• Reformulated gasoline: Finished gasoline formulated for use in motor vehicles, the composition and properties of which meet the requirements of the reformulated gasoline regulations promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 211(k) of the Clean Air Act. It includes gasoline produced to meet or exceed emissions performance and benzene content standards of federal-program reformulated gasoline, even though the gasoline may not meet all of the composition requirements (e.g. oxygen content) of federal-program reformulated gasoline. Reformulated gasoline excludes Reformulated Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending (RBOB) and Gasoline Treated as Blendstock (GTAB). Historical reformulated gasoline statistics included Oxygenated Fuels Program Reformulated Gasoline (OPRG).
• Reformulated (blended with ether): Reformulated gasoline blended with an ether component at a terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.
• Reformulated (blended with alcohol): Reformulated gasoline blended with an alcohol component (e.g. fuel ethanol) at a terminal or refinery to raise the oxygen content.
• Reformulated (non-oxygenated): Reformulated gasoline without added ether or alcohol components.