Sulphur reduction in gasoline will lift alkylation economics

The news comes as part of a study by DuPont as countries begin to switch to sulphur-free gasoline

Planned further reductions in the permitted sulphur content of gasoline worldwide will strengthen margins for refinery alkyation units, according to a study by DuPont, a licensor of the alkylation process*. Desulphurising gasoline reduces its octane number but alkylate — the high-octane stream made by an alkylation unit — can restore it.  While the EU and Japan have already adopted so-called sulphur-free gasoline, with a maximum of 10 parts per million of sulphur (ppmS), other countries will be making the transition over the next few years. Russia is due to move to 10 ppmS gasoline next year, with the US, South Africa and In-dia following in 2017, and China in 2018. DuPont says alkylate make