Method and system for blending gasoline and butane at the point of distribution

A method for blending gasoline and butane at a tank farm comprising:

• a) drawing a gasoline stream from a tank of gasoline;
• b) drawing a butane stream from a tank of butane;
• c) blending the butane and gasoline streams, at the tank farm, to form a blend;
• and
• d) dispensing the blend to gasoline transport vehicles using a dispensing unit located at a rack.

A method for optimizing butane purchase decisions for a petroleum products tank farm comprising:

• a) in an information processing unit, setting a value for the quantity of butane in a tank at time zero;
• b) drawing a butane stream from the tank of butane;
• c) blending the butane stream with gasoline for a first interval of time from time zero until time one;
• d) monitoring the consumption of butane blended with the gasoline during the first interval of time, and transmitting data regarding the consumption during the first interval of time to the information processing unit;
• and
• e) transforming the consumption data during the first interval of time, and the butane quantity at time zero, to an output of data comprising the butane consumption rate during the first interval of time, and the quantity of butane in the tank at time one.

A method for simplifying record keeping requirements for butane use at a petroleum products tank farm comprising:

• a) drawing a gasoline stream from a tank of gasoline;
• b) drawing a butane stream from a tank of butane;
• c) blending the butane stream and the gasoline stream to form a blend;
• d) monitoring the volatility of the gasoline stream and the butane stream;
• e) monitoring the rate at which the butane stream is blended with the gasoline stream;
• f) inputting the monitored volatilities and monitored blend rate to an information processing unit;
• and
• g) generating a report that tabulates the monitored volatilities and monitored blend rate, or a summary thereof.

A method for blending butane and gasoline using a processor comprising:

• a) receiving a gasoline volatility measurement at the processor;
• b) receiving a butane volatility measurement at the processor;
• c) receiving a target gasoline volatility value at the processor;
• and
• d) calculating a butane blend rate from the gasoline volatility measurement, the butane volatility measurement, and the target gasoline volatility value.

A system for blending gasoline and a volatility modifying agent at a tank farm comprising:

• a) a tank of gasoline;
• b) a tank of a volatility modifying agent;
• c) a blending unit, at the tank farm, downstream of and in fluid connection with the tank of gasoline and the tank of volatility modifying agent;
• d) a dispensing unit downstream of and in fluid connection with the blending unit;
• and
• e) a rack, wherein the dispensing unit is located at the rack and is adapted to dispense gasoline to gasoline transport vehicles.

A method for blending gasoline and a volatility modifying agent at a tank farm comprising:

• a) drawing a gasoline stream from a tank of gasoline;
• b) drawing a volatility modifying agent stream from a tank of volatility modifying agent;
• c) blending the volatility modifying agent and gasoline streams, at the tank farm, to form a blend;
• and
• d) dispensing the blend to gasoline transport vehicles using a dispensing unit located at a rack.