據烴加工網7月10日報道，去年，以產品供應量衡量，美國西海岸的餾分油消費量降至2002年以來的最低水平，今年有望進一步下降。越來越多地使用生物燃料來代替石油柴油是造成這種下降的主要原因。可再生柴油在該地區柴油市場的份額越來越大，因為清潔燃料計劃為消費可再生柴油提供了驅動力。可再生柴油和生物柴油是可以代替石油餾分燃料油使用的生物燃料。餾分燃料油是一種精煉石油產品，主要用作汽車柴油燃料。

可再生柴油在化學上與石油基柴油相同，但它是用脂肪、油或潤滑脂而不是石油制成的。可再生柴油是石油餾分的直接替代品，它可以在任何濃度的柴油發動機中使用。

生物柴油的使用方式與可再生柴油相同，使用相同原料，但它與石油餾分混合(濃度為20%或更低)供車輛使用，因為它在化學上與石油餾分不同。

生物柴油和可再生柴油都是為了符合可再生燃料標準（RFS）這份聯邦計劃，計劃要求在美國銷售的運輸燃料至少包含指定的最低限度可再生燃料。這些生物燃料也用于滿足加利福尼亞州的低碳燃料標準（LCFS）、俄勒岡州的清潔燃料計劃和華盛頓的清潔燃料計劃，這些計劃旨在降低運輸燃料的碳強度。

2022年1月，美國可再生柴油消費量首次超過生物柴油消費量，并從那時起持續增加。可再生柴油的消費量相對于生物柴油的消費量有所增長，這是因為：

根據RFS計劃，可再生柴油比生物柴油獲得更多的信用額度；

煉油商可以把他們的裝置改造成生產可再生柴油而不是石油產品；

可再生柴油廠比生物柴油廠大，可以利用規模經濟的優勢；

可再生柴油可以以任何濃度混合，在寒冷中比生物柴油表現更好；

可再生柴油可以通過與石油柴油相同的管道輸送。

據EIA估計，加州幾乎消耗了全國所有的可再生柴油。加州沒有消耗的大部分可再生柴油都被俄勒岡州和華盛頓州等實施清潔燃料計劃的州所消耗，這三個州都是美國西海岸地區的一部分。

由于加州、俄勒岡州和華盛頓州的生物燃料消費量較高，美國可再生柴油消費量的增長對西海岸餾分油消費的影響更為明顯。

2022年和2023年前三個月餾分燃料油消費量的下降只有西海岸。在美國其他地區，餾分燃料油消耗量已恢復至疫情前水平。西海岸和美國其他地區餾分燃料油消費量之間的差異表明，在西海岸生物燃料消費量已經取代了餾分燃料油消費量。

郝芬 譯自 烴加工網

原文如下:

Biofuels are displacing petroleum-based distillate fuel oil consumption on the West Coast

Last year, U.S. West Coast distillate consumption, as measured by product supplied, was at its lowest since 2002 and is on track to fall further this year. The growing use of biofuels instead of petroleum diesel is the primary cause for the decline. Renewable diesel has a growing share of the region’s diesel fuel market because clean-fuel programs have provided incentives for consuming it.

Renewable diesel and biodiesel are biofuels that can be used in place of petroleum distillate fuel oil. Distillate fuel oil is a refined petroleum product primarily used as diesel fuel in vehicles.

Renewable diesel is chemically identical to petroleum-based diesel fuel but is made using fats, oils, or greases rather than petroleum. Renewable diesel is a drop-in replacement for petroleum distillate; it can be used in diesel engines in any concentration.

Biodiesel is used the same way as renewable diesel and is made with the same feedstocks, but it’s blended (in concentrations of 20% or less) with petroleum distillate for vehicle use because it is chemically different from petroleum distillate.

Both biodiesel and renewable diesel are used to comply with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a federal program that requires transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain at least a specified minimum of renewable fuels. These biofuels are also used to meet California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), Oregon’s Clean Fuels Program, and Washington’s Clean Fuels Program. These programs aim to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuel.

In January 2022, U.S. renewable diesel consumption surpassed biodiesel consumption for the first time and has continued to increase since then. Renewable diesel consumption has grown relative to biodiesel consumption because:

Renewable diesel receives more credits under the RFS program than biodiesel.

Petroleum refiners can convert their units to produce renewable diesel instead of petroleum products.

Renewable diesel plants are larger than biodiesel plants and can take advantage of economies of scale.

Renewable diesel can be blended in any concentration and performs better in the cold than biodiesel.

Renewable diesel can be transported through the same pipelines as petroleum diesel.

Almost all of the country’s renewable diesel fuel is consumed in California, according to EIA estimates. Much of the renewable diesel not consumed in California is consumed in other states with clean fuel programs, such as Oregon and Washington. All three states are part of the U.S. West Coast region.

The growth in U.S. renewable diesel consumption had a more pronounced effect on West Coast distillate fuel consumption because of high biofuel consumption in California, Oregon, and Washington.

The decline in distillate fuel oil consumption in 2022 and in the first three months of 2023 is unique to the West Coast. In the rest of the United States, distillate fuel oil consumption increased, returning to pre-pandemic levels. The discrepancy in distillate fuel oil consumption between the West Coast and the rest of the United States demonstrates how much biofuel consumption has been displacing distillate fuel oil consumption on the West Coast.