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Bulletin 129 – 06/2020

Standards & Publications

Bulletin 129 - REVISED WATER SEPARATION CHARACTRISTICS TESTING (previously MSEP)

Bulletin 129 – 06/2020
Testing the Water Separation Properties of Fuel (previously MSEP Protocol)
This bulletin supersedes Bulletin 121 and gives further details of the Test Methods to be used in assessing the water separation properties of Jet Fuel
  • Category: PQ Bulletin
  • Tags: Public, Still Live
  • Test methods: ASTM D3948, ASTMD7224, ASTM D8073

JIG Bulletin 121 was issued in May 2019 and updated the MSEP Protocol that was detailed in JIG Bulletin 65 (2013). Experience over the previous 12 months with one of the new water separation property methods that was detailed in Bulletin 121, the ASTM D7224 method has, in a small number of circumstances, shown sensitivity to some fuels e.g. those that have shown a poor response to Static Dissipator Additive (SDA). This sensitivity could produce a failing result, whereas the other two permitted methods produce a passing result. This unexpected anomaly will require further industry investigation.
JIG Bulletin 121 indicated that method ASTM D3948 could only be used for testing water separation downstream of point of manufacture until the end of May 2020. However, in order to avoid unnecessary supply disruption, the date for withdrawal of ASTM D3948 from JIG Standards has been suspended until an investigation into the anomalies is complete. JIG will issue a follow up Bulletin when this work has been concluded.

This document provides an update.

When water searation testing is conducted downstream of thepoint of manufacture, the following methods may be used.

  1. Testing should be done using either
    a. ASTM D7224 with a minimum limit of 85, or
    b. ASTM D8073 (IP624) with a minimum limit of 88.
  2. Alternatively, and until further notice, testing may also be conducted using ASTM D3948 (it is noted that JIG still intends to withdraw this method in the future).

Details and specification limit for all methods are given, as well as how to interpret the results.

The term “Water Separation Characteristics” will eventually replace “MSEP” in our terminology. (MSEP is the name of one of the possible test methods).