The Bulletin Magazine - March 2021 by apeauk

The Bulletin

MAGAZINE -March 2021

APEA (The Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration)

Inside

Inside 4

Welcome

Editorial

Business Manager

2022 Yearbook Entry Instructions

Obituary - Ian Taylor

New Members

Publications Information Articles

Upgrade of a Generator Diesel Storage and Transfer System

Tuffa Petrol Tank Fuels the LCFC Maintenance Fleet

Petrol Filling Stations - The Challenges of Petrol Storage in Urban Areas

Fire Safety Considerations for EV on Forecourts

Making Hydrogen-Fuelled Vehicles an Option for Consumers as the UK Heads Towards the Green Industrial Revolution

Exploring the Hazardous Areas of Petrol Filling Stations

Broham Celebrates 40 Years

Challenges or Maybe Even Opportunities for HVO on the Swedish Market?

Fuelling the Future with HVO

Global-MSI Helps Protect Green Drivers

Storage But Not As We Know It

Ask The Experts

News

Press Releases

APEA Live 2021

Branches

Training

Front cover: Mumbai petrol station Published by the APEA (The Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration) A company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England No. 2261660.

Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the Association. The technical content is not an official endorsement by or on behalf of the APEA and are entirely the views of the authors.

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Welcome

Welcome APEA twitter account with an updated bio and profile images. We also have an APEA Linkedin company page and invite everyone in the relevant private groupings to follow the APEA through this medium. We can be found on Linkedin at : https://www.linkedin.com/company/apea-org and on Twitter at : https://twitter.com/apea_org

Tom Daly APEA Chairman Welcome to the March 2021 issue of The Bulletin. This month’s Bulletin is full of great interesting articles that are relevant to our industry. Please take the time to read through our advertisements as without them, our publication would not be of such quality. As I write this article, the vaccinations are being rolled out and we are in the third wave of this Covid 19 pandemic with a surge in cases of infections. By the time that you are reading this Bulletin it will have been a year since the onset of this pandemic and hopefully we will be in a better place and the APEA along with our membership will be slowly getting back to a level of normal activities. We are planning to hold our APEA Live conference and awards dinner event in November this year, all going well. The new norm that has developed as a result of this pandemic for most people has been to operate from home, in a virtual online world of meetings, webinars and forums, without face to face contact and the interaction that we have been used to. So, we are looking forward to more face to face interaction between our membership. We still recognise the advantages of having appropriate social media platforms and the APEA uses the most up to date methods to communicate the broad scope of work it undertakes to a wider audience and to encourage greater interaction between members and the Association. We would encourage you to join us on our

APEA Business Manager (contact for all APEA Business and Bulletin advertising, design and typesetting) Jane Mardell APEA, PO Box 106 Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3XT Tel: +44 (0) 345 603 5507 Mobile: +44 (0) 7815 055514 email: admin@apea.org.uk

In regard to other areas of the APEA, our training courses which are provided by the APEA expert trainers have successfully continued since September 2020 although with limited delegate places, due to government guidelines on social distancing and safety protocols. Current courses for 2021 are listed on the website with dates and training locations. The APEA has progressed with the development of our online training course with Olive Media and the details of this online training will be on our website shortly on the training page. As an APEA member, there is a great resource available to you on the APEA website in our technical advice section, along with past articles on various topics of technical interest. In addition, our technical committee continue to provide advice and technical assistance and answer many and varying queries in relation to all aspects of the service station. The APEA has managed to hold virtual council meetings throughout the year and all the APEA branches have continued to hold branch meetings, although via an online platform. The branches still provide an excellent networking and social opportunity for those working in the industry. In many cases it is a good opportunity to meet up with regulators, manufacturers, suppliers, equipment installers and consultants. I would again encourage all stakeholders to participate with your local APEA branch if not already involved. Details of the contacts for each branch can be found on our website. Finally, I look forward to seeing you all at our APEA live Event in November this year.

Publications Chairman Andy Kennedy Mobile: 07469 212063 email: andykennedy@apea.org.uk Editor Brian Humm Mobile: +44 (0) 7507 478533 email: b.humm@outlook.com

Find us on Linkedin and Twitter 4

APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Editorial

Editorial Brian Humm Editor Hello everybody and welcome to this first 2021 edition of the APEA Bulletin. It is probably considered a tad too late, but I would like to wish all members, advertisers and contributors a happy and prosperous new year; to be honest I don’t think that 2021 could be any worse than 2020 but then again anything can happen these days, so I hope I haven’t cursed it! Consequently, I have everything crossed whilst I write this introduction! As I ponder what to include in this introduction the roll out of the vaccine for COVID19 is underway. Being a priority (underlying health condition), I personally cannot wait for this to happen; I have seriously had enough of Zoom, Teams, Meet and WhatsApp meetings, especially as I am somewhat a technophobe and having a very old laptop, it doesn’t bode well for me! I literally have to try to join a meeting 10-15 minutes before the scheduled start to ensure I am “on time”. Oh, to get back to the days of one-to-one meetings and getting round a table to discuss - anything to actually get out of the house would be nice! I sincerely hope that you enjoy the mix of news and articles that we have prepared for you this edition, I’m sure you will find it interesting to read. We have an excellent article from Patrick Smith, former PO from Suffolk County Council who, following the extremely well received piece in our previous edition from Bob Renkes, has taken a trip down memory lane and produced a detailed description of older style petroleum storage and operation, including some smashing photographs. I would love to hear any other memories, stories or reminiscences that anyone has; please feel free to submit anything you think that our members would be interested in. Having been involved for so long in this heady world of petroleum I fully understand the interest and nostalgia that some of my “more learned” colleagues have for all things petroleum. On the topic of articles, this may sound a bit repetitive but it is 6

important for the Bulletin’s production that we have enough copy for inclusion. I can only source so much and we really do rely on members, both individual and corporate, to submit news and stories for us to publish. I once again would like to ask everybody to consider anything that you might want to share, even a single photograph that you may have found interesting, a funny/amusing story that you can share (no rude words please). If needs be get in touch and I will help you, my contact details can be found within this publication. Electric vehicles are continuing to rise in popularity and therefore the infrastructure to provide charging for these vehicles is ever growing and oil companies are increasing the number of charging units on forecourts. This is going to be a trend that will grow and grow; you might be aware of the joint publication by the APEA/IET (Institute of Engineering Technology) that is available that gives excellent guidance in regard to this topic and if you follow this you will be complying with the law. Training has stopped for the time being which it usually does over the winter period. We are starting again in April which can be helpful for budgets (authorities can use budgets left prior to the new financial year). We still run the 3 day course 3 or 4 times a year which has proven, over the years, to be the most popular course; I believe it gives you a small insight into the world of a Petroleum Officer and the varied type of knowledge required to do the job. We normally receive great feedback from these courses so if you are interested then the details can be found elsewhere within this publication The Association has recently signed an agreement with Olive Media to provide online training and these courses are currently being developed. I can say that the end result is quite impressive, so watch this space! They will be available in the near future. One thing I did miss last year was APEA Live, it is something you get used to every year. I actually stayed at the MK Stadium the other week, prior to the second lockdown, for business reasons, and realised that the hotel and associated businesses probably missed our presence too. Going forward we are hopeful that the vaccination program can be rolled out and that COVID19 will be in decline. The team responsible for the event is planning now to make sure that we have the best event ever so fingers crossed we can fulfil our commitments this year, I’m looking forward to it already. Well, that’s me finished for now, I hope you enjoy this edition, until next time…

APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Business Manager

Business Manager will still receive an email one month before expiry notifying you that the payment will be taken on the date of renewal. If you wish to change or cancel your membership before payment is taken you can do so by logging onto your membership record at www.apea.org.uk.

Jane Mardell Business Manager I hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year. Compared to my usual trips away in December I had a very quiet time. Hopefully we will all be able to travel again soon. The Bulletin We are always looking for press releases and articles for The Bulletin. If you have anything you think would interest our readers please email it to me at admin@apea.org.uk and I will forward it to the editor Brian Humm to approve. 2022 Yearbook Please ensure you complete your entry before 1st April. Only completed entries by members will be included in the Yearbook, and your details displayed in the ‘Contact’s section of the APEA website. Your membership contact details are not automatically included. See instructions below. Important: Any entries completed for the 2021 Yearbook have now been removed from the website on the Contacts page. Please log on to your account to reconfirm the details and your entry will automatically display on the website again. Membership Memberships run for 12 months from the date of joining or payment for a renewal. Once the membership has been paid by debit or credit card it will auto renew by card one year later. You

If you wish to upgrade your membership from Individual to Corporate membership you can also do this by logging onto your membership record and going to the membership section at ‘My Account’. Electric Vehicle Charging Installations at Filling Stations This publication is now available to purchase from the website in hardcopy or pdf format. Please go to page 12 for more information and the publications page on the website at www.apea.org.uk. Website Banner Advertising You can place your banner on the APEA website. This is £200 plus vat for one year. Please contact me at admin@apea.org.uk if you wish to make a booking. Member’s email addresses Most APEA communication to members is carried out by email except for mailings of The Bulletin and Yearbook. Please ensure that you log on to your membership record to change any contact details. New Members There have been 21 new members joining during Oct, November and December, details on page 10. General Assistance If you need any assistance with general or technical matters, please do not hesitate to contact me at admin@apea.org.uk or on 0345 603 5507. There is comprehensive contact information on the APEA website too at www.apea.org.uk. Jane

2022 APEA Yearbook Instructions Complete your free entry, deadline 1st April By Jane Mardell, APEA Business Manager

In order to ensure that your details are included in the 2022 Yearbook and on the APEA website in the ‘Contacts’ section it is essential that you complete your online entry by 1st April. Even if you do not wish to advertise in the Yearbook, to have your contact details and industry sector information included you should complete your entry as follows: 8

1. To start your entry go the APEA website home page at www.apea.org.uk 2. Log on to your membership record and go to ‘My Account’ and then click on ‘Yearbook’ on the left hand side. If you completed an entry for the 2021 Yearbook this will be displayed.

APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

New Members

3. You can then amend your contact details if required and then select the Industry Sector or Industry Sectors that you wish to be listed under. 4. The confirmation page shows your yearbook entry details and summarises if you need to complete a payment or not. Make sure you confirm and submit the update on this page. Once you have completed the online entry form you will be sent a confirmation email. When you view your account your Yearbook entry will display as ‘Active’. Each member is entitled to one FREE entry in the Petroleum Industry Company Contacts section and one FREE Industry Sector per entry in the Yearbook. Additional Trade Names and Industry Sectors are charged at £30 each. Important notice to members that completed entries for the 2021 Yearbook If you completed an entry for the 2021 Yearbook it has now been deleted from the APEA website in the Petroleum Industry Company section on the Contacts page to be replaced by your new entry information for the 2022 issue. The entry is still available on your membership record to update. Please log on to your account to reconfirm your details and your entry will automatically display on the website again and will be printed in the 2022 Yearbook. APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Obituary/New APEA Members

Obituary - Ian Taylor

By Jamie Thompson, Chairman of the APEA Technical Committee It is with regret that we announce the death of Ian Taylor, a Fellow of the APEA, past Chairman and an industry stalwart. Ian Taylor, together with Kevin Arnold, was a founder of Hytek (GB) Ltd back in August 1985. Ian was the true salesman while Kevin looked after the rest of the business and they were a perfect match, often referred to by those close to them as a marriage made in heaven! Ian retired from the business several years back and spent time in his old manor house updating it and found he had green fingers. He spent many happy hours in his vegetable gardens and in true Ian Taylor style it was on a large scale. For anyone who knew Ian they will know he was a unique, always positive individual, with a catchphrase that summed him up: “Every day is a wonderful day”. When you were around Ian you got to understand why this was very true and it tended to rub off on you. Ian passed away peacefully with his wife Bron by his side. To sum up in Ian’s own words “I have had a charmed life and had a ball”. Ian was a character in our industry and a true gentleman and will be missed but never forgotten and no doubt many of you have, or will be, sharing your memories with your colleagues and loved ones.

New Members (Oct - Dec) Corporate Membership Ben Marsden BM Electrical South East Ltd

John Keough Virosafe

Joanna Guille La Villette Garage Ltd

Andrew Lamburne DBS Maintenance Ltd

Individual Membership Nick Jury AJK Services Ltd

Michael Joyce Michael Joyce Consulting Ltd

Christopher O'Connell O'Connell Site Services Ltd

Holly Edwards Arh Group Ltd

Chris Ramshaw Eurotank Service Group Limited

Mohammed Alsogaih Avant-Garde "Energy & Energetic"

Maura O' Mullan

Thomas Dodds Dodds Associates Ltd

Ashley Davies Premier Forecourts and Construction

Daniel Smith DS Electrical (Project & Design Services) Limited

Ricardo Araujo RJA Electrical Services Ltd

Matt Clayton Gilbarco Veeder-Root

APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Richard Shinn R Shinn Joe Wade Northedge Installations Group Limited Ashley Davies Premier Forecourts and Construction Lance Taroni Quick Fuel Ltd Retired Membership John Hancock John Fauley Hancock

Publications Information 4th Edition of the Guidance for Design, Construction, Modification, Maintenance and Decommissioning of Filling Stations - “Blue Book” (Revised 2018) Non APEA Member rate - pdf £150.00 (please note the pdf version is licensed to the purchaser only and cannot be shared or printed) ISBN 978 0 85293 888 1, Publication Year: 2018 Available at www.apea.org.uk

Hard copy APEA Member rate - £75.00 Non APEA Member rate - £150.00 PDF version APEA Member rate - £75.00

Electric Vehicle Charging Installations at Filling Stations This Code of Practice is an authoritative guide to all installations of electric vehicle charging equipment. It has been updated in line with recent changes in BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations) and reflects some major developments in this area including vehicle to grid, smart integration and inductive charging. Hard copy APEA Member rate - £32.50 Non APEA Member rate - £50.00 PDF version

ISBN-13: 978-1-83953-315-0 Publication Year: 2020 Pages: 30 Available at www.apea.org.uk

The APEA also publishes the Code of Practice for Ground floor, multi storey and underground car parks. This can be downloaded

directly from the APEA website and is available to members at £11.00 and £21.00 to non APEA members.

Bulletin Magazine

We are always pleased to receive contributions from our members and it ensures that The Bulletin remains an interesting and informative read.

• The Bulletin is published four times a year with a print run of 2200. • Free issue to APEA members (approx 1200 members worldwide) • Has international distribution and readership • Respected source of industry specific news and information • Contains relevant news items and reports from overseas • Individual, Fellow and Retired members receive one copy each and Corporate members receive 5 copies each per quarter. The editor of The Bulletin, Brian Humm, is always on the look out for new material, so if you have something you want to be included, please email it to the APEA office at admin@apea.org.uk and it will be forwarded to Brian for approval. Please email the text in Word format and any images as separate high resolution pdf or jpeg files to admin@apea.org.uk.

APEA Member rate - £32.50 Non APEA Member rate - pdf £50.00 (please note the pdf version is licensed to the purchaser only and cannot be shared or printed)

Deadline dates for copy and advertising artwork 2021/2022 Issue

Copy deadline

Posting date

June 2021

22nd March

7th May

Sept 2021

25th June

13th August

Dec 2021

20th September

5th November

March 2022

3rd January

18th February

Please note the deadline date for the March 2021 issue is early due to Christmas and New Year holidays.

Bulletin Advertising

Discounts are available for booking in more than one issue, please contact Jane Mardell at admin@apea.org.uk for more information. Bulletin advertisers that book in 3 or more issues in one year also receive a 50% discount off rates for advertising in the annual Yearbook, see table. If you would like to book advertising in The Bulletin, please email your requirements to admin@apea.org.uk or call the office on 0345 603 5507. Please ensure you send your artwork to admin@apea.org.uk.

Size of advert

Advert in 4 Advert in 1 issues issue (includes 25% disc

Full page (210mmw x 280mmh with 10mm border or with 3mm bleed)

£498.00

£1494.00

½ page (185mmw x 125mmh)

£249.00

£747.00

¼ page (90mmw x 120mmh)

£125.00

£375.00

All rates quoted exclude VAT. 12

APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Articles

Articles Upgrade of a Generator Diesel Storage and Transfer System By Alex Boudry, General Manager, PFS Fueltec This article explores how PFS Fueltec Ltd helped an international data centre operator to upgrade its generator diesel storage and transfer system to ensure 100% uptime.

In mid-2019 a leading international data centre operator was looking to refresh the existing diesel storage and transfer system at one of their flagship facilities in the South of England.

PFS Fueltec are specialist suppliers of fuel storage and transfer equipment with over 30 years of experience supplying fuel equipment to various industries including; critical power, petrol filling stations, fleet refuelling facilities and the automotive industry.

The existing 6 x generator day-tanks, transfer pipework, pump set and leak detection infrastructure was ageing, with the single skin welded steel pipework system showing signs of corrosion and decay.

The company says “Our knowledge and product range is second to none and because we do not offer any installation or maintenance services we can focus 100% of our attention on providing the best possible solutions to installation contractors, end-users and design consultants alike.”

The site’s location close to the coast meant that corrosion resistance of the external components was a key concern, as was environmental safety and system reliability. The client and their facilities management partners were looking for a specialist supplier with the experience and knowledge to help

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Articles

them specify and source best-in-class products that would add value and ensure no potential risk of power losses.

• A new bulk tank fill cabinet for two existing underground bulk tanks, with integral level gauging and overfill alarms.

After an initial phone call, and having received and reviewed initial technical drawings, PFS Fueltec’s technical sales team visited the site several times to meet face to face with the client and understand their exact requirements.

• Two new duplex day-tank feed pump sets: sized for the application, with integrated non-return valves and flow control monitoring.

The client benefitted from PFS’s vast experience of fuel systems, gained through the work they do across multiple industries. Using a consultative approach, PFS proposed several innovative solutions and products which had not been on the table before their involvement. PFS provided the following equipment to site along with training and on-site technical advice for the 3rd party installation team: 16

• Several hundred metres of Doubletrac® pipe-in-pipe: fire resistant stainless steel corrugated internal pipe, with corrosion resistant nylon outer barrier layer. With zero joints or elbows required and zero leak paths the pipework comes with up to 30 years warranty. • Stainless steel pipe manifolds for both the day-tank feed and gravity return, with integrated isolation and pressure relief valves. • Class 1 leak detection system which constantly monitors the

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Articles

entire pipe-in-pipe system for leaks and alarms back to the BMS. • Bespoke sized Day Tanks with integrated bulk tank and generator feed and return pipework, actuated control valves and high and low fuel level electronic switches. • Fuel Polishing: CC Jensen fuel polishing units to de-water and remove particulates in the diesel day-tanks, ensuring clean fuel

to the generators and therefore improving fuel economy and ensuring engines run cleanly and reliably. By selecting the correct solutions and tweaking the system design up-front, PFS helped the client achieve their goals whilst adding value and reducing complexity and cost at every step of the process. www.pfsfueltec.com

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Articles

Tuffa Petrol Tank Fuels the LCFC Maintenance Fleet By Andrew Dobson, Digital Marketing Co-ordinator, Tuffa UK Limited Leicester City Football Club’s new state-of-the-art training ground is set to be amongst the world’s leading training facilities. Construction and development giants McLaren Group are responsible for designing and building the grounds which will feature a full-size indoor artificial pitch, 11 full-size outdoor pitches, eight smaller pitches, five training grids and two goalkeeping areas, as well as a hydrotherapy pool, media centre and offices. As a small but significant aspect of the awe-inspiring £103m project, Tuffa was tasked with manufacturing a petrol tank for the site. The tank will have the allimportant task of fuelling the fleet of maintenance vehicles required to look after the LCFC training grounds. From ponds to pitches - maintaining 185 acres of prime land The site chosen for this huge facility is a 185-acre former golf course – 9 holes of which is being retained for the footballers and staff. The project also aspires to high standards of conservation, having rehomed 348 great-crested newts (a European protected species) and hundreds of other pond wildlife affected by the build, replanting 4,000 trees, and then planting an additional 38,000 trees. Altogether, the scale and diversity of the grounds is truly epic and will require a tremendous amount of upkeep to stay in top condition. The ground’s football pitches will need to be of a quality which replicates Premier League stadiums to give the players the most realistic experience. The golf course too will require constant and fastidious attention. Then, there are the conservation areas, a multitude of lawns, plants and shrubs which add to the grandeur of the 185-acre delux complex. Fuelling the LCFC maintenance fleet LCFC employ a small army of groundskeepers tasked with the job of fighting back the weeds, strategising over grass care, and conserving every inch of the 185-acre plot to the highest standards. Just like the footballers, the next generation of groundskeepers will use the extensive grounds to master their craft in preparation for maintaining Premier League pitches. LCFC know it’s the team behind the footballers who win goals and to that end provide the groundskeepers with the best equipment money can buy. This includes a fleet of around 30 John Deere maintenance vehicles consisting of gators and ride-on mowers. With so many maintenance vehicles requiring between 40 and 50 litres of fuel to fill, it was clear to McLaren that the grounds required a reliable petrol dispensing tank onsite. Fortunately, the club is already well acquainted with 18

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Articles a reputable tank manufacturer. In 2018 Tuffa manufactured a tank and water bowser for LCFC’s new Broadcast Media Centre so was already known to the club for reliability and high-quality workmanship. Once again, Tuffa was set to manufacturing a tank for LCFC with McLaren choosing Tuffa’s 975 litre petrol tank. As standard, these steel tanks are manufactured in accordance with the Blue Book guidelines and DSEAR (Dangerous Substances & Explosive Atmospheres Regulations). Because the tanks are fire-proofed and bunded they also offer protection to the site and environment. Additionally, McLaren chose to upgrade the tank with a Hytek Alpha FC10 forecourtstyle dispenser and fuel management system with passcodes to activate the pump and a purpose-built plinth for the tower. Premier League petrol tank With the tank delivered and installed we caught up with McLaren Construction’s Design Manager Spish Buja to ask about his experience with Tuffa: “The communication and service levels from Tuffa have been excellent throughout the entire process. The 975 litre petrol tank fits our requirements exactly, the delivery was tiptop, and the installation was straightforward.” – Spish Buja, Design Manager Tuffa are proud to be a part of the state-of-the-art £103m build which is now near completion despite the huge delays caused by COVID-19. We trust that our humble petrol tank will serve Leicester City Football Club grounds staff well as a small but essential part of maintaining the training grounds and adding to the success of the inspiring team which in 2016 defied all odds (literally at 5000-1) to win the Premier League.

Petrol Filling Stations - The Challenges of Petrol Storage in Urban Areas By Jamie Thompson, APEA Technical Committee Chairman When you look back around 100 years to the development of petrol filling stations in the UK we experienced a fairly steady rise in numbers up to the 1940’s and another increase in numbers after the second world war. In addition to the public filling stations being constructed many transport companies and farms often had their own storage facilities with petrol being used at that time by lorries and buses. There were estimated to be around 55,000 such licensed storage facilities in the UK at the time.

Things were not quite as easy in those days as the tools we have today to help us meet these objectives were not available at that time to ensure that the storage was as safe.

In London in 1965 there were around 4000 licensed petrol filling stations registered when the GLC was first formed.

Within London we were fortunate as petroleum inspectors in the Public Control Department to be able to call upon other departments in the Council (such as The District Surveyor, Mechanical and Electrical Department, Architects etc) to help advise us to secure perhaps safer storage arrangements than we might have been able then under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928.

One of the main safety features for safe storage at that time was to ensure that tanks and pipes used in the filling station did not leak and that any spillage of fuel from delivery or dispensing was retained in drainage systems and the petroleum interceptor - a similar objective we strive for today by following the Blue Book guidance.

Some of the proposals that were received in central London from both oil companies and property developers asked for petrol stations to be constructed in or under buildings, often built with basements around or under the proposed storage tank positions at a time when double wall tanks and leak detection had not been developed.

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Articles

One of the designs which was adopted and frequently used in London at that time was the tank chamber installation often referred to as the “Lex System” which I believe was first developed and agreed at one of their garages in 1935.

• Tanks within the chamber should be surrounded by concrete 400mm thick

Tanks installed in basements were allowed under very special conditions

• A walkway and means of easily inspecting the underside of the tank block should be provided in the chamber. The width of the walkway and clearance under the tank block to the chamber floor should be no less than 750mm

• An inspection chamber should be provided around the storage tanks. The walls of the inspection chamber should be either 225mm brick or 150mm reinforced concrete

• A well capable of retaining the total quantity of fuel should be formed in the chamber and rendered with an approved fuel resisting compound

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Articles

• The door to the inspection chamber should be of 120minute fire resisting standard vapour tight and hung to open outwards. The door shall be kept locked shut except when required to be opened for inspection. It should be marked ‘Petrol Tank Chamber-Keep locked’. The door entry to the chamber would be above the retaining well

Tanks in concrete with walkway around for inspection fire resisting

• The inspection chamber should be provided with a mechanically ventilation system exhausted direct to the open air and provide a minimum of 6 air changes per hours the fan should be a flameproof fan certified for use in flammable atmospheres • The inspection chamber should be artificially lighted using lighting approved for Zone 1 and positioned to enable inspection under and around the chamber • All liquid lines and pumps shall be situated in the space above the chamber As a trainee inspector I was taken to many of these installations in central London to inspect and I asked how we would know if a leak had occurred. I was then shown within each chamber a clip board hanging inside and a sheet with dates showing that a physical inspection was made each day (a condition of the licence) and a quick sniff of the nostrils being the “leak detector”! Many of these installations were in use in central London; Park Lane; Finsbury Square had two of these in a basement car park, and Selfridges in those days sold Shell petrol from such a site at the rear of their Oxford Street store. There are many others around Westminster but as these sites have been upgraded over the years most 22

have since used the now accepted safer and more cost-effective installation, double wall steel tanks with leak detection. There are however some of the older ones still operating in London and many have had their “clip board” replaced by vapour detectors and alarms. The last tank chamber I recall being constructed was in outer London at Blackhorse Road,

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Walthamstow where the redevelopment of a Texaco filling station was built immediately above Blackhorse Road underground station on the Victoria Line. I often wondered how many people waiting for the underground trains on the platform realised they had thousands of litres of fuel being stored around 3m above their heads - the site operated safely for many years but has since closed. Did this system developed in the 1930’s work? Yes - in 1968 I was notified by London Fire Brigade Control of a smell of petrol at a Texaco petrol station in Brewer Street

Articles

in Soho and was directed to investigate. I arrived and found the service station had basement and multi storage car parks under and above the site with the petrol storage tanks inside a tank chamber. Inspection of the tank chamber found a very high concentration of petrol vapour 100% LEL with petrol visible on the floor of the tank chamber. The extractor fans were already operating but had done little to clear the vapour. The risk to the public had been mainly contained within the tank chamber, but the extractor system ended up blowing petrol fumes up in to the multi-storey car park causing some concern, and caused a later redesign of the ventilation system. Large crowds visiting Soho on that Saturday night raised the risk somewhat together with at that weekend demonstrations by the public against the Vietnam War which caused both the Police and Fire Brigade to be heavily involved. At that time sprinklers and drenchers were often used, canopy construction was specially designed to protect property and many unique protection concepts dreamt The fuel in the chamber came from a leaking up to protect people and property. suction line above the chamber which was replaced and the site eventually opened again. There has been in recent times a renewed interest in putting petrol filling stations in urban areas to greater use by building above the sites and incorporating hotels, living In addition to the challenges at that time for safe accommodation, offices etc over them. storage there was also an issue of what safety requirements should be observed if pumps and fill points were beneath offices, hotels or To this end the APEA has produced a guidance note to supplement the Blue Book residential accommodation. Some classic explaining the addition requirements which are necessary to ensure safe keeping and buildings involving petrol station in inner London safe operation of filling stations in these situations. demonstrated the work that the Petroleum Inspectors together with the District Surveyor Requirements and Rationale for the Acceptance of Petrol Filling Stations located under under Section 20 of The London Building Acts residential, hotels or commercial property carried out with detailed requirements for both fire protection, separation and safe operation The Guidance has been recently updated and is now available as a free download enabled these sites to be developed and operate from the APEA web site www.apea.org.uk this has been produced with important input from both London Fire Brigade and Dublin Fire Brigade. safely. 24

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Fire Safety Considerations for EV on Forecourts By Dylan Evans, Research & Inspecting Officer, Lodnon Fire Brigade

I am a Research & Inspecting Officer, in London Fire Brigade’s Petroleum & Alternative Fuels Group. In November 2019, I was delighted to receive the APEA’s Rising Star Award, for work undertaken on the evolution of the fuel industry. Recently, I was invited to present an update to the APEA’s Eastern Branch, on fire safety regarding electric vehicles and their infrastructure. The meeting was held online due to CoVID19 on the 3rd December 2020. My presentation centred around two main aspects of my recent work i.e. fire safety considerations for lithium ion battery rechargeable electric vehicles and their infrastructure, as well as an overview of the regulations and enforcement processes governing such technology. Alternative fuels have been in the ascendancy for a number of years but recently we have seen the number of electric vehicles grow at its most rapid in order to meet emissions targets such as the UK’s commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. In addition to this, the UK Government have announced on 18th November a ban to take place on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars (with some hybrids exempt) by 2030.

Dylan Evans

In order to meet the UK Government’s targets electric vehicles, particularly lithium ion battery electric vehicles and their supporting infrastructure, are becoming an ever increasingly familiar sight in our driveways, places of work, inner cities and forecourts. The co-location of electric vehicle charging facilities alongside petroleum storage and dispensing equipment on forecourts represents the latest challenge for Petroleum APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Articles Enforcement Authorities due to the ignition risk that electric vehicle charging equipment could potentially cause. To address this issue the Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) in conjunction with the APEA, has recently published supplementary guidance for stakeholders involved in the installation of electric vehicle charging equipment on petrol dispensing forecourts. The code of practice has been updated in line with recent changes in BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations) and reflects some major developments in this area including vehicle to grid, smart integration and inductive charging. While much of the IET/APEA supplementary guidance is geared toward the more technical aspects of electric charging installations my presentation looked at matters from an inspection and enforcement perspective. I provided a brief overview of the main known risks posed by lithium ion battery electric vehicles such as thermal runaway, re-ignition, toxicity, run-off issues as well as first and second response considerations. I then covered a few key

elements around advice and guidance to mitigate against such risks. For example, considerations when reviewing proposed site plans involving the co-location of electric vehicle charging equipment on a petrol-dispensing forecourt, such as: • • • • • • •

Earthing requirements/soil survey, Safety distances around charging equipment, Forecourt gradient considerations, Delineation of enforcement duties, DSEAR, risk assessment, Staff training, emergency switches, Ground familiarisation for local crews.

The presentation concluded with an online Q&A session between Eastern Branch members on the issues raised. Should you require further information on the above please email: petroleum@london-fire.gov.uk.

Making Hydrogen-Fuelled Vehicles an Option for Consumers as the UK Heads Towards the Green Industrial Revolution By Revata Seneviratne, Clean Fuels Engineer at TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory Revata Seneviratne, Clean Fuels Engineer at TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory, a world-class provider of technical consultancy, research, testing and programme management services. Part of the TÜV SÜD Group, it is also a global centre of excellence for flow measurement and fluid flow systems and is the UK’s Designated Institute for Flow Measurement. In November 2020, the UK government published its policy paper “Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution” which set out the government’s approach to make the UK a global leader in green technologies. The sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will now end by 2030, although new hybrid vehicles with significant zero emissions capability will be allowed until 2035 after which all new cars and vans will have to be 100% zero emissions vehicles. The UK government is also looking to consult on a date for phasing out the sale of new diesel heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) with investment put into freight trials to pioneer hydrogen and other cost-effective zero emission HGVs. There are two primary pathways for 100% zero emissions electric vehicles. One is rechargeable battery electric vehicles (BEV) and the other is hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). While BEVs are ahead of FCEVs on the technology adoption curve, ownership of BEVs requires a significant change to consumer behaviour. Using a BEV can be considered akin to using a mobile phone where one needs to connect it to a charging point for an extended period. Existing Tesla supercharging stations for example have a charging time of only 20 minutes to get to roughly 80% charge, but in order to protect the battery from high temperatures the rate of charge 26

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Articles decreases significantly once 80% of battery capacity is reached. If the BEV is charged at home on a driveway, it would mean plugging an electric cable in during periods of adverse weather (e.g. rain, snow or extreme cold), which would be the last thing most of us would want to do when we get home. For home charging, where ‘super-chargers’ are not available, the charging times are generally in the order of many hours. Equally, such home charging is easy for those with a driveway, but for those without, presents a whole additional set of challenges.

Why are FCEVs absent in the roads today? Battery-powered electric vehicles are already available and can be seen on the roads today. One cannot, however, say the same for FCEVs. The capital costs associated with building a hydrogen refuelling station (HRS) means that they are less common than the relatively low-cost BEV charging points. Only a handful of HRSs exist in the UK which undoubtably deters the public from owning a FCEV.

This is why FCEVs could be a more acceptable option to many consumers. FCEVs have a greater efficiency than a petrol or diesel vehicle, in addition to zero emissions at the tailpipe, and crucially, using a FCEV does not require a change to the lifestyle people have become accustomed to. Filling up the hydrogen tank in a FCEV is essentially the same from a consumer experience perspective to filling up a petrol or diesel tank. One would go to a service station, fill up a tank in less than 5 minutes and have a range of over 350 miles. FCEVs therefore offer people an alternative in cases where BEVs may not suit their needs, for example families where home-charging is not suitable, there is a desire to drive long distances with a fast tank fill or where the vehicle is in very frequent use.

Another barrier to mass implementation of hydrogen in transport arises from an aspect commonly overlooked for FCEVs; the ability to effectively trade hydrogen. Customers will expect to be treated fairly at HRSs, with hydrogen dispensers having an accuracy much like existing petrol or diesel pumps. It is, however, not as simple to measure hydrogen dispensed into the tank. The International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) R139 has specified the accuracy requirements for dispensers at hydrogen refuelling stations (HRSs). A maximum permissible error (MPE) of 1.5% is stipulated for the flow meter and 2% for the complete measuring system at initial verification. This is challenging due to the operating conditions at hydrogen refuelling stations, which are specified in the worldwide accepted standard SAE J2601, the protocol for fuelling light-duty FCEVs.

Since the ownership experience of a FCEV is comparable to

A schematic diagram of a hydrogen refuelling station is shown in

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of an example of a hydrogen dispenser Copyright – TUV SUD Ltd

existing petrol and diesel vehicles, it is likely to be the preferred option for fleet vehicles. This is because a key metric for fleet vehicle companies is “hours in service”, therefore they cannot afford to have vehicles parked for extended periods to charge up a battery. Taxi companies and businesses with vans delivering parcels would therefore be looking at FCEVs to replace their existing diesel or petrol fleet. The energy density of hydrogen also makes it well suited for vehicles that travel long distances like HGVs, coaches, trains, aircraft, etc. This is where hydrogen has the advantage over battery electric vehicles. As these vehicles usually follow predictable routes, the refuelling requirement could be met by a small number of fuel stations at key locations. 28

Figure 1. Hydrogen gas can be either produced on-site at a low pressure of 20 bar or delivered to the station at an intermediary pressure of 200 bar. Compressors then boost the hydrogen to 900 bar pressure and store it in buffer tanks ready for dispensing to FCEVs. Since hydrogen heats up during refuelling, the SAE J2601 fuelling protocol aims to ensure the vehicle’s hydrogen tank does not heat up above 85°C, even during fast refuelling. Precooling to -40°C is therefore specified for 700 bar refuelling. This wide range of temperature and gas pressures is challenging from a flow measurement perspective, thus limiting the types of flow meters that can be used. Coriolis mass flow meters (CFMs) are the preferred choice at HRSs. As shown in Figure 1, two common locations for installing them

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are upstream of the pre-cooler and near the compressor, and in the dispenser unit downstream of the precooler. When the CFM is installed before the pre-cooler where the temperature is close to ambient, there can be a significant ‘dead volume’ containing gas that has been measured by the flow meter, but not delivered to the receiving vehicle. If the current user fills their vehicle to a higher pressure than the previous user, there will be a positive error and the user will be over-charged, and vice versa. While the dead volume is minimised when the CFM is installed after the pre-cooler, the meter will however see a large change in temperature at this location. It would initially be at ambient temperature until refuelling starts, then will suddenly see gas coming in at -40°C causing it to cool down during the refuelling process. Both locations for installing CFMs in HRSs therefore require corrections to be applied for hydrogen dispensed to ensure users are billed correctly.

chain for refuelling light-duty FCEVs based on primary standards. The project was coordinated by the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR). Several field test standards (FTS) were built during the project’s timescale to assess sources of flow measurement errors when filling up light-duty FCEVs.

To obtain the best performance from a CFM it should be calibrated at temperatures and pressures close to field operating conditions, and ideally using the same fluid. Currently no independent CFM calibration laboratory can operate with hydrogen at the conditions seen by the meters at HRSs, with pressures exceeding 700 bar and temperatures from -40°C up to 60°C. Suitable alternative methods for calibrating CFMs are therefore needed.

Laboratory testing of the CFM was still required for calibration and type-approval testing of the meters. As no independent, traceable flow facility operates with hydrogen at conditions seen by the meters, alternative approaches were also investigated during the MetroHyVe project. Four institutes, including NEL, explored the possibility of using nitrogen as a test gas since it is often used by flow meter calibration facilities for calibrating and type-approval testing purposes. Substituting with nitrogen gas has the added benefit of being both safer and more economical to use. The tests were undertaken at conditions where the density of nitrogen gas was the same as the hydrogen gas seen by the CFMs in HRSs.

Building the framework to accurately refuel FCEVs TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory (NEL) was a partner in the MetroHyVe project which looked at establishing a traceability

The field testing that was undertaken confirmed the need for testing the whole hydrogen refuelling system on-site with real operating conditions. Although the flow meters installed at HRSs could potentially meet the OIML R139 requirements, there were errors due to the dead volumes, especially when the meter was installed upstream of the heat exchanger, and it is the ‘at the nozzle’ uncertainty that really matters – for the regulations and the consumer.

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The tests proved that calibration facilities could use inert gases like air or nitrogen to calibrate and type-approval test CFMs that would be installed at HRSs. Measurement error at ambient temperature was less than 1% and if adequate time was allowed for temperatures to stabilise, then the temperature range seen at HRS dispensers had only a small impact on the accuracy. No pressure effect was observed during gas testing up to 86 bar, while a small effect due to higher pressures was seen with tests using water at pressures up to 850 bar. However, if adequate time was not allowed for the meter temperature to stabilise, the error increased to 15% and was both variable and unpredictable. This could be a significant concern for HRSs with meters installed in the cold region of the dispenser, where there can be rapid changes in temperature. The laboratory tests therefore showed that more field testing at HRSs is needed to confirm the overall error in the collected mass during the complete fill period. Leading the way to support wider deployment of FCEVs NEL is participating in the EMPIR MetroHyVe II project which is building on the foundations set by the previous project and aims to develop a broad underpinning metrological infrastructure for HRSs. This project will: • Develop a suitable cost-effective metrological framework for dispensers filling light-duty FCEVs. • Establish a traceability chain based on primary standards for dispensers filling heavy-duty FCEVs. • Develop systems for monitoring hydrogen quality at HRSs and harmonise methods for sampling hydrogen. • Produce standard test protocols for automotive fuel cell stack testing to determine threshold for critical contaminants in hydrogen. • Facilitate dissemination of knowledge gained from the project to key stakeholders in the hydrogen industry With funding from the UK government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), NEL is currently building the UK’s first primary field test standard for light-duty FCEV dispensers. This gravimetric primary standard will be complete by mid-2021 and will have a hydrogen capacity of 6 kg. Capability of a secondary standard will also be included, using a CFM calibrated by the primary standard. The FTS will be used to assess the 30

accuracy of UK HRSs and provide a wider conclusion on the impact of various uncertainty sources including location of the meter, dead volumes and temperature effects, etc. As part of the MetroHyVe II project, results from the NEL FTS will be included with data from other FTSs developed during the previous project, to provide an international field comparison requested by HRS operators and notified bodies. This is to confirm that the FTSs meet the J2601 protocol and OIML R-139. Considering key stakeholder needs, this EMPIR project is looking at a broader reach. It aims to develop and prove a traceability chain for secondary standards that can regularly verify light-duty FCEV dispensers at a cost acceptable to station owners. Knowledge gained from the light-duty primary FTSs will also be used to develop and test primary FTSs for heavy-duty FCEV dispensers with the goal of producing a metrological framework that meets the needs of HRSs and heavy-duty vehicle operators. This will be one more step towards helping to promote FCEV ownership by the public and thus improving the environment we all live in, the ultimate aim of the Green Industrial Revolution. NEL will also be launching a Joint Industry Project in 2021 which will aim to tackle standardisation of metering systems within HRS, in order to smooth the way for large scale roll-out of an HRS infrastructure in the UK. NEL will provide an update through APEA with more detail on the JIP in due course but would already be happy to hear from any organisation which is potentially interested in participating. About TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory www.tuvsud.com/en-gb/nel The company is a global centre of excellence for flow measurement and fluid flow systems and is the UK’s Designated Institute for Flow and Density Measurement, with responsibility for providing the UK’s physical flow and density measurement standards. TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory is a trading name of TUV SUD Ltd, a company of the TÜV SÜD Group, an international service organisation. More than 24,000 employees work at over 1,000 locations in about 50 countries to continually improve technology, systems and expertise. They contribute significantly to making technical innovations such as Industry 4.0, autonomous driving and renewable energy safe and reliable.

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Exploring the Hazardous Areas of Petrol Filling Stations By Huw Bement, Director of the CompEx certification body Huw Bement, Director of the CompEx certification body caught up recently with Gareth Bourhill to seek some of his views”. With nearly 40 years working in the hazardous areas of petrol filling stations, and 20 years involvement with CompEx, Gareth Bourhill, as part of his consultancy services, is a registered CompEx trainer and assessor, as well as in a voluntary role as an APEA director. Certification body, CompEx, spoke to Gareth to understand his experiences and thoughts on the key issues that impact safety on petrol filling stations. What major changes in practice have you seen over your career? During my career, the biggest change I have seen is the transition from oil companies with engineering departments designing and building filling stations with a small retail function, to large retail operations that just happen to store and sell flammable fuels. In turn, the oil company engineers and supporting departments have mostly been replaced with those from a retailing background. The main issue here is that a retailer will certainly look at safety from a different perspective than somebody from an engineering or construction background. In these instances, margins are tight, and the operators rely on the retail/convenience store model to make money – this is where I see mistakes being made. The facilities are seen as a retail shop not a facility that stores and sells flammable fuels. In turn, we are encouraging the public to enter facilities where flammable atmospheres exist and actually operate the Ex certified equipment. This is what makes filling stations unique from any other hazardous area industry, and why in the “Blue Book”, the APEA have had to enhance some of the technical detail in the 60079 standard series due to the risk the public poses. It is often the case that the duty holders and retailers simply appoint the lowest cost contractor. Although they may know that they need an electrical contractor, they don’t always insist on asking them to prove competence and history of the type of work to be undertaken as legislation indicates. Through my own experience of carrying out pre-tender audits for some of my clients, I have found those pricing the work don’t even have the correct professional and liability insurance in place, so they are not covered for work where flammable atmospheres exist. In my voluntary role as an APEA director, I usually have one contractor a month contact me asking how to install or wire electrical equipment on a forecourt, as they have been given a contract where they haven’t carried out work before and are now seeking advice. It’s understandable that businesses are expanding their services, but the question here is whether the duty holder should have made an enquiry to them in the first place, as statute legislation indicates they are responsible for employing competent persons. In my line of work, it’s becoming all too common to find poorly completed and incorrect tests and inspection certificates, as well as poor quality installations. Unfortunately, due to the UK not having a proactive system of application of regulation, which can be seen in other countries, these problems are usually only dealt with when we have an incident or accident. 32

Where does the responsibility lie? Ultimately, the responsibility to ensure any work undertaken complies with regulations and best practice sits with the duty holder as they own and operate the site. However, many larger operators delegate this duty to international or national facility management or services companies who may use their own technicians and staff, who in turn may also subcontract out some specialist areas of the work. With this in mind, the responsibility sits with any person/organisation that engages somebody to carry out work, as they still have a responsibility to employ competent people. It is also essential that an audit procedure is in place for making sure that the people that actually carry out the work are indeed capable of doing the job. Why is it important to have competent staff? It’s simple, electricity and electrical equipment not correctly installed and maintained will either kill people through electric shocks, fire or explosions where a flammable atmosphere exists. Since 1989, a TT earthing system has been used for the full installation of petrol filling stations – something many electricians will not have worked on or installed before. Additionally, there are special regulations for the requirements for TT earthing in BS7671, the UK

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wiring Regulations. We have at least three levels of time/current selectivity and cascading of RCD devices. It’s common for some duty holders to employ a general electrical contractor for the sales building, and only use a more specialised contractor for the forecourt and hazardous area electrics. The issue here is that those working on the site’s switchgear and other electrical systems can have a detrimental and safety implication on the hazardous area electrical safety aspects. I have carried out inspections where non Ex certified components have been installed in Ex equipment, as well as finding that installers are not adequately sealing or using the wrong compound in the underground ductwork system to prevent any hydrocarbon vapour from entering any building. In addition to the safety implications of these errors, the duty holder also has a very expensive repair and loss of a whole fuel grade whilst the repair work is carried out. I could write a book on what I have seen over the years but, to me, the disappointing thing is I’m seeing more of this now than I did in the 80’s and 90’s. It would appear that despite the advances of technology, safety systems, regulation, standards and codes of practice, it’s the human factor or ability, experience and competency of persons that is the sadly increasing issue. How will installing EV charging equipment affect safety? Central Government wishes to enhance the use of electric vehicles (EV), and with an established national network of fuel filling

stations it was logical that if they all installed EV chargers that coverage could happen quickly. However, with UK filling stations having limited space and with Rapid Chargers having power ratings of up to 300Kw, it was apparent that the typical site electrical supply from the local distribution network operator (DNO) would not suffice. As such, the installation of a DNO secondary substation was going to be needed. This caused safety criteria and risks and hazards that the APEA never had to deal with before. The APEA engaged all the industry stake holders, HSE, DNO’s the ENA and major oil companies, EV manufacturers and the IET who were updating the Code of Practice (C.O.P) for EV installations. As such, we were able to discuss and agree on a supplementary C.O.P document for the installation of EV charging points on filling stations, and enhanced the safety requirements and procedures, which was published in September 2020. The stakeholders all identified that there is a knowledge gap that needs to be filled. This supplementary C.O.P will hopefully serve the industry well until the next revision and update of the “Blue Book”. CompEx has developed the Ex07 – Ex08 qualification in consultation with industry to ensure practicing electricians and those that carry out electrical work where flammable fuels can cause explosive atmospheres to form within a fuel forecourt, operate competently and safely. The qualification lasts for five years. To check course availability please visit https://www.compex.org.uk/industry/fuel-forecourts/.

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Broham Celebrates 40 Years By Dan Athol, Managing Director, Broham Forecourt Developments

For 40 years, Broham Forecourts Developments Ltd, a familyowned company, have led the way in forecourt construction working on some of the largest forecourt developments in the UK and collaborating with major blue-chip companies. As they move into their 5th decade Broham has become part of a larger Group, Baxter Holdings, creating new opportunities, direction, and vision. During its 40 Years in business, Broham has developed into a leading specialist Principal Contractor within the construction industry, specialising in retail and commercial fuel and alternative fuel installations. Since 1980, Broham has established longstanding relationships with a range of major blue-chip clients, including BP Oil, Asda, Motor Fuels Group, George Hammond PLC, Applegreen, Brookfield Group and Extra MSA, as well as private dealerships on individual projects. In 2020 a change in ownership from the Porter family to Baxter Holdings owned by the Hughes family was completed. Baxter Holdings has added Broham Forecourts to their Group that includes Pipeline Associates, Elan Civil Engineering and Lynton Build & Homes. Mark Hughes is CEO of Baxter Holdings “I am really excited about the purchase of Broham, it allows the Group to deliver a complete service across many sectors and increase the capability and capacity of Broham”. Whilst Kevin Porter, previous Managing Director, remains involved in the business providing technical leadership, Dan Athol now leads the business as Managing Director. Dan, a Chartered Civil Engineer joined Broham from Network Rail where he held a variety of positions over 15 years both in the UK and internationally, most recently as Programme Director for large complex building and civil engineering projects. Prior to this Dan held a variety of roles with Laing Civil Engineering and O’Rourke’s.

reputation. Technological improvements and changes will be provided by Broham’s specialist team who remain committed to delivering innovative solutions. No more so than the launch of Broham Energy and Broham Commercial that will complement the existing range of accredited specialist services provided by Broham Forecourts. Members of: • APEA • Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) • Renewable Energy Association (REA) • Energy Institute • The Association for Renewable Energy & Clean Technology • CHAS • Constructionline • Guild of Master Craftsmen • Petroleum Equipment Installers & Maintenance Federation

Dan’s enthusiasm is clear to see when you meet him. “It’s great to have joined Broham, working with Kevin and the rest of the team. It is clear to see the opportunities for the business in the coming years based on our reputation and in-house expertise.” Dan is supported by an experienced team at their head office in Colchester and site teams working throughout the UK. The majority of them having worked for Broham’s for many years. The Future Broham recognise that the world is constantly changing with new technological advancements and improvements to existing products and practices. Broham remain agile to embrace change and develop new ways of working using innovative solutions, whilst remaining committed to the high levels of quality and safe delivery that its clients have become accustomed to over the last 40 years. The recent acquisition of Broham by Baxter Holdings will look to expand and enhance the current service offerings and build upon our trusted 34

Broham has built its reputation as specialists in the demolition, decommissioning, remediation, and construction of multi fuel retail service stations. Their expertise ranges from new to industry to knock down and rebuild, major modifications, maintenance, servicing, refurbishment, and rebranding. Their professional approach to forecourt construction has earned them continued contracts with some of the world’s most highprofile oil companies, supermarkets, and retailers. Broham have worked on some of the largest and most diverse fuel stations in the country including Beaconsfield M4, Cobham M25 and Skelton Lakes M1. All projects achieved success by combining experience with modern ideas and strategic planning.

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Broham offers high quality expertise and continuously delivers the very best solutions for its clients. It has extensive experience as a Principal Contractor delivering projects within a specialist sector, adhering to all legislative standards with its own experienced and trained workforce. The types of projects they can deliver: • New to industry forecourt developments • Motorway Service Areas • Demolition and rebuild of forecourts • Major and minor modifications and upgrades

Broham is experienced in modifying existing fuel facilities to accommodate alternative forms of fuel, most notably:

They are also able to provide the following services: • Demolition • Site Decommissioning • Environmental Land Remediation • Tank Replacement • Electrical Vehicle Installation (Broham Energy) • LPG Installations (Broham Energy) • Hydrogen Installations (Broham Energy) • Retail Fit Out • Canopy Construction • Retail and Commercial Buildings • Pump Replacement and upgrades • Vehicle Valet Installations

• Electric – Electrical Vehicle (EV) Installations • Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) – Installation and decommissioning • Hydrogen – Installations The most significant growth is with EV installations and having been involved in EV for a number of years, Broham is able to provide a full range of services to suit the specific needs of its clients and their projects. “Understanding our clients’ needs is paramount”.

One Stop Shop Dan is excited about the development of the new divisions. “These new company divisions allow us to offer specialist services independently or act as a one stop shop affording clients a seamless project delivery”. Broham Energy strives to be one of the market leaders for the construction of alternative fuel facilities for retail forecourts and large commercial locations. 36

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services including: the construction of new sales buildings, modifying existing buildings or providing an internal fit out.

The services that we provide are: 1. All Independent Connection Provider (ICP) works including Point of Connection 2. Supply of all equipment, as required 3. All electrical, civil and builders work associated with an installation 4. Testing and Commissioning 5. Operational Software & Support

Their expertise is not limited to forecourt sales buildings. Their skills and services have been used by clients to deliver other retail buildings within tight timescales and can be a part of adjacent forecourt works or as a standalone development.

In a similar vain to support the ‘one stop shop’ for clients, Broham Commercial provides clients with the ability to deliver a whole retail solution for sites adjacent to Petrol Forecourts or as standalone facilities. Broham Commercial has extensive experience in the construction and modification of commercial buildings, whether for retail or business operations. Over the last few years, there has been a significant rise in retail sales. This demand has necessitated clients to increase their existing premises. At Broham, they are able to offer a range of APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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Challenges or Maybe Even Opportunities for HVO on the Swedish Market? By Magdalena Streijffert, Public Affairs Manager, Neste Scandinavia Presentation from Eastern Branch virtual meetng 3rd December 2020. Neste are the world's largest renewable diesel producer from waste and residues, introducing renewable solutions to the aviation and plastics industries. Our wide range of renewable products enables our customers to reduce climate emissions. We have been at the Swedish market for decades. The reason for that is that Sweden has been a forerunner in the fight against climate change for a long time. One of the most important tools so far has been the use of biofuels, both in the heating and the transport sector. At EU level there are climate targets for reducing GHG emissions both in FQD and Renewable Energy Directive and, in comparison to other member states within EU, Sweden stands out. Not only has Sweden fulfilled the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the FQD with 6 percent by 2020 already, but are far ahead of others by reducing emissions with around 18 percent already by 2017.

Isabella Lövin, Minister of Climate in Sweden

In 2017, Sweden adopted a climate policy framework. The framework consists of a climate law, climate goals and a climate policy council. The Climate Act states that the government must each year present a climate report in the budget bill and that every four years it must produce a climate policy action plan which, among other things, must report on how the climate goals are to be achieved. Tools for reducing emissions The initiative Fossil Free Sweden was started already in 2015 by the Swedish Government ahead of the major UN climate conference in Paris and brings together actors in the form of companies, municipalities, regions and organisations that give their backing to the declaration that Sweden will be one of the first fossil free nations in the world.

Source: EEA Report no 5/2019

Why and how has Sweden succeeded with reducing GHG emissions more than others? Ambitious national climate targets All parties, except one, in the Swedish Parliament have agreed on two important targets. 1. Reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent in the transport sector, aviation excluded, to 2030 compared to the figures from 2010. 2. To become the world's first climate neutral welfare state by 2045. 38

Fossil Free Sweden has made a road map for how to achieve the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector of 70 percent by 2030. Using more biofuels is one of the most important tools, with a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 32 percent from 2018 to 2030. That in comparison with more people using electrified vehicles that will reduce the GHG emissions with only 15 percent. How will Sweden reduce greenhouse gas emissions with 70% to 2030 GHG emissions 2010 100% Already achieved 2018 -18% More use of biofuel -32% Use of electrified vehicles -15% More cost-efficient transport system -5% Total sum of GHG reduction 2030 -70% Policy regulations to promote biofuels in Sweden

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Articles The reduction obligation, which was introduced on 1 July 2018, means a more long-term instrument for the fuel industry and consumers through a stated ambition to gradually increase the requirements over time and by Sweden having a system that harmonises with other EU legislation. The reduction obligation means that there will be full tax on the entire fuel, including biofuels. To counteract a higher consumer price, the government also reduced the tax on petrol, by 30 öre per litre excluding VAT, and diesel, by SEK 1.40 per litre excluding VAT on 1 July, when the reduction obligation was introduced. The reduction obligation only applies to petrol and diesel. The high blend biofuels that are on the market today, such as HVO100, ED 95, biogas and E85, are outside the system and continue to operate in accordance with the old policy instrument, the tax reduction, for which continued state aid approval is required after 31 December 2021. The biofuels used to fulfil the reduction obligation must be covered by a sustainability statement, acceptance from the Energy Agency, in accordance with the EU's sustainability criteria and Swedish

regulations. If the reduction obligation target is not met, the fuel company must pay a high reduction obligation fee. The Government announced on 11 September 2020 that they will gradually increase the quota levels in the reduction obligation until 2030. The focus is on a linear path with indicative levels for 2030 of 28 per cent (GHG-based) for petrol and 66 per cent (GHGbased) for diesel, with a control station in 2022. From the time the legislation enters into force next year means a reduction level of 6% for petrol and 26% for diesel, compared with the reduction levels of 4.2 per cent for petrol and 21 per cent for diesel that apply in 2020 and until the new legislation enters into force. This combined makes Sweden an important forerunner for renewable diesel and shows that even though everything is needed to fight climate change it is important to remember that we need to act now and a tool that is now already available and costefficient is HVO and especially HVO100, a fossil free product with up to 90 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels.

Fuelling the Future with HVO By Simon Lawford, Technical Manager, Crown Oil Presentation from Eastern Branch virtual meetng 3rd December 2020. Crown Oil Technical Manager, Simon Lawford, explains how paraffinic diesel fuels are leading the way in terms of providing an immediate and reliable solution to tackling contamination and environmental problems. Fuel is a global requirement for economic growth and is the cornerstone of developing communities. But as the world’s population rises and we continue to use more energy, we face a difficult challenge: to reduce emissions whilst enabling society to grow. With UK headlines applauding a significant reduction in fossil fuel consumption and a vast increase in renewable uptake, eradicating greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 seems more achievable than ever. However, reaching this milestone on a commercial level is not easy and will require practicality and full support from the Government. While its well-publicised 2050 net-zero emissions target has laid out the UK’s green ambitions, there has been little insight into the minutiae needed to implement solid energy-efficient and low-carbon solutions for infrastructure systems and wider society. This means 40

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term solutions are yet to materialise. The future of fuels Until relatively recently, the UK lacked a drop-in fuel that matched the performance attributes of diesel with green credentials. But innovations in modern chemistry have identified a low-emission fossil fuel alternative that has improved operational performance verses fossil diesel, with considerable environmental benefits and that supports current logistical infrastructure. This cost-effective, practical solution has so far been overlooked by the UK fuel market. Less reliable, early-generation biofuels have until now been the only option within the UK which has led both industry and government to ignore liquid fuels within its plans for net zero.

air quality and climate change are not yet being effectively tackled.

Paraffinic fuels such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) represent the future of liquid fuels and provide a reliable solution to tackling air pollution and overcoming many of the barriers to decarbonisation.

Current policies include reducing emissions from both new and existing buildings, increasing the use of zero or low carbon fuels and reducing vehicle emissions to zero, These modern fuels have been designed to with a proposed ban of fossil-fuelled vehicle sales by 2030. However, workable long- combat the environmental and performance APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Articles inadequacies of earlier generation biofuels and conventional fuels. This is the result of a hydrogen-based production process, rather than FAME biodiesel’s esterification production method. The outcome is an entirely different paraffinic diesel product, with low aromatic and naphthenic hydrocarbon content and zero sulphur.

every 1,000 litres of HVO burned.

So why would you use HVO over regular diesel? HVO is an advanced renewable diesel fuel derived from 100% renewable waste streams through hydrotreatment and isomerisation. It meets bio content requirements with no FAME included and, to that point, avoids the instability and operability issues seen by many low blend diesels and high blend biofuels.

Land & Water chief executive, James Maclean, said: “As a planet, a nation and as individuals, we are at a pivotal moment in history.” “We need to find innovative ways to cut our carbon emissions,” he added. “As a company that operates a vast fleet of machinery, we are impressed by Crown Oil’s HVO fuel so decided to put it through its paces on one of our busiest sites.

A long-life renewable diesel During the production process, feedstocks are saturated with hydrogen at high temperatures and pressures which removes any esters and oxygen, enabling it to resist ‘diesel bug’. This means that the rate of degradation of HVO is far slower than regular biodiesel, offering a considerably longer shelf life of up to 10-years, which is particularly desirable when operating standby power facilities.

“HVO fuel can be put directly into the machinery, with no need for adaptions and it has performed faultlessly. It is our belief that Crown HVO could play a significant role in the UK Government’s goal of becoming net zero in terms of carbon emissions by 2020.”

Year-round performance Another superior attribute of HVO is its extremely low cloud point of up to -32oC. This avoids the frequent filter blockages seen by many FAME fuels without the use of cold flow improvers. Biodiesel can freeze at 5oC, even when incorporated as a blend in fossil diesel, resulting in an increased need for costly remedials and preventative heating and thermal measures during storage. A faultless, drop-in solution HVO is a 100% renewable hydrocarbon and can therefore be mixed with diesel in all proportions, causing no issues with switching tanks or fuels. It offers significant fuel savings thanks to its contents being readily burnt and operable within an engine; what you inject into the engine converts more efficiently into usable work. So, it’s clear that HVO provides enhanced logistical benefits compared to mineral diesel but how does it compare in terms of emissions? Paving the way to a greener future As a 100% hydrocarbon, biodegradable, sustainable and renewable fuel, HVO has reduced particulate, NOx and carbon monoxide production during combustion which significantly improves air quality.

Don’t just take our word for it… Civil engineering and environmental firm, Land & Water, trialled Crown HVO in its machinery at a site in Rainham, Essex.

The 6000 litres of HVO used during the trial saved around 18 tonnes of GHG CO2 and a significant quantity of NOx and particulate matter too. In addition, Land and Water reported a 10% reduction in overall fuel consumption when compared back-toback with mineral diesel. So why wouldn’t you use HVO? The proven benefits of using HVO are plentiful, including yearround usability, up to a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and direct drop-in functionality, making it a complete replacement for diesel. Its excellent environmental and logistical credentials are being increasingly noted - proven by a 100% increase in UK uptake in the last year. However, despite this increase, HVO still holds a minority share in the global diesel market and larger biofuels market, and the rise in electric vehicles presents a new set of challenges and opportunities. HVO vs battery-electric power Recent government announcements have signposted a move to electric vehicles (EVs) which are the favoured route to reduce notifiable emissions, such as particulates, NOx, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Whilst EVs undoubtedly reduce emissions to zero at the tailpipe, a closer look at the reality has led some to question the logic behind this move.

HVO fuel offers a fast and simple step towards “net zero” with no CAPEX requirement and reduces greenhouse gas CO2 emissions by 90%, with no changes to engines or their peripherals required. The feedstocks used to manufacture Crown HVO are 100% waste, drawn from primary sources which have bypassed damage to the environment, natural ecosystem and the drive for global deforestation.

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers recently published their “Accelerating Road Transport Decarbonisation” report which sparks some debate over the Government’s electrification strategy, particularly the effectiveness of EVs at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A key part of the report is the life cycle analysis comparison of traditional fuel technologies vs several “low emission” technologies, including renewable liquid fuels, LPG (liquid Petroleum Gas), PHEV (Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) and FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle).

HVO is manufactured from waste, plant oils, animal oils and fats such as used cooking oil. When HVO is burnt, any CO2 that is produced is then sequestered back into a plant on the next regrowth cycle. This closed loop ensures that the net atmospheric CO2 increase is typically 90% lower than that with from mineral diesel fuel.

The report concludes that current technology that runs on renewable liquid fuels outperforms new electric technologies in all cases from a GHG emission perspective. This is due to several factors, not least of which are the high production emissions from less optimised EV production routes, battery production and the relatively high GHG emissions found in UK electricity production.

For every 1,000 litres of diesel burned, you will produce 3.6 tonnes of greenhouse gas CO2, compared to just 195kg GHG CO2 for

Indeed, the Government’s own figures (UK Government GHG factors for company reporting) offer a carbon factor of 0.233

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Articles KgCO2e/kWh for electricity generation across the UK grid (inclusive of current renewable generation). When compared to diesel fuel, electricity does not offer significant savings, as diesel produces 0.245KgCO2/kWh. Renewable fuels such as HVO can produce carbon emission factors of 0.032KgCO2e/kWh which is a factor of 10 lower than either diesel or electricity. Furthermore, it’s clear from data published by BEIS (Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy) that it will take the National Grid until 2041 to reduce grid emissions to this level and until at least 2050 to be 100% carbon neutral; all of which is predicated on massively increasing renewable electricity generation and contentiously, nuclear power. What’s more, the Government’s plans do not take into account the building of infrastructure and additional power generation capacity needed to increase the proliferation of charging points, which are likely to be fuelled by fossil diesel. Finally, there are an estimated 308.3 million passenger vehicles in use across Europe, with an average lifespan of 12 years, and 99% of these are diesel/petrol and HVO offers the opportunity to switch these diesel vehicles to a cleaner fuel now rather than waiting for electricity to catch up. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, there simply isn’t enough time to wait for an increase in EVs to make a significant reduction in emissions. The adoption of electric vehicles is not the sole answer; and switching to renewable, paraffinic fuels offers a much easier and immediate solution. Although this message appears to have been lost on the UK Government, other European states such as Sweden recognise that climate and air quality improvement cannot rely on a “one size fits all” approach. This has led to the development of a multi-point strategy which includes the use of high content renewable fuels as well as the development of the EV market. Obstacles to adopting cleaner fuels The production of HVO is often linked to the use of palm oil as a feedstock and this perception has led the fuel to be faced with some scepticism. Whilst HVO can be produced using this feedstock, changes in legislation both within Europe and the UK has meant that palm derived HVO is no longer a commercially viable option. At Crown Oil, we do not support the use or sale of palm oil derived HVO and will only supply ISCC verified waste-derived product into the market. The Proof of Sustainability (POS) produced and verified by the ISCC confirms the origin of raw material and ensures that users can verify the credentials of Crown HVO. Our renewable diesel does not contain any products that contribute to global deforestation, land use changes or virgin raw materials and is therefore accepted by the RFTO for the issuance of RTFC credits as a waste derived product. Arguably, HVO is still regarded with some uncertainty as it’s a relatively new fuel in the UK. As well as concerns over its sourcing, questions around operability and performance are commonplace, so scaling the market and improving awareness is a challenge. The benefits associated with HVO use are currently restricted to a small (but growing) group of early adopters in the UK and a general lack of awareness hinders the fuel’s ability to tackle the legislative, reputational, and environmental consequences of fossil fuel reliance. APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Articles This isn’t to say that these hurdles cannot be overcome – HVO is already widely available at the pump in Finland, Sweden and several other European countries. Finland and Sweden were quick to see its potential and introduced excise duty relief to help drive adoption rates. These are now being phased out as the market has expanded to the point where it’s self-sustaining.

will garner a decrease in production and distribution costs; forging savings that can be passed on to the consumer.

The main barrier to UK uptake is cost; the economies of scale seen with the production and distribution of fossil fuels makes them significantly more appealing to organisations, so investing in alternative fuels is a commercially challenging case to argue. However, with low upfront costs needed from the consumer and government support in place (such as a fuel excise duty rebate for non-fossil fuels as per Scandinavia) the price difference would prove far more acceptable than alternative low carbon options which involve high investment, complex maintenance and disruption to operations. The transition to HVO is effortless by comparison, greatly increasing the chances of successful adoption.

An immediate and reliable solution to air pollution Despite evidential obstacles, paraffinic fuels provide vast scope for an immediate and tangible effect on tackling air pollution. With 11,900 large UK corporations legally required to report their emissions and a proposed ban of petrol and diesel car sales by 2030, the government needs to further encourage innovation in alternative fuels.

Another hindrance for alternative fuels is that they have been previously hard to source in bulk quantities in the UK as HVO isn’t produced at the same scale as mineral diesel. However, fuel producers and distributors such as Crown Oil are already working to address this, by improving the supply chain and boosting production to enable greener fuel adoption. As HVO becomes more widely implemented, the increase in uptake

Crown Oil has red and white HVO positioned across the UK with the vast majority of deliveries available either same day or within three days of order.

There is no time to waste when it comes to tackling GHG emissions. The government must start supporting alternative renewable fuel solutions that will work and back industry to increase production and implementation of these fuels. Whilst there is no silver bullet when it comes to air quality, the available short-term wins in the form of low-emission fuels are paving the way to a greener and cleaner future for many industries. With a strong infrastructure and a robust existing supply chain, paraffinic fuels can play a crucial part in tackling air pollution on a significant scale.

Global-MSI Helps Protect Green Drivers By Andy Kennedy, Business Development Director,Global-MSI -- Petrol Sign UK

Doncaster based Global-MSI has been busy recently designing bespoke canopies for clients wishing to provide their environmentally conscious customers with a better filling experience. While more and more low carbon fuel filling points have been installed, few have been supplied with the luxury of being under cover. As the customer base grows, operators are looking to differentiate themselves from the competition and provide the best experience for their customers. To meet this demand most large operators are approaching Global-MSI as the UK’s leading forecourt canopy specialist to provide a canopy solution. With a full design and build capability using in-house staff, GlobalMSI can work with the client to provide an individual canopy to meet their needs, based on the individual requirements and restrictions of that site. As this is still a relatively young market there is a scope to work with the client and architect to provide statement designs, as well as cost effective options based on the customer’s requirements for each site. For example, the hydrogen filling facility at Heathrow has a striking design that stands out with a very distinct look. We believe this enhances the installation and makes a bold statement that hydrogen is a fuel of the future. There are additional complications that Global-MSI had to take into consideration looking at such as 44

hazardous zones around the hydrogen dispenser. Another hydrogen installation completed was for Shell at Cobham services. While the design is still a cantilever canopy it is a more utilitarian design than Heathrow. This fits in better with the existing forecourt structures and maintains a corporate style in keeping with the rest of the site. Global-MSI is also seeing an uptake to supply protection canopies for E.V. charging stations. Sites are realising (as they did many years ago with forecourt canopies), customers do not like to fill up their vehicles in the rain. To provide some protection from the elements, a small canopy over the charging point is an ideal solution. Compared to the overall cost of a new installation the addition of a canopy is a small part of the full investment and can be seen as a long term investment on the site. As can be seen from the BP E.V. installation at the O2, Global-MSI took the design from concept drawings through to full design, construction and installation. The brief for the canopy was a light, airy look to fit in with the rest of the charging low carbon footprint complex. The idea being it blends into the surrounding background to minimise the effect on the area street scene. The Shell Derby installation took a different direction, with a stronger canopy installation to incorporate solar charging panels in the roof to maximise carbon offset.

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Articles

Heathrow

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Articles Global-MSI has the skills and experience to work with leading innovation and market pioneers to bring such schemes to fruition. They are pleased to be part of the growing green revolution in forecourt energy sources and look forward to progressing with the

industry as these new products become commonplace in our industry. Please visit www.global-msi.com to view other forecourt structures recently installed or contact info@global-msi.com for more information.

Above BP 02 Concept photo and canopy below

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Shell Derby installation

Storage But Not As We Know It By Patrick Smith, former Petroleum Officer, Suffolk County Council I was interested in Bob Renkes article on wartime oil production in Nottinghamshire in the December Bulletin. In 1974 the newly formed Suffolk Trading Standards took over the enforcement of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 for all bar the harbours of Suffolk. It had previously been the responsibility of miscellaneous rural Districts and small Boroughs. These records came in all shapes and sizes from the comprehensive with dates, maps, plans and details of tanks, pipework, types and position of dispensers through to the barest minimum such as we received from Southwold Borough Council. This consisted of just a one page list of names and addresses of licensees and fees charged, not even an address of the site. So much for detailed plans Jamie!! Looking at the original paperwork that we received in 1974 it was clear that in rural Suffolk over 50% of all the Petroleum licensed premises had been first registered during February/March 1943. They almost all consisted of 500 gallon tanks but there were many other sizes. Several went in as a single tank/vent/pump unit ready to go wherever. Many of these sites were still in use 60 years later, the vast majority on farms with vent pipes soaring to the majestic heights of about 4 feet. Some were built in old railway carriages, sheds, by streams, next to farm tracks or back doors. One I remember was subsequently built over and in order to access the 48

The records show an area roughly 10 miles square between Southwold and Framlingham in Suffolk and gives a good idea of the quality of the information that was inherited in 1974.

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Articles tank for refilling it was necessary to move the manager’s desk and carpet out of the way first. Others built under cover in workshops and venting indoors, many next to rivers for boats. Several were placed centrally in a farmyard just where they can easily be knocked over by unwary tractor drivers. Most tanks were massively over engineered in "utility" 5/8ths" thick metal and all set in concrete. This was all clearly for two reasons. Firstly, to prevent a total loss when large storage tanks were targeted by the bombers. Secondly, there was an increase in the use of tractors on the land both from home production and due to lend-lease supplies coming in from America. It must have taken a small army of local builders to construct them all and that probably explains the eccentric manners of installation. Still there was a war on you know. If the sample of records that I saw were to be replicated all over the county then I estimate over 600 new Petroleum licenses must have been issued that month in Suffolk alone. Of course none of these would be likely to have been inspected initially. Petroleum enforcement outside the large boroughs was for all intents and purposes non-existent until 1974. It did not bring in enough in fees to warrant training somebody to do the job. There was of course guidance to help design but in my experience I believe what probably happened was the owner and builder decided between them and just said "Put it there" and a hole was dug. The only site that I know for definite that was refused was a tank that was sunk under a pavement. It and the pump were down a 6ft wide covered over pedestrian alleyway, in a busy town centre, under a first floor private residence and next to a cellar. I can't think why they refused it. However, the builder was so confident that it was already in and

Shows the inside of the carriage.

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Articles being used by the motorbike workshop next door before they applied for the licence. Oops. Even 10 years ago these farm premises were still considered low risk and there must have been many sites that went in, operated and were finally filled with water, slurry or just left without any contact from a Petroleum Officer in their whole life. I came across one such tank just over 10 years ago. It had been taken out of use in 1948, filled with water and left. When I found it the water had drained away. I dipped it with a twig and it went straight through the bottom. But testing still gave an explosive atmosphere within the tank. I was also an Animal Health Inspector and came across many tanks on farms that we did not know anything about and for which we had no details at all. Simply because the Shows an example of all in one unit. previous Licensing Authority had not passed on or had lost the records of disused sites. Some are probably still out there filled with sand or water or nothing.

Note the pristine licence conditions (For pristine read unread).

Looking back it carries a message to all of us that was as true then as it is now. That is no matter what the rules state if things are not checked then they don't happen. It took the rethinking brought about by the Aberfan disaster in 1966 which caused a massive change to attitudes and resulted in The Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. In Suffolk the removal of 20 odd Petroleum Licensing Authorities at the same time and unifying into one meant that at last Petroleum Officers could be full time with the resulting increase in professionalism and consistency.

Note the vent coming out of the top of the railway carriage.

Nice to have your own shed. The calendar is May 1956.

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They don't make pumps that look as elegant as that anymore. Note the fancy electrics on the door. Don't know where the other pump is.

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Ask The Experts

By Jamie Thompson, Chairman of the APEA Technical Committee I recently attended an APEA training course and am about to carry out my first inspection on a filling station with double wall steel tanks with what I have been informed is a Class 1 leak detection system. Can you help me by pointing out what to look for during the inspection? Double wall tanks have been in use in the UK for 30 years now and the principle of Class 1 leak detection is that a pressure or vacuum is placed on the space between the two skins commonly known as the “interstice”. There is a small compressor within the control box which maintains a constant pressure between the two skins; should there ever be corrosion or a failure in either skin the leak detector will detect the leak and sound an alarm informing the service station that a problem exists. There will be a leak detection control

Class 1 Leak Detection

• The dry filter should have been checked and replaced as necessary. • Check that the manager or staff at the site know about the leak detection equipment and what to do if it alarms. An example of a leak detection device (found during an inspection) that sounded an alarm indicating a leak was found at a supermarket site where the staff were unaware of the equipment and decided to stop the noise as it was becoming a nuisance.

box on site which is normally situated in the kiosk or sales building and it will look like this. The items you should look at are making sure the green light is on showing it is operational, and no alarms are showing. The other items to check are: • When was the last date the leak detection device was maintained? It is advised that an annual check is made by an authorised contractor. Evidence can be obtained from the site register. 52

Silenced Alarm

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UK News

News Gasrec invests £1M in flagship refuelling station upgrade The investment at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal facility (DIRFT) aims to meet the growing demand of trucks running on renewable biomethane. Gasrec also introduced its own fuel cards in preparation for its station network expansion. Gasrec, a major fuel provider for gas-powered commercial vehicles in the UK, has completed a £1 million upgrade to its flagship site located at DIRFT with new fuel dispensers, new supply lines and a new fuel management system. The investment aims to meet the growing demand of trucks making the transition to renewable biomethane, which now represent nearly 5% of all new tractor unit registrations in the UK, according to Chief Executive of Gasrec, Rob Wood. “We have seen a huge influx of new customers at DIRFT over the course of 2020. This demand has also led us to invest in our supply chain and more than double the number of LNG road tankers in our fleet,” says Wood. DIRFT station offers 24/7 access to fleets from across the UK,

Ireland and Europe. With the capacity to refuel up to 700 trucks per day, it houses seven dispensing points, including four pumps and four storage tanks. Gasrec has also introduced its own fuel cards for customers in preparation for the company’s station network expansion, according to a company’s press release. Commenting on the projected growth, Chief Commercial Officer James Westcott explains: “We are already supplying double the volume of gas we were back in January 2020, and that’s after volumes shot up in 2019 too. Over the next few months, we’re going to be supporting hundreds of new gas trucks coming on the market, as businesses look to build back from the pandemic greener and stronger.” Gasrec projects that one-third of the UK’s 44-tonne heavy truck market will have transitioned to natural gas within the next seven years, with approximately 39,000 gas-powered HGVs on UK roads.

CNG Fuels secures £80 million to build nationwide HGVs fueling network Foresight Group’s funding line will support at least 14 public access stations for HGVs over the next two years, quadrupling CNG Fuels’ supply capacity. Foresight Group is providing an initial £80 million in funding to CNG Fuels in a partnership to build a UK-nationwide network of refuelling stations that will see it develop at least 14 public access stations for HGVs on major routes over the next two years, the companies announced. The funding will quadruple CNG Fuels’ supply capacity and enable it to refuel 8,000 vehicles a day, making carbon neutral fuel for HGVs available from Glasgow to Bristol. CNG Fuels opened its fifth refuelling station near Birmingham last week. The company is already able to supply 2,000 vehicles a day from its five public access refuelling stations, and a sixth station at

Knowsley, near Liverpool, is due to open in January. Stations due to open next year include major trucking hotspots such as Eurocentral, near Glasgow, Milton Keynes, Avonmouth and Wakefield. The £80 million funding line announcement follows the launch of the UK Government’s ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution as the UK works to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050. The proposal included a consultation on the phase out of new diesel HGVs, which account for 4.5% of total UK greenhouse gases. CNG Fuels was established in 2014 and is the UK market leader for the supply of bio-CNG for commercial vehicles. It operates the UK’s five highest capacity CNG stations, at Warrington, Northampton, Leyland (Lancashire), Crewe (Cheshire) and Erdington, near Birmingham.

Cornwall Council experiments with slurry fuel in new vehicles Cornwall Council is launching a new green plan to replace its whole fleet of 1,000 vehicles with ones powered by a renewable fuel source. The trial involves six dairy farms and a Cornish technology company making a new fuel from slurry - biomethane. If the scheme is successful, it could be rolled out to hundreds of smallscale farms across Cornwall, staff said. Al Hoare, who manages the 54

fleet of council arms-length contractor company Cormac, said it replaces its vehicles every five years, so it would take some time to be carbon-neutral. But he added: "As more of these vehicles are produced, unit costs will come down, ultimately saving taxpayers' money, as well as the obvious benefit in reduced carbon emissions and the positive effect that has on the environment."

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UK News

Lowdham village gets a new SPAR store and forecourt Car dealership owners Duncan and Lisa Betts have teamed up with Blakemore Trade Partners to open a brand-new SPAR store and forecourt in the Nottinghamshire village of Lowdham. The independent business owners decided to invest in a massive project to convert the old workshop into their dealership showroom and their old showroom into a 2,000sq.ft SPAR store with a Gulf branded forecourt. Situated on one large site, the project at SPAR Lowdham took only five weeks to complete starting in early October. The couple have invested a total of £300,000 into the site, which includes co-investment of £60,000

from Blakemore Trade Partners. “SPAR is a well-known trusted brand and has a fantastic range of bespoke and everyday products. We are thrilled to see all our plans delivered and through a pandemic! It has been a total leap of faith, but we are very confident of the future,” said Duncan Betts. The fuel side of the business has also undergone a makeover with four new pumps added together with Gulf branding, and provides air and water facilities, too. Electric charging is being considered for the future.

Analysis shows motorists overcharged for fuel in lockdown Average profit margins rose from 10p per litre to 18p after nationwide lockdown introduced in March, says consumer group Which? The detailed analysis has shown that UK motorists were overcharged for fuel during the coronavirus lockdown, despite the imposition of restrictions on general travel and the general fall in

Crude Oil prices on both the world and UK markets. Average profit margins rose from 10p per litre to 18p in the weeks after the nationwide lockdown was introduced in March, according to consumer group Which? This has led to calls for the oil companies to reverse the rise in prices and give a fairer deal to the already overstretched motorist and the economy.

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International News

Everfuel signs €20M loan to develop green hydrogen in Denmark The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €20.7 million loan agreement with Danish hydrogen innovator Everfuel, to scale up and commercialise hydrogen production for use as an alternative fuel for public and heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles.

By taking this first step in the hydrogen value chain, it is expected that the cost of using hydrogen as a fuel will come down, making it more economically attractive for operators to switch from fossil to green fuel.

Under this plan, Everfuel will put in place a distribution network, as well as refuelling and ancillary infrastructure in Denmark, to supply the gaseous hydrogen to fuel public transport buses and trucks.

The financing is supported under the Future Mobility product, backed by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the NER300 Programme of the European Commission.

Everfuel will use the offtake of hydrogen from existing chemical plants to power public transport in Denmark and aims to build its own electrolyser in Fredericia in the next two years.

The European Union has set the objective of deploying one million alternative fuel charging points by 2025, as established in the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and the European Green Deal.

EG Group acquires OMV’s petrol stations in Germany for €485M The British group finishes the year with another huge acquisition - the 285 OMV sites will be added to their existing business in Germany. EG Group has entered into a binding agreement to acquire a network of 285 petrol stations in Southern Germany from OMV Deutschland GmbH, for €485 million.

see significant growth potential. We look forward to integrating the business into our broader portfolio and further strengthening it through our expertise in Grocery & Merchandise and Foodservice,” said Zuber Issa, co-Founder and co-CEO of EG Group.

The OMV sites are primarily in the Bavaria and BadenWürttemberg regions. The acquisition will expand EG’s presence in Germany, where EG already operates sites under the ESSO fuel brand. As part of the agreement, EG will continue to operate the OMV brand in Germany until rebranding the newly acquired sites, and EG will inherit existing fuel supply agreements.

The business delivers fuel throughput of approx. 1 billion litres per annum. EG has also agreed to assume outstanding lease liabilities, implying a total enterprise value of €614 million. The transaction is expected to close in H2 2021.

“The acquisition is an exciting opportunity for us to expand EG Group’s footprint in Germany, a key European market where we

Recently, EG Group acquired Asda from Walmart in a £6.8 billion deal. The company has expanded internationally through a string of debt-led acquisitions, and now operates approximately 6,000 sites.

Everfuel, H2Fuel move ahead with first joint hydrogen station in Norway Expected to be ready by mid-2022, the hydrogen station in Kjelsrud, Oslo, will be a first step in the joint plan for a nationwide green hydrogen distribution system. Everfuel - H2Fuel move forward with their plans for the development of a nationwide green hydrogen distribution system in Norway following the lease of a property in Oslo to install a new hydrogen fueling station, expected to ready by the end of June 2022.

nationwide green hydrogen distribution system in Norway, starting in Oslo”, says Jacob Krogsgaard, the CEO of Everfuel. Everfuel and H2Fuel recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) whereby Everfuel will invest NOK 26 (€2.5m) million for 51% ownership interest in H2Fuel, a subsidiary of Nel Hydrogen, which will be renamed Everfuel Norway Retail AS. The parties plan to execute the final agreement in December 2020.

Located at Kjelsrud, the station will target trucks and heavy transport segments mainly. H2Fuel will also seek approval for installing a mobile fueling unit for taxis at the site already in mid2021.

Separately, Everfuel announced an agreement to acquire H2CO AS, an Uno-X owned company, which has two hydrogen fueling stations and hydrogen distribution assets in Norway. Final closing of the agreement is expected in early 2021.

“The hydrogen fueling station at Kjelsrud will be a first important step in implementing the joint plan for the development of a

The development of Kjelsrud is subject to public approvals from local and national authorities.

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International News

Air Liquide to install 6 bioNGV stations for trucks at ASDA One of the leading retailers in the United Kingdom, ASDA, has contracted Air Liquide to install and operate biomethane (BioNGV) distribution stations on 6 of the retailer’s 15 sites. The stations will refuel both ASDA trucks and those of some partners. The new stations for ASDA, which will be operational by the first quarter of 2021, will boost Air Liquide's network to 20 filling stations in the UK. Air Liquide’s stations are dedicated to refilling fleets of trucks and buses. At the end of 2019, Air Liquide acquired Gas Bus Alliance, which added 7 biomethane filling stations for buses to its network

in the country. Besides the BioGNV stations, British retail group ASDA announced that it will commission more than 300 new BioNGV trucks in 2021 to reduce the environmental footprint of its transport activities. Air Liquide will also install its tenth biomethane production plant in the UK by the summer of 2021, near Nottingham, with a production capacity of 90 GWh. Today, Air Liquide’s biomethane production capacity in the UK amounts to 650 GWh per year, which is enough to supply 1,000 trucks.

Bahrain petrol leak causes major concerns The Bahrain National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) announced the temporary closure of Juffair Fuel Station in Umm Al Hassam as a precautionary measure following a petrol leak, local media reported. All roads leading to the site were also closed as measures were taken by a team of experts from Civil Defence and Bapco. The Civil Defence confirmed it had taken all necessary precautions following a major leak at the Juffair fuel station in Um Al Hassam. The leak from the station had spread to surrounding areas with

smells of petrol entering nearby residential buildings. The Interior Ministry advised citizens and residents to cooperate and avoid entering the affected area. According to sources, the leak from the fuel station spread to surrounding areas. Jassim Al Shirawi, the head of NOGA, confirmed that the leaking fuel had reached the sewer system located near the station. All the fuel tanks have been emptied and the site made safe whilst experts continue to assess damage to the environment.

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Terpel to build 244 CNG stations in Colombia Under the brand Gazel, Terpel wants to become a leader in natural gas for vehicles in the Latin American country. Terpel has set the goal of becoming a leader in natural gas for vehicles in the Colombian market. Under the brand Gazel, it wants to open up to 244 CNG stations in the country’s main corridors. At the opening of a refuelling station for natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in Bosconia, company officials said the first phase of the project will focus on connecting the Bogota area with the North. Between 2020 and 2021 they will install CNG dispensers at 10 service stations. “Today NGVs cannot leave the cities because there is no network

of stations that allows them to make long journeys. For that reason, we took the decision to take care of this necessity and to boost the use of the gas vehicles, conscious there is an increasing demand from industry players that use heavy vehicles powered by natural gas,” explained Johand Patiño, commercial vice-president of Terpel. Currently there are around 200,000 vehicles using CNG in Colombia. Terpel expects that number to continue to grow. To cover that demand it has set the target of 244 Gazel natural gas stations. The new NGV2 dispensers that Gazel stations will include reduced refuelling time from 45 to 20 minutes for heavy-duty vehicles.

Chevron Thailand to invest $200M in new stations Under the Caltex Growth Project, some 100 new petrol stations will be opened in Thailand by 2021. Chevron Thailand will invest US$200 million in capital spending to expand and improve its fuel retail business from 2019 to 2021 despite the difficult economic context. The Caltex Growth Project is projected to develop 100 new petrol stations in Thailand and the refurbishing of other sites to show the new colours of Caltex.

The new stations will be equipped with a digital system under the company's Smart Design Pump as well as other convenience elements. Last year Chevron joined hands with Bangkok Bank to offer contactless payments through Caltex Go Mobile application, reports the Bangkok Post. Country chairwoman and general manager Alice Potter said she wants to increase the number of sites from 400 to 500 by 2021.

New bio diesel plant to open Austrian oil company OMV will invest around €200 million in the Schwechat Refinery to substitute large quantities of fossil diesel with biodiesel in an innovative co-processing approach.

“The conversion in the OMV Schwechat Refinery makes a key contribution to more sustainable mobility and is another step in achieving our climate targets.

With this process, the hydrogenated vegetable oil should lead to an annual reduction in OMV’s carbon footprint of up to 360,000 metric tons of fossil CO2. This is equivalent to the annual emissions of around 200,000 cars driving an average of 12,000 km per year.

At the same time, we are providing economic stimulus in Austria with this investment of almost EUR 200m,” said Thomas Gangl, OMV Chief Downstream Operations Officer.

The move fits into OMV’s pledge to reach net-zero emissions in operations by 2050 or sooner.

OMV expects demand for its hydrogenated biofuels to increase ten-fold by 2030. With this, OMV is one of the first companies in Europe to engage in co-processing on an industrial scale.

BP acquires forest carbon offset developer Finite Carbon Finite Carbon targeting expansion that will deliver further $1 billion revenue to small landowners by 2030. BP has acquired a majority stake in carbon offset developer Finite Carbon, building on its existing interest in the company. Finite Carbon is the largest developer of forest carbon offsets in the US. BP will bring the firm into its in-house business accelerator, BP 58

Launchpad. Together with BP’s additional investment, this is expected to bolster Finite Carbon’s expansion, including into new geographical markets. Finite Carbon identifies and develops projects that enable landowners to generate revenue from the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of forests. These actions increase carbon stored in forests and generate carbon offsets that are verified against industry-recognized

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standards and can be traded on markets. “Finite Carbon’s progression through BP - from venturing investment to majority ownership and introduction to Launchpad – is a great example of how we are applying our unique innovation ecosystem to foster innovation and build material energy businesses in support of our

net zero ambition,” said David Eyton, executive VP of innovation and engineering. Finite Carbon now has 50 carbon projects on three million acres in the US which have registered more than 70 million independently verified offsets and generated more than $500 million in revenue for landowners.

Puma Energy launches first customer reward programme The international oil company and fuel retailer has launched its first global customer reward programme. Puma Energy announced its first customer loyalty programme, “PRIS”, that rewards customers for their loyalty whenever they shop or purchase fuel at participating sites. The loyalty initiative is the next step in Puma Energy’s broader consumer insight based digital strategy, understanding the rise in mobile shopping and today’s demand for a seamless and engaging e-commerce experience for consumers. Through PRIS, customers will receive points redeemable for offers at Super7 convenience stores and other participating merchants. Participants will also have the ability to accumulate points leading to a gold membership tier, where they will have the opportunity to receive rewards.

It will take into account localized preferences, as it will be tailored to offer strong loyalty propositions to suit customers in each launch market over the next year. “The launch of the PRIS programme in Angola is the first of its kind in the country and goes beyond those of other non-fuel retailers. It is at the forefront of the customer loyalty landscape in the industry across the African continent. In Panama, a more established market for fuel retail loyalty schemes, PRIS will offer a point of differentiation to customers looking for ever improving value and customer service,” said Deborah Binks-Moore, Puma Energy’s Chief Customer & Communications Officer. Puma Energy has around 2,600 retail sites, a presence at over 80 airports and a network of 91 storage terminals.

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7-Eleven commits to renewable power The Global retailing giant will join the RE100 initiative that commits to 100% renewable electricity. Seven & I Holdings Co. is switching its operations to 100% renewable power through the RE100 energy commitment. RE100 is a global initiative bringing together the world’s most influential businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity. Among the initiative's other retail members are H&M, Lululemon Athletica, Rakuten, Starbucks, Target, Tesco, Walmart and Woolworths Group, while big CPG companies include PepsiCo. Led by international non-profit the Climate Group in partnership with CDP, the group have a total revenue of over US$6.6 trillion

and operate in a diverse range of sectors. “We welcome Seven & I Holdings to RE100,” said Amy Davidsen, executive director – North America for the New York-based Climate Group. “In addition to its global footprint, 7-Eleven is one of the top 25 largest retailers in the U.S., so it’s exciting to see them move in the right direction towards a clean-energy transition. Seven & I Holdings is sending a signal that businesses are major players in the renewable energy market.” Dallas-based 7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 71,800 stores in 17 countries, including 12,000 in North America.

India’s Patna city to set up 12 new CNG stations welve new compressed natural gas (CNG) stations and 50 CNG buses will be rolled out next January in Patna, the capital and largest city of India’s state of Bihar, reports The Times of India (TOI). The 50 new CNG buses and the 12 pumps are being deployed in a bid to curb Patna’s air pollution levels, the Bihar Transport Secretary, Sanjay Kumar Agarwal told TOI. Bihar Transport

Department will also either convert all diesel-run autorickshaws into CNG or replace them with new ones, according to TOI. CNG supply began in Patna after the inauguration of the city’s gas distribution network in February 2019. Nearly 5,000 CNGpowered autos circulate at present in Patna. Patna is one of the most polluted cities in the world, hence the efforts to introduce eco-friendly vehicles and cleaner fuels like CNG.

Neste opens two new stations in California Neste has opened two new fueling stations in central California, providing greater accessibility to Neste MY Renewable Diesel. The number of Neste MY Renewable Diesel stations in California has more than doubled since 2019. The new cardlock locations are operated by Neste's authorized distributor, Van De Pol Petroleum, increasing the company's geographical footprint with the opening of these two new sites. Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a low-carbon fuel produced from

100% renewable and sustainable raw materials. "Intensified by climate change, wildfires in California have taken lives, upended whole communities and are on track to cause $10 billion in damage,'' said Carrie Song, vice president for Renewable Road Transportation in North America. "This is unacceptable and shows the urgent need for California to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its transport system.” Neste’s fuel has replaced more than 1.6 billion gallons of fossil diesel, the equivalent of taking up to 3.9 million cars off the road per year.

Gasum strengthens HGV gas filling network in central Sweden Gasum’s new site in Borlänge is the company’s 14th gas filling station for HDVs in Sweden, and its 27th across the Nordic Area. Gasum is strengthening the gas filling infrastructure for heavy duty vehicles in central Sweden with the opening of its first liquefied gas filling station in Borlänge, Dalarna County. The station is Gasum’s 14th gas filling station for HDVs in Sweden and raises the company’s total network of gas sites for HDVs around the Nordics to 27 locations. Gasum's new public filling station in Borlänge has been built in close collaboration with the region's largest logistics company MaserFrakt and TRB. Located on MaserFrakt's property, in an area with terminals and industry that experiences heavy traffic, the 60

station offers liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied biogas (LBG) for heavy duty vehicles. In the coming years, Gasum is planning to increase its gas filling network for HDVs in the Nordics up to 50 locations, according to a company’s press release. As Sweden works towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions from road transport by 70 percent by 2030 compared to the 2010 levels, interest in gas as a fuel solution is steadily rising in the country. More than 800 gas-powered trucks are now making their way to Swedish roads, according to Mikael Antonsson, Director Traffic Sweden, Gasum.

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Everfuel to supply green hydrogen from electrolysis pilot project Everfuel has signed an agreement with Siemens Gamesa for distribution of green hydrogen for zero emission mobility in Denmark. Hydrogen produced by a Siemens Gamesa pilot project will be distributed to hydrogen stations in the country, enabling zero emission vehicles to operate on green fuel supply.

electrolysis through distribution on our own high-capacity hydrogen trailers and delivery to our fueling stations. This is our first-in-line proof of commercialization of a true green hydrogen value chain,” says Jacob Krogsgaard, the CEO and founder of Everfuel.

The green hydrogen will be produced by a Siemens Gamesa wind turbine connected to an electrolyser with the ability to operate in ‘island mode’ – driving an electrolysis unit with no link to the electricity grid. When fully operational, the project’s electrolyser could produce enough hydrogen to fuel the equivalent of 50-70 taxis, according to a company’s press release. “This is a significant milestone for Everfuel. It will be the first time we connect the hydrogen value chain from renewable energy production and

The pilot project in Brande, Western Denmark, is close to obtaining final permits, with initial test runs and first hydrogen production expected to start already in early 2021.Everfuel is a new hydrogen fuel company in Europe, connecting the entire hydrogen value chain to provide green hydrogen for zero emission mobility. Siemens Gamesa is a leader in the renewable energy industry, working to provide offshore and onshore wind turbines and services.

SOCAR reaches 200 stations in Switzerland The Azerbaijani company has opened three petrol stations over the last week.

to expand in the Swiss region.

SOCAR Energy Switzerland has opened three more stations this week to increase the total number of stations in Switzerland to 200.

The first petrol station with the new SOCAR branding formally opened in Zurich in September 2012 after the assets of Esso Switzerland were transferred. The transfer was part of an agreement between SOCAR and ExxonMobil in 2012.

With the opening of stations in Stalvedro, Meiringen and Innertkirchen, the company has reached a milestone as it continues

The executive board at SOCAR Energy Switzerland is headed by its Swiss CEO, Edgar Bachmann.

IndianOil launches India’s first 100 Octane petrol IndianOil has launched a 100 Octane petrol for the first time in India. Branded as XP100, the premium grade petrol was launched across ten cities in a first phase and will be extended to 15 cities in a second phase. Currently, the normal petrol marketed in India has 91 Octane. The cities where XP100 premium grade petrol is being rolled out have been selected based on their aspirational demographics and availability of high-end vehicles. In the first phase, XP100 premium grade petrol has been made

available in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Agra, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad. In the second phase, the availability of this 100 Octane petrol would be extended to Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bhubaneswar. XP100 premium grade petrol has been produced at IndianOil's Mathura Refinery using the indigenous OCTAMAX technology developed by IndianOil R&D. 100 Octane petrol has a niche market for high-end vehicles. The fuel is currently available only in six countries - USA, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Malaysia and Israel.

California to invest $115M in hydrogen fueling infrastructure

Up to 111 new hydrogen fueling stations will be built with the funds by 2027. Commissioners approved already $25 million for the first 30 stations.

vehicles (FCEVs). The funding nearly doubles the state’s investments to date and will help California nearly achieve its goal to deploy 200 public hydrogen fueling stations.

The California Energy Commission (CEC) approved a plan that will invest up to $115 million to significantly increase the number of fueling stations in the state that support hydrogen fuel cell electric

Under the plan, up to 111 new hydrogen fueling stations will be built in the state by 2027, including many designed for multi-use by passenger vehicles, trucks and buses. Total project funding is

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subject to annual approval of both the state budget and allocations from the CEC. To date, the CEC has funded 45 open retail hydrogen stations with an additional 16 under construction. Altogether with CEC’s latest approved plan, there could be up to 179 stations in the state, including seven privately funded stations.

Iwatani Corporation of America, received $1.9 million.

Commissioners awarded three grants totaling nearly $25 million for the installation of the first 30 stations under the plan. More than half of the stations approved will be built in or near disadvantaged communities.

First Element Fuel also received $5 million from the Volkswagen (VW) Environmental Mitigation Trust. The additional funds are designed to accelerate the development of additional hydrogen fueling stations in California. The grants were awarded through the CEC’s Clean Transportation Program, which invests more than $100 million annually to support transportation-related innovations and accelerate the development and deployment of advanced transportation and fuel technologies.

Irvine-based FirstElement Fuel, Inc., received $15.5 million. San Francisco-based Equilon Enterprises (doing business as Shell Oil Products U.S.) received $7.3 million, and the Santa Clara-based

About $20 million from the program – the maximum allowable under state law – is invested each year to support an initial network of at least 100 public hydrogen stations.

Zuva to install solar panels on sites Zuva Petroleum, the leading energy company in Zimbabwe, has announced a multi-million-dollar solar project that will see the energy giant installing 180 solar plants across its service stations, liquified petroleum gas (LPG) sites and depots by the end of 2021. “Our investment in solar is part of a long-term strategy on renewable and sustainable energy aimed at reducing our carbon footprint through lowering carbon dioxide emissions and ensuring

uninterrupted energy delivery at our service stations and LPG installations nationwide,” said CEO Zuva Petroleum, Bethwell Gumbo. After project completion, Zuva plans to channel 30% of the power generated from the solar plants to the national power grid. With a population of 16 million, only about 32% of the Zimbabwean population has access to electricity.

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Press Releases 66% of drivers are aware that Covid-19 can be contracted at the fuel pump. That’s driving demand for hand-protection on the forecourt Since the survey was last carried out in 2017, the largest leap observed was the number of drivers that said that they would now always wear hand-protection - if it were readily available rising 19% to 83% of all drivers. That sends a clear message to forecourt owners that hand-protection is now a major factor in influencing where drivers fill up. Oli Yeo, inventor and managing director of GripHero Ltd, commented on the findings, saying: “Throughout 2020, we’re pleased to have seen very significant growth in the numbers of networks around the world taking up our eco-friendly customer protection system. The feedback we’ve received from both operators and drivers shows an uptake in customers and numbers of drivers protecting themselves where convenient customer protection is provided. Importantly, operators have also reported a dramatic reduction in their plastic waste and carbon footprints, due to GripHero’s efficient single-item release dispenser mechanism.” Oli Yeo adds: “We must also remember that motorist often fail to clean their hands before picking up the fuel-pump, which means that there’s a very real possibility that any illness could be passed on to the next users of that pump. “That’s why GripHero was invented - to protect drivers from foul-smelling, fuel impregnated hands, and to stop the avoidable contraction of illness, which has become particularly pertinent following the outbreak of Covid-19. It’s also why we’re providing our dispensers free to forecourts through to 19th February 2021 so that there are no barriers to fuel station owners protecting New independent research commissioned by GripHero has revealed their customers.” that 66% of drivers are aware that Covid-19 can be passed from driverto-driver at the fuel pump, and that’s driving motorists to hunt for Through the development of ATEX certified static-safe materials, hand-protection. 86% of drivers now actively look for hand-protection. GripHero’s hand-protection systems are permitted within the As a result, forecourt owners are being advised that failing to provide refuelling zone - creating the world’s only solution that allows suitable hand-protection every time could impact their business. drivers to enjoy the convenience of hand-protection exactly Conducted in October 2020, the survey of 2,000 drivers throughout the UK showed that concerns over health and the potential transmission of Covid-19 at the fuel pump have led to a change in motorists’ forecourt preferences. 74% of motorists are now more likely to wear hand-protection than before the pandemic broke, with 85% saying that they would now travel further to a forecourt where handprotection was easily available, over a closer alternative without.

where they need it – right in front of them, on the fuel pump handle that they are about to hold, directly at the point of use.

Moreover, as each dispenser releases just one item of handprotection at a time, it prevents clumps of hand-protection being taken accidentally or deliberately. So, there should never be a shortage of hand-protection at forecourts installing GripHero. That means drivers can refuel and grab a snack safe in the knowledge that their hands won’t have touched a surface That could have significant implications for forecourts that are unable handled by hundreds of other drivers, who could be carriers of to provide drivers with readily available hand-protection, and could Covid-19. That’s a win-win scenario for all concerned; forecourt owner and driver. lead to a loss of valuable income from retail outlets. 64

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Petrol Sign UK assist Esso with their launch of Synergy Supreme+ 99 fuel

Doncaster based Petrol Sign UK were recently selected to manufacture and supply all the forecourt brand labelling for the recent Esso Synergy Supreme+ 99 high octane fuel launch. Esso tendered for the supply of high quality vinyl adhesive labelling for the new 99 Octane brand on all their forecourt dispenser and directional grade signs (including pumps and nozzle branding). The project required approximately 90,000 individual adhesive vinyl labels of varying types to complete the network. The labels were required to meet a very tight timescale of a two week roll out to correspond with the Esso launch and TV advertising campaign. All the vinyl labels are printed with high resolution graphics for visual impact and laminated to ensure long life without fading. According to Esso the new fuel features three key attributes: a higher octane levels (99), which is known to help prevent ‘knock’-related performance losses; double detergent additives compared to Esso’s regular petrol, giving the engine APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Press Releases a deeper clean, which helps improve performance and better fuel efficiency; the double protection additives include frictionreducing molecules that help an engine’s moving parts work more efficiently. Petrol Sign UK also surveyed and installed the new branding on a large portion of the Esso network. Given the tight two week window to carry out the roll out, it was all hands to the pumps (literally) to complete the project in the timescale required. Paul Firth (Petrol Sign General Manager) said “We are very pleased

to be awarded the contract for the supply of the forecourt labelling for this high profile roll out which is such a key strategy for Esso. Having supplied Esso with the label materials on previous projects, including ‘Pay at pump’ and ‘Biofuels re-labelling’, this gives us recognition of the quality and service of the products we are providing to the forecourt market”. Petrol Sign UK can be contacted on +44 (0)1302 34 69 60 sales.uk@petrol-sign.com www.petrol-signuk.com

The new Jigsaw Eclipse 2 doubles down on fuel management The Jigsaw Eclipse fuel management system provided by Europump Maintenance has been upgraded with new features that further cement its reputation as the leading system for commercial fuelling operations. While retaining the reliable, proven features of the original system, the Eclipse 2 has double the program memory and additional storage capacity on-site data backup; door open detection; a modular modem for easy future upgrade to 4G or 5G networks and beyond; and a new, wipe-clean user interface. Europump’s maintenance and installation engineers have undertaken extensive training from Jigsaw to install and maintain the Eclipse 2 fuel management system for new and existing customers. Eclipse 2 can be retrofitted to your current system and has the protocols to collect data from most electronic tank gauging systems allowing for accurate wet stock data reconciliation. Europump Maintenance has been selected as Jigsaw’s preferred supplier due to its nationwide network of engineers carrying a substantial range of spare parts on their vehicles as well as the support of the full spectrum of services available from within the umbrella Eurotank Service Group.

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Pumptronics and Hytek Way back in 2018, Hytek GB acquired the North Walsham based pump manufacturer Pumptronics. Since then a lot has changed for both the companies and the world. With the sweeping changes the global economy has seen, the addition of Pumptronics to Hytek GB’s growing business seems like an auspicious event. The merger has added resilience to Hytek GB, having come out of the first wave of the pandemic fully intact in a way that no one hoped to imagine at the beginning of the pandemic. Now, Hytek GB is going into 2021 with a fully-fledged pump range. What was once a sensible purchase has evolved into an investment in a stable future. In combining over 65 years of experience, processes, and people Hytek GB has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the commercial fuelling industry. It’s no surprise then that the Pumptronics’ brand has had a complete overhaul, with a new website (and catalogue to come) that conveys a strong and powerful intention. The website itself is easy to navigate and supplies a wealth of technical information that will serve potential customers and end-users well.

range. Natalie O’Neill, Managing Director at A&G Group, commented: “Having been in the fuel industry for over 35 years now, we've worked with both Hytek and Pumptronics from the beginning. The merger has combined two incredible companies, with an excellent product range and a fantastic team of people, who are always friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to help.” It’s obvious that A&G Group is not the only one happy with the direction of the company. Both internally and externally the company is brimming with positivity. A long-time customer of Pumptronics, Octane has over 50 years of experience in the commercial fuelling industry. Their Director, Richard Sykes, had this to say about the Hytek GB acquisition: “After working with Pumptronics products and people for years we’re pleased that we can continue our long-running partnership. The transition has been smooth with no delays or changes to our processes. We’re thrilled to work with a Hytek GB team full of familiar faces.”

The most noticeable difference though is the addition of a new range to the Pumptronics line: the iconic ALPHA.

With two years of development, this launch marks an exciting time for the Hytek GB team and a platform to establish themselves as the best in Britain for pump manufacturing. This opportunity does not escape Martin Russel Hytek GB’s Managing Director who looks set to drive Pumptronics into a bigger brighter future: “Acquiring the North Walsham team has allowed us to establish a fully developed range of pumps, one that meets any need that our customers come to us with. We’re now onto planning the next five years, what our pumps will look like, how we take the Pumptronics brand forward… it’s really a very exciting time.”

Originally a Hytek GB developed product, the ALPHA pump has long been seen by some as a Pumtronics rival. But history is awash with rivalry transfers - will the move be as iconic as Campbell to Arsenal or Van Persie to Manchester United? Time will indeed tell...

It’s clear that there are big plans on the horizon for the team. With the C-Series, ALPHA, and Zeon all expected to be key features over the coming years as the business grows and adapts, we’re sure to see big investments in each platform.

However, unlike those sporting rivalries, this transfer has not seen fans turn on their old favourites. In fact, both Hytek GB and Pumptronics customers are singing the praises of the new-look

If you have any commercial fuelling needs that you’d like Hytek GB support with then speak to our sales team on +44 (0) 1279 815 600.

With this reinvention also comes the addition of a pump configurator. A first in the field, the configurator allows users to create a pump before their eyes. It features a submit/save option, allowing users to submit their design for a quote, or to save the pump as a proof of concept for key stakeholders.

HMG announcement on ending the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans London, 18 November 2020 - UKPIA supports decarbonisation of transport which the UK Government is seeking to achieve with today’s announcement and will continue to work with our members to deliver that aim. UKPIA believes that as well as encouraging EV uptake in light vehicles, government should support the uptake of a range of technologies to reduce carbon emissions in light transport without a ban, but welcomes the acceptance that hybrids have an important role to play. To be ready for the end of the sale of new conventional combustion engines from 2030, a holistic plan coupled with regulatory certainty is needed from the UK Government to enable the sector to meet 68

this challenge. Attention must also turn to harder to decarbonise transport sectors – aviation, maritime and Heavy Goods Vehicles – where low carbon liquid fuels, which can deliver an 87% GHG emissions reduction and hydrogen will certainly be needed. UKPIA will continue to work with government on creating a clear plan that ensures greenhouse gas emissions are reduced across all technologies in the most economically efficient way – taking a whole system-based approach with tailored policy interventions for difficult to decarbonise sectors such as aviation.

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Quotes Attributed to UKPIA Director General Stephen Marcos Jones “The downstream oil sector recognises the need for action on climate change and will play an active role in the pathway to netzero emissions.

“We also need to work with government to make sure that low carbon liquid fuels (LCLF’s) continue to be developed. Harder to decarbonise sectors like aviation will rely on LCLF’s, meaning we need to develop them now to ensure they are decarbonised for 2050.

“UKPIA and our members know that a range of technologies including EVs have a major role to play into the 2030’s and beyond, and we will keep working with government to deliver this ambitious new target.

“While internal combustion engines will still be in use for some time to come, it is important to deploy low carbon liquid fuels like biofuels into the fuel mix sooner as they offer significant carbon emissions reductions with today’s car fleet.”

Dover Fueling Solutions appoints Wendi Pitman as Vice President of Digital Consumer Experience and IT AUSTIN, TEXAS – 25 November 2020 – Dover Fueling Solutions (‘DFS’), a part of Dover Corporation that delivers advanced fuel dispensing equipment, electronic systems and payment, fleet systems, automatic tank gauging, and wetstock management, is pleased to announce the promotion of Wendi Pitman to vice president of the newly created digital customer experience (CX) organization and IT team.

partner space. During this time, she has consistently demonstrated valued leadership of DFS’ digital and IT efforts, including developing and implementing successful strategies for IT infrastructure, governance and global team support, while also modernizing its systems and processes. Prior to DFS, Wendi held positions of increasing IT leadership responsibility with Newell Rubbermaid/Burnes Group and Newellco.

Wendi has been with DFS for the past 15 years, building up a wealth of experience in the information technology business

In this new digital CX and IT role, Wendi will be responsible for developing a new digital strategy for the DFS customer experience.

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Press Releases Her focus areas will include designing digital solutions for customer ordering, integrating multiple systems, and designing end-to-end solutions that improve and enhance DFS’ existing tools, services and engagement metrics. She will also identify next generation methods of capturing additional customer and market opportunities. “Appointing a leader of Wendi’s competence into this new role will go a long way in helping DFS achieve its vision of becoming a product leadership and technology company,” commented DFS president David Crouse. “An important strategic company objective is to position DFS as a leader in the digitalized customer experience and we are confident that Wendi’s proven success with us as a technology and systems expert as well as her proficiency in understanding, interpreting and realising the voice of the customer with the creation of new products will be invaluable in helping the company attain success in this area.” For more information about Dover Fueling Solutions, please visit www.doverfuelingsolutions.com.

Dover Fueling Solutions releases brand-new MagLink LX 4 console AUSTIN, TEXAS – November 30, 2020 – Dover Fueling Solutions (“DFS”), a part of Dover Corporation that delivers advanced fuel dispensing equipment, electronic systems and payment, fleet systems, automatic tank gauging and wetstock management, is pleased to launch its next generation console, the ProGauge MagLink LX 4. The brand-new tank gauge console supersedes the previous MagLink LX model and features several impressive upgrades and enhancements, including the introduction of state-of-the-art “touch and swipe” technology, resulting in a truly immersive and interactive experience for the user. Coupled with enhanced graphics, including realistic 3-dimensional storage tank renders that give an accurate visualisation of the fuel stored in underground tanks, this intelligent technology enables fuel retailers to effortlessly glide between screens, zoom in and activate buttons to easily view all tank data instantly. All of this, as well as a brighter screen and a faster processor, makes the MagLink LX 4 the most advanced tank gauge very hard over the past 12 months to ensure this latest generation console on the market today. console exceeds expectations for our customers, and I can confidently say we have achieved just that. The MagLink LX 4 console also integrates seamlessly with many products and services from within DFS’ vast portfolio, including “The drill-down elements on the MagLink LX4, as well as the clear wetstock applications such as the Fairbanks expert monitoring iconography, make it very simple for users to locate the exact service and the new DMP magnetostrictive probe, which combine information they need as fast as possible and also ensures the to give site owners a complete fuel management solution for their gauge is a universal and accessible solution for customers across network. The superior graphical display gives an instant visualisation of all fuel inventory on site, enabling fuel retailers to the world, as DFS strides towards achieving its vision of being the leading global provider of enhanced technologies, services and quickly make informed decisions over their wetstock. solutions in the fuel retail and convenience sectors.” “We are extremely proud to be able to launch this brand-new MagLink LX model,’ said Fergus Heading, Business Development Snr Manager, ATG Business Unit. “The DFS team has been working 70

For more information about Dover Fueling Solutions, please visit www.doverfuelingsolutions.com.

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Signware company Petrol Sign celebrates 5 years of growth in the UK

Multinational forecourt signware specialists Petrol Sign is celebrating five years of continuous growth in the UK. Petrol Sign, a leading European sign manufacturer, was purchased by UK company MS INTERNATIONAL Plc. in 2015. This fitted in nicely with their existing forecourt structures division GlobalMSI, the UK’s market leader for canopy and shop buildings. Petrol Sign UK was established in premises next to Global-MSI in Doncaster but operating as a stand-alone division of MS INTERNATIONAL PLC. Starting small from modest beginnings, the office comprised two small rooms and a small workshop/storage area. However, growth of the business over the past five years has gradually grown the space required and Petrol Sign now occupies several large units to incorporate the manufacture, refurbishment and storage required to support the business. APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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One area they are very proud to promote is the establishment of an industry leading vinyl printing and laminating facility. This now allows Petrol Sign UK to quickly meet the customer’s needs for vinyl labelling and posters of any size. From a nozzle label right up to a full size car wash wall with high definition graphics. These new facilities then doubled in capacity on receipt of multiple contracts for full scale nationwide roll outs of forecourt signage by major oil companies. With the support of Petrol Sign B.V. the Petrol Sign Division is the main manufacturer and supplier of Esso signware for Europe. The backing of such a large organisation has meant that Petrol Sign UK has been able to steadily grow their UK business, picking up branding work with most major oil companies and dealer groups (regardless of oil company brand). The company has also built up a reputation in the marketplace for fast response times with a value for money offer that is very well received by their clients. Building on this reputation Petrol Sign vehicles are now a regular sight on

forecourts up and down the country. Whether this is on full site rebranding (including shops and car washes) or emergency repairs on main price signs and canopy damage. Global-MSI and Petrol Sign Business Development Director Andy Kennedy said ‘Petrol Sign UK is a great success story with exponential growth over the last five years from being the new kid on the block back in 2015. In a shrinking marketplace it is testament to the hard work of all the team to gain such a good reputation in the industry. This has allowed us to grow in strength year on year. All our achievements are based on repeat business from the limited customer base we have in the UK, so we are confident we are providing the service our customers are looking for through our service commitment to them.’ Petrol sign can be contacted on: Sales.uk@petrol-sign.com or visit www.petrol-signuk.com Telephone 01302 346968.

TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory to build UK’s first mobile facility for testing dispensed quantity at hydrogen refuelling stations TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory has secured Government funding to build the UK’s first mobile primary standard facility for testing hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) to ensure they deliver the correct amount of fuel. Funded by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), through the National Measurement System mechanism, the mobile facility will ensure accurate and consistent measurement of the dispensed quantity of fuel at HRS. This will assure drivers of 72

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Press Releases

hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV’s) that financial transactions are correct and ensure accurate fiscal measurements for future taxation purposes. Dr Martin Hanton, Technical Director at TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory, said: “The design of petrol and diesel refuelling stations is highly standardised and if hydrogen FCEV’s are to become a viable transport choice, then establishing a standardised refuelling infrastructure is crucial. Ensuring the consumer gets what they pay for at the refuelling station necessitates accuracy at the nozzle, not the meter. We must therefore bring the calibration facility to the refuelling station and that is precisely what we will do with our new mobile primary standard,” concluded Hanton. The international accuracy requirements for HRS fuel dispensers are mandated as ±2% for new instal-lations. However, current ranges can be anywhere between ±1 – 10%. Furthermore, if a consumer dis-putes the dispensed volume, Trading Standards cannot investigate at present as the UK currently has no traceability chain that is linked to a physical primary standard for hydrogen, or the equipment and skills to test fuel dispensers. TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory’s new mobile facility will pro-vide this measurement traceability for the UK and the only practical, traceable capability to test hydro-gen refuelling stations for dispensed quantity at the nozzle in the country.

Martin Hanton, Technical Director TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory

Marc MacDonald, Head of Clean Fuels at TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory, said: “From our involvement in EU projects such as MetroHyVe, it is clear that the dispensed quantity performance of HRS can be variable, in part due to inconsistency in design. We have seen that compliance with the prevailing regulation (OIML R-139) is possible, but not always achieved, especially if less than a full tank fill is delivered. We will use our new mobile APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Press Releases facility to work with industry and test HRS for compli-ance with the regulations, which is essential to ensure public support for FCEV’s use.” TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory has selected Edinburgh-based hydrogen technology specialist Logan Energy to construct the mobile test facility. Chosen for their proven track-record in deliver-ing integrated hydrogen technologies, the company has successfully supported the development and deployment of zero emission technologies throughout the UK and Europe. Bill Ireland, CEO of Logan Energy, said: “This is an exciting collaboration between two Scotland-based teams and is fantastic recognition of our expertise and experience in delivering hydrogen systems and refuelling stations. This project is all about accuracy in a process that has proved difficult to control. We will be setting industry standards to ensure accuracy when it comes to refuelling vehicles.” Once completed, the new mobile primary standard facility will also be used to conduct a research cam-paign, which will be used to update industry guidance for the design, construction, modification and maintenance of HRS. This latest project supports TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory’s ongoing work as part of the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) Metrology for Hydrogen Vehicles programme, which is part of the world’s first large-scale research project to tack-le hydrogen fuel measurement inaccuracy challenges.

Dover Fueling Solutions’ Wayne EMV Protocol selected by Conexxus as outdoor payment terminal industry standard technologies innovation and advocacy for the convenience store and petroleum market. The mission of the Conexxus Forecourt Payment Terminal Group is to develop and adopt standards to facilitate the integration of payment terminals on the forecourt. The adoption of the Wayne protocol marks Conexxus’ first standard protocol publication for OPT’s within the industry. This is groundbreaking in an area that traditionally has utilized device-specific and supplier-specific specifications, which makes device interoperability at retail locations much more difficult to achieve.

AUSTIN, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 24, 2020 – Dover Fueling Solutions (“DFS”), part of Dover Corporation and a leading global provider of advanced customer-focused technologies, services and solutions in the fuel and convenience retail industries, is pleased to announce its Wayne® EMV® protocol specification has been approved by the Conexxus Forecourt Payment Terminal Group to serve as the forecourt outdoor payment terminal (OPT) industry standard. The effort highlights the DFS and Conexxus collaboration to drive standards and innovation for the convenience and petroleum market. Conexxus is a non-profit, member-driven technology organization dedicated to the development and implementation of standards, 74

“The released Conexxus forecourt OPT standard is a clear example of how the industry can come together to quickly solve industry issues, through contributing the base data standards as Dover Fueling Solutions has done, and Conexxus working groups dedicated to getting these enabling standards in the field,” said Conexxus Executive Director Gray Taylor. “Retailers and their vendor-partners quickly came together to solve an issue keeping the industry from EMV compliance, and achieved this before the EMV deadlines of this coming April.” “We believe having a Conexxus standard for outdoor EMV payments will facilitate integrations and certifications to meet the upcoming liability shift,” stated DFS Vice President of Global Key Accounts and Marketing Brad Schumacher. “Many pointof-sale systems and electronic payment servers have already integrated the Wayne protocol, so it is a logical process for Conexxus to use it to create the initial standard, as well as enhancements to meet future needs, such as point-to-point encryption.” The Wayne brand has been an industry leader in forecourt outdoor payment products and solutions for over 50 years and became part of Dover Fueling Solutions in 2016 through acquisition. The official release of the Wayne EMV protocol specification defines the XML protocol for control of fuel island payment devices; pump-integrated or as a stand-alone. The standard includes the ability to manage magnetic stripe, EMV and NFC transactions, and control the consumer interface. For more information about DFS products, solutions, and services, visit www.doverfuelingsolutions.com.

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Press Releases

Bundled SAP expertise for the downstream sector in Latin America, Iberia and Italy

Implico and Minsait announce partnership. Hamburg, Germany/Madrid, Spain. The downstream IT solutions provider Implico Group and the digital transformation and IT consultancy Minsait, an Indra company, have formed a partnership. Together, they will guide and support oil and gas companies in Latin America, the Iberian Peninsula and Italy in their digitization endeavors. The key to this: powerful SAP technology enriched with specialist downstream solutions and services. At the heart of the union between Implico and Minsait lies the aim to introduce their customers to the many benefits of forward-looking SAP downstream solutions, such as SAP S/4HANA SDM (Secondary Distribution Management for Oil & Gas) and SAP S/4HANA RFNO (Retail Fuel Network Operations). These benefits include increased levels of automation and digitalization which result in more transparency, security, scalability and efficiency in day to day business. Both Implico and Minsait are convinced that oil and gas companies must streamline and target their operations via digitalization now more than

ever. The better their internal and external processes are designed, the more direct and purposeful they can position themselves in a market that is hard to predict and constantly in motion. According to Implico and Minsait, this is especially true in today’s – and tomorrow’s – oil and gas landscape, which is heavily impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Tim Hoffmeister CEO of Implico Group

Cesar Salan Director at Minsait

To either become or remain industry leaders, O&G companies must fully bank on digitalization,” underlines Tim Hoffmeister, CEO of Implico. “The SAP downstream solutions SAP S/4HANA SDM and SAP S/4HANA RFNO mark a key step in an enterprise’s journey to become smart and digitized. By running time- and resource-heavy processes automatically in the background, they free valuable resources and provide the agility, reliability 76

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Press Releases and capability needed to position oneself ahead of the curve. Together with Minsait, we are looking forward to helping many new customers to make their businesses fit for the future with innovative, capable SAP solutions.” Cesar Salan, Director at Minsait, points out: “These days, all market participants in downstream face the same challenge – namely to keep their margins intact in a disruptive, volatile environment. To achieve this, they must digitize their businesses and render their processes lean, flexible, aim-oriented and efficient. Implico and Minsait have the knowledge, mindset, connections and technology

to make this happen.” Implico is the only software factory for SAP in the fields of secondary distribution and fuels retailing. As such, it has deep technical knowledge and unique consulting experience in regard to SAP S/4HANA SDM, SAP S/4HANA RFNO and other innovative IT solutions for oil and gas. Minsait has a global footprint with subsidiaries in 57 countries. It is a long-running SAP partner with a roster of international top-tier clients. In the course of their newformed partnership, both companies will combine their strengths to help their customers transform quickly, smartly and lastingly.

MFG Acquires six sites In the Lake District Top 50 Indies forecourt operator, Motor Fuel Group (MFG) announces that it has acquired six forecourts in the Lake District from AUK Investments Limited. Commenting on the purchase William Bannister, chief executive officer at MFG said: “AUK is a well-respected family business in the Lake District and the six stations that we have purchased from them gives us the opportunity to extend our network coverage into Cumbria in what is normally a thriving tourist area. “There are three BP branded and three Shell branded stations and we will, in-line with our standard business model, improve the shop offer for customers and introduce a ‘food to go’ option where appropriate to help ensure the sites become a destination for both the local community and visiting tourists.” This acquisition will bring the total number of stations operated by MFG to 911, maintaining their position as the UK’s largest independent forecourt operator.

SGB’s first approved acc to EN 13160-4 leakage sensor to monitor ex liquids The new leakage sensor LS 816 by SGB detects liquids – also those that are classified as explosive mixtures! – occurring in monitoring chambers and shafts, collecting chambers, tank and dispenser sumps. LS 816 can also monitor double-walled pipes. What makes LS 816 unique? It is the first leak detection system that is authorized according to the European Standard EN 13160 class III! The new and innovative leakage sensor LS 816 is made for detecting and indicating occurring liquids and even explosive mixtures in • fill sumps, tank sumps, access, inspection, and filling chambers, shafts, etc. • interstitial spaces of double-walled pipes, • or both at the same time. The liquids to be monitored must have a density of > 0,7 kg/dm3 and be classifiable in gas group IIA to IIC as well as in temperature code T1 to T4. Stainless steel must be 78

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Press Releases resistant to the fluid present. The leak detection system LS 816 fulfills all requirements of the European Standard EN 13160 class III and is approved by German TÜV Nord. The system consists of two components: on the one hand the indicating unit (see picture on page 78), on the other an appropriate sensor corresponding to the containment to be monitored. As standard the indicating unit is equipped with 8 sensor connections. By installing an extension board, this number can be easily increased up to 16 sensor connections => LS 816! The leak indicating unit is always installed outside a hazardous area. The housing is a plastic box with protection class IP30. The temperature range is from 0 °C up to +40 °C. Corresponding to the field of application (sump, pipe, combined use) there are three different kinds of sensors. Due to their explosion protected design they can even monitor liquids with potential explosive mixtures, e.g., petrol, kerosine. The sensors are classified in category 2. Their temperature range is from -25 °C up to +60 °C.

Sump sensor FS Ex: For the monitoring of tank and dispenser sumps, collecting chambers and tubs, access, inspection, and filling chambers etc. The scope of delivery includes 1m cable and a holding device to be fixed with a tank lid screw.

Pipe monitoring sensor FS Ex: For the monitoring of double-walled pipes’ interstitial spaces. 1m cable and a holding device are included in the scope of delivery.

Combined application: Sump and Pipe monitoring sensor 2xFS Ex: For the monitoring of a collecting chamber (or other) and up to 6 pipes. 1m cable and a holding device are included in the scope of delivery.

The supplied hold-ing device is in-tended for mount-ing at the tank’s lid. The tank lid screw does not need to be removed, only loosened.

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Press Releases

34 new Certa service stations added to DCC network in Ireland Implico realizes ambitious downstream IT and data communication project completely remotely. Hamburg, Germany/Dublin, Ireland. The lasting partnership of the downstream IT specialist Implico Group and the international sales, marketing and support services group DCC has now seen another successful project completion: In Ireland, Implico has integrated a total of 34 new service stations into DCC’s existing software landscape. Earlier this year, DCC took over the operation of 22 of these stations from Tesco Ireland. The remaining 12 stations came from the DCC-owned fuels brand Great Gas. Going forth, all 34 stations will be operated under the Certa brand. The project enables DCC to replenish and settle these new fuel stations now quickly and highly efficiently thanks to innovative cloud services. During the project, the experts of the Customer Support Center at Implico mapped all logistics and finance processes for the new service stations in the SAP system used by DCC and in the data communication service iGOS (Implico Global Operation Services). The latter is a comprehensive cloud portfolio that handles, among others, the data exchange for downstream companies. It collects, validates, and corrects all data from the associated trading partners: terminals, hauliers, fuel station locations and financial institutions. Then, it passes these data on to the DCC headquarters in an ordered, completed and standardized form. One of the biggest advantages of iGOS: It is especially flexible and provides a very high degree of automation. This reduces manual work while simultaneously increasing the reliability, security, and speed of the data communication. Via SAP SDM (Secondary Distribution Management), the powerful SAP industry solution for downstream companies, DCC controls and

automates their complete business processes. Together, the solutions form a future-proof system that will allow for further growth. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Implico and DCC had to carry out the entire project remotely. Regarding the planning and execution, Implico could build upon invaluable experience. Previously, the company had already realized similar projects for DCC in France, Denmark and Norway. Since DCC now uses the same processes and solutions in Ireland as it does in the other countries, it benefits from a leaner, more homogeneous IT landscape across the company. Another advantage: Proven strategies and best practices from the work done in France, Denmark and Norway directly found their way into current project. The Customer Support Center team at Implico has extensive know-how and experience in the fields of downstream IT and data communication. Therefore, it can offer DCC a comprehensive range of services from a single source. “Everyone in Implico and DCC did a fantastic job,” applauds Klaus Wunsch, Unit Lead of the Customer Support Center at Implico. “Though we had to work completely remotely, we successfully integrated all of the 34 service stations into the existing architecture smoothly and timeously. Going forth, DCC will benefit from best-in-class technology and top-quality support – both of which are important success factors for a company operating at the forecourt of the industry.” Johannes Buhre, Team Lead iGOS at Implico, adds: “The connection of the new Certa stations went so well because we are a well-practiced team. Plus, we have a wealth of experience to tap into. Our many learnings from similar projects helped us tremendously to make the right decisions and achieve such satisfying results.” Andrew Graham, Managing Director at Certa, points out: “The recent project completion marks the latest success story to emerge from our long partnership with Implico. As with previous projects of similar nature and scope, they also ran this project expertly, delivering quality results in a timely manner.” Following up on the project completion, Implico and DCC have signed a support contract that has Implico provide full-scale IT support for DCC’s service station network in Ireland. APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Branches

Branches Eastern A successful first APEA Webinar This year the COVID-19 pandemic stopped us from being able to host the annual APEA Live national exhibition and conference as well as our regular regional branch meetings, so instead we brought a new exciting event into the homes and offices of our members and more, via a free Zoom webinar. Hosted by the APEA Eastern Branch on Thursday 3rd December, this free webinar focussed on the challenges and opportunities of alternative fuels, with a focus on the commercial vehicle sector. The full agenda, with topics covered and speakers is listed below. The webinar was very well received in the market and we quickly ‘sold out’ of capacity within a few weeks of the announcement, so additional places were added to allow for extra participation. We ended up with over 200 people registering for the event and over 130 registrants joined the Zoom meeting. We sent out a post event survey in which 43% of respondents voted the event to be Excellent, 49% Very Good and 8% Good. The topics and speakers were the reasoning for all the high scores. 69% of respondents thought the event was just the right length, 31% thought it was slightly too long. Overall (92%) respondents found the joining process very easy.

HVO: Challenges in the Swedish market ‐ Magdalena Streijffert & Quentin Gauthier, NESTE Sweden ‐ presentation on page 38 This talk covered some of the challenges with regulatory matters and policy, along with technical issues regarding tanks, preparations of etc of HVO in the Swdish market. Petrol dispensing vs Diesel dispensing ‐ Andrew Olive, Pumptronics & Bert Fowler, Vectec Ltd This session covered Stage 2 vapour recovery in the commercial market, principles and requirements based on the Open Active System which then led onto the Vectec presentation by Bert Fowler discussing a recent Commercial installation for a major home delivery network.

If you missed the event, or fancy watching any other the topics EV Battery Fires ‐ Lessons learned from around the globe ‐ Dylan Evans, again, you can do so via tinyurl.com/APEAYOUTUBE. London Fire Brigade ‐ presentation on page 25 This session covered Electric Vehicles: Fire Safety Considerations for After a successful first virtual conference, we look forward Lithium Ion Battery Vehicles & Infrastructure and some observations and to running more in 2021. Thank you to everyone who joined hazards. and if you have any questions regarding the event please send them to anton.martiniussen@elaflex.co.uk AGM The Eastern Branch AGM was held after the main event. APEA Eastern Branch Webinar Agenda All EB members were emailed and received login details to register their Regulator Update ‐ Clare Scawthorn, Petroleum & Alternative participation. The usual formalities took place. Fuels Group Manager at London Fire Brigade. This included the outcome of the Petroleum (Consolidation) The serving Chairman Peter Rolls has retired and we thank him for his Regulations 2014 review, what this means for enforcing service. The Branch has elected the following: authorities and new guidance in place. Chairman - Clare Scawthorn Standards Update ‐ Jamie Thompson, APEA Secretary and Hon. Treasurer - Anton Martiniussen This covered the standards update, with info on Brexit and Branch Rep - Alex Boudry what it means regarding regs and CE markings. Events Committee HVO Fuel ‐ Simon Lawford, Crown Oil ‐ presentation on page Jamie Thompson, Andrew Olive, Simon Smeeton, Anton Martiniussen, 40 Clare Scawtorn, Alex Boudry. This session covered: What exactly is HVO? why should it The accounts were approved. play an important part in the future fuel mix and can it actually be greener than battery-electric power when it Anton Martiniussen Branch Secretary comes to total CO2 emissions? 82

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Training

Training Training course dates 2021 Please contact the APEA office for a quotation for a bespoke course for any of the courses listed below at admin@apea.org.uk, with an approximate number of delegates and preferred dates.

DSEAR 22 April 17 Sept

3 Day Combined Petrol Filling Stations – Construction, Audit and Inspection Course 12 - 14 April Manchester Airport 21 - 23 June Solihull 6 - 8 September Stansted Airport

Petroleum (Consolidation) Regulations 2014 19 April Manchester Airport 13 September Stansted Airport

Safe Installation and Use of LPG 15 September Stansted Airport

Petrol Filling Station courses on request Vapour Recovery Installations Leak Investigation

Explosives and Fireworks 21 September Stansted Airport

3 day course with accommodation 3 day, day delegate rate 1 day course

Manchester Airport Stansted Airport

Enforcement Procedures An Awareness 20 April Manchester Airport 14 September Stansted Airport

Electrical Installations - An Awareness 28 April Manchester Airport 23 September Swindon

Course Fees

Wetstock Management 15 April Manchester Airport 16 September Stansted Airport

APEA Member £1020.00 £810.00 £260.00

Non member £1120.00 £910.00 £310.00

More information and booking details on the “Training” page at www.apea.org.uk Anyone booking a training course that is not an APEA member will automatically receive complimentary “Individual” membership to the APEA for one year.

Courses will be designed around the (4th edition) Blue Book Guidance for the Design, Construction, Modification, Maintenance and Decommissioning of Filling Stations (May 2018). A hard copy and a pdf version of the 4th Edition is available from the Publications page of the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk The hardcopy is £75.00 to APEA Members and £150.00 to non APEA members. There is no VAT charged on the hardcopy or pdf formats. The pdf version can be purchased with a licence for individual use and cannot be shared or printed. It is strongly recommended that attendees have access to this document during courses.

For details of this and any other training enquiry, please contact: Jane Mardell - APEA Business Manager email: admin@apea.org.uk Tel: + 44 (0) 345 603 5507 or Thomas Daly (Chairman of Training Committee) T el: +353 876899281/+353 876899281 or email: thomasdaly@apea.org.uk

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