06-05-2025

Gasoline blending: Are you aiming at the right quality targets?

At Trindent Consulting, we've consistently seen that refineries often give away twice as much quality in gasoline blending as necessary. The root cause? In many cases, performance limitations are misdiagnosed. Physical or structural issues are typically seen as the main culprit, leading to expensive capital projects—when in reality, many improvements can be made without significant CAPEX.

Based on our work with over 20 refinery clients, we've identified the true constraints that define a realistic and optimized giveaway target:

- Measurement constraints: Limitations due to technology and testing accuracy are real, but they set the baseline—not the goalposts.

- Logistics flexibility: A refinery’s ability to adjust its octane and volatility pool through procurement or sales impacts achievable targets.

- Component production freedom: The degree of control over blending components directly affects quality precision and limits excess.

n one of our recent West Coast engagements, a refinery reduced its gasoline blending giveaway by over 70%, simply by setting the right targets based on these practical constraints.

Another major opportunity lies in how data is used. Most refineries have vast operational data, but it’s typically used for historical tracking, not real-time analytics. In a recent Midwestern project, by applying advanced modeling and real-time data use, we helped a client reach the theoretical minimum giveaway, achieving millions in savings.

Refineries don’t need to over-invest to improve performance. They need a better understanding of the constraints and smarter use of the data they already have.

Without capital investment, we create actionable ways to sustainably increase refinery margins by 2-3%. Contact us for a complimentary assessment, to help solve your complex business issues. We are here to Make It Happen™.