Unprecedented Second Approval for ORYXE Energy's Biodiesel Additive Allows Fuel Producers to Utilize Technology at a Significantly Lower Treat Rate

Irvine, CA (PRWEB) April 1, 2008 -- The state of Texas has given an unprecedented second approval to ORYXE Energy International's biodiesel additive. The additive, ORYXE® LED for Biodiesel, was the first biodiesel technology approved for use in the Texas Low Emission Diesel Program (TxLED) in February of 2007. The latest approval allows fuel producers to utilize the ORYXE additive with a lower treat rate in biodiesel blends up to B20.

Under extensive testing at the West Virginia University Engine and Emissions Research Laboratory, ORYXE LED for Biodiesel eliminated the bump in oxides of nitrogen (NOx) associated with biodiesel. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report summarizing published studies shows that biodiesel reduces all regulated emissions, with the exception of NOx.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) recently developed an alternative testing protocol for biodiesel blends. Under the original protocol, B20 fuel (80% EPA diesel and 20% biodiesel) treated with the ORYXE additive was tested against a clean, prescriptively blended TxLED fuel. The significant difference in the new protocol is that the petroleum diesel component of the B20 fuel can now be TxLED-compliant, instead of EPA diesel. Therefore, the additive only has to address the increased NOx created from the biodiesel portion of the blend.

"The additional approval is great news for Texas air quality as well as our customers. They can now utilize ORYXE technology more economically to comply with the low-emission diesel standards established for Texas," said James M. Cleary, ORYXE Energy chairman and chief executive officer. "The fact that our product is the only additive to pass two different tests says a great deal about the effectiveness of our technology to reduce NOx."

Under the second TCEQ approval, a smaller amount of additive is needed with biodiesel blends up to B20 to create a TxLED-compliant fuel. The treat rate for ORYXE LED for Biodiesel is 1.25 milliliters per gallon of the biodiesel blend.

"Another great advantage of our additive system is we have now passed a second test using the same product that we market to regular diesel producers in Texas. The only difference is the treat rate," said Cleary. "This gives producers who distribute both biodiesel and regular diesel added convenience because they only have to use a single additive to treat both fuels."

NOx is a major contributor to ground level ozone and is a serious problem in many areas of Texas. The TxLED program was launched in November of 2005 to reduce NOx emissions from diesel exhaust in 110 counties, including the metropolitan areas of Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio.

"As part of our commitment to the state of Texas, we built a new plant in Pasadena and sized it in a way to meet future demand," said Cleary. "We have the capacity to supply the growth of our regular diesel customers, and are also positioned to treat a substantial amount of the biodiesel market in Texas as well."

About ORYXE Energy:

ORYXE Energy International is a premier provider of cost-effective fuel additives that reduce harmful pollutants and enhance the combustion performance of fossil and renewable fuels, such as diesel, biodiesel and residual fuel. ORYXE Energy's combustion technology is based on naturally occurring chemical processes and contains unique, proprietary ingredients that are biodegradable and non-toxic. With headquarters in Irvine, Calif., ORYXE Energy markets its fuel additives to refiners, distributors, terminals and fleets throughout the world. For additional information, please visit www.oryxe.com.

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