Additive costs should play greater role in European fuel pricing


A new report suggests changes in the European gasoline market and political thinking brings additive factor-coefficients into greater play when considering fuel pricing.

The report, entitled "Gasoline and its additives in Europe, Russia and Ukraine" and published in The Baltic Course, suggests that fluctuating prices and increased use of ethyl-tert-butyl ether (ETBE) and Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) should be factored into international pricing considerations, particularly in Europe.

The report offers a detailed summary of additive pricing and export volumes, focusing particularly on Russian and Ukranian production.  It also suggests that with the rise in demand and requirements for eco-fuels to meet new standards, the Ukranian industry in particular needs to move faster to meet potential demand and to include ETBE and MTBE factor-coefficients as a model for determiningRussian, Ukranian and possibly pan-European fuel prices.