WESTERN BUREAU:

The Petrojam Oil Refinery in Montego Bay will be ready to use ethanol 10 (E10) by November 10.

Winston Watson, managing director of Petrojam, made the declaration during the Ministry of Energy's tour of the facility yesterday.

"We did the pilot about a year ago, and then we launched in Kingston last November. And this November, we're going to be ready for the full roll-out," said Watson.

"Right now, E10 is in the 87 grade, which is about 60 per cent of the market," Watson explained.

"Once we do the full roll-out, it's going to constitute both grades of gasoline, 90 and 87, which theoretically would then be 100 per cent of the market."

When the E10 project comes to full fruition, Watson said, all vehicles manufactured after 1986 would be compatible with E10.

James Robertson, minister of energy, said that as of November 1, Petrojam would only be offering E10, though the product would still be divided into 90 and 87 octane.

"Once we're at that point, the ministry will no longer be allowing the additives that have been harmful to our environment for years," he said.

The tour was also attended by several exchange students from Venezuela.

Venezuela owns approximately 49 per cent of the Petrojam refinery.