The Bulletin Magazine - December 2004 by apeauk

The Bulletin Journal of the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration

December 2004

Editorial

Contents Regulars

Tony Jenner

Chairman’s Report

Editor’s Report

Business Manager’s Report

New APEA Members

Editor Cameron Forecourt Ltd Platts Common Ind Estate Barnsley South Yorkshire S74 9SE

Letters to the Editor

News

Press Releases

tel:

01226 742441

fax:

01226 747441

mob:

07715 375140

e-mail:

tonyjenner@cameronforecourt.com

Articles

Jamie Thompson

APEA Annual Exhibition, Conference and Dinner 2004

Photographs from the APEA Dinner

‘BEN’ and the APEA

New Training Provider for COMP'EX Training- EX07 & EX08

Future Road Fuels

Current Local Authority Partnership Schemes

Surrey County Council and Esso Petroleum Company

Returning Test Measures to Storage Tanks Made Simple

What is ‘AdBlue?’

New Explosives Legislation

Publishing Chairman 70 Wangford Road Reydon Southwold Suffolk IP18 6NX

Tel/fax:

01502 722999

Mobile:

07770 625851

email:

jamiethompson@ukonline.co.uk

Jane Mardell Business Manager

Branches

(including Bulletin Advertising and Production) PO Box 106

Training

Saffron Walden

2004/2005 course dates, booking and trainer details

Course sponsors

Membership application form

Essex CB11 3XT

Tel/fax:

01799 502929

Mobile:

07815 055514

email:

admin@apea.org.uk

Front Cover - Brian Baker (APEA Chairman) speaking at the APEA Conference.

Published by the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration A company Limited by Guarantee registered in England No. 2261600 Opinions expressed in this Journal are not necessarily the views of the Association.

Executive have decided not to proceed

Chairman’s Report

with Phase 2 and 3 changes, this

By the time this issue reaches you the

leaves us with a confusing combination

Festive Season will be fast approaching

of reduced Licensing Conditions (I

and we will all be looking back over

would like to call these functional

another year that has seen a number of

requirements) under the Petroleum

changes in our industry.

(Consolidation) Act 1928 and

goal

based risk assessments as required by New European Standards have been

the Dangerous Substances & Explosive

produced and Jamie Thompson who

Atmospheres

represents the APEA and is Chairman

(DSEAR).

of CEN committee TC 221 has had a

confusion

busy and active year. I have asked

Regulators, Contractors and Operators

Jamie to write an article for the Bulletin

as to what regulation applies and from

to bring us up to date with the work of

when.

Regulations is will

2002

opinion

reign

that

amongst

useful bearing in mind that European

For example, when should a risk

Standards now supersede our own

assessment be prepared in the case of

British Standards. For example, BS

a new site being constructed or

7117 on Dispensers has been replaced

following major refurbishment works?

with EN 13167 Parts 1, 2 & 3.

Under

DSEAR

should

the

risk

assessment be carried out before the site opens or afterwards? Should

but

contractors be carrying out DSEAR risk

overfill

assessments before commencing any

prevention devices, leak detection,

new work as implied by the new

pipes and drainage. News will follow in

regulations? Should the Licensing

future editions of the Bulletin of yet

Conditions be more specific by clearly

more standards including submersible

stating that DSEAR risk assessments

pumps and flame arrestors.

are required or should the two pieces of

underground nozzles,

storage

tank

tanks,

gauges,

legislation remain independent of each At the time of writing, work is now

other? I must admit, after more that 30

being finalised for the revision of our

years in the fire business I remain

joint

uncertain.

publication

with

the

Energy

from meeting friends and colleagues. I'm pleased to say that Brian Humm is settling into the role of Training

this committee; this will be extremely

There are now standards not just for

evening and how much pleasure I got

Chairman and the work of the training committee continues to be successful with the timely launch of our new oneday course on DSEAR and our continued overseas exploits. I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all of those who work so hard to ensure that the training offered by the association remains

both

professional

and

enjoyable. Jane has been busy with the preparation of our Year Book which by now should be with you. It continues to be well received and is an invaluable guide to our industry, especially the contacts section, which I continually refer people to when trying to source a particular service or product.

Institute "Guidance for the Design, and

We also have forthcoming changes

Maintenance of Petrol Filling Stations"

and a review of the UK's Building

otherwise affectionately known as "The

Regulations - Part B - Fire Safety.

Blue Book". Hopefully the publication

Additionally on 1st February 2005 the

date will soon be known and although

Regulatory Reform Order comes into

there

muttered

being, designed to rationalise our

complaints regarding the progress of

complex web of legislation. This will

the review it has to be remembered that

lead to a new Fire Safety Order and

this

been

prompt many changes that will have an

undertaken on a voluntary basis. From

impact on our downstream industry. The

APEA will continue to keep you

personally thank all those willing

updated via the Bulletin as and when

volunteers for the valuable time and

more information becomes available.

Construction,

have

whole

Modification

been

some

process

perspective

has

would

effort they have devoted. Elsewhere in this issue you will see a I wish I could say the same about the

report regarding our recent Conference,

changes to UK Petroleum Legislation,

Exhibition and ever popular dinner. As

which in my opinion is a complete

this is covered separately

mess! The UK's Health & Safety

comment further on this event, suffice to

I am extremely conscious that I have not been attending the various Branch meetings, but please bear with me as I hope to have some time available in the New Year. What would be nice is if the various Branch Secretary's would write and invite me to attend a meeting rather than have me turn up unannounced. So Branch Secretary's, do I hear you scribing something? All that now remains is for me to wish you all a very peaceful, healthy and enjoyable Christmas and New Year and thank you for your continued support of our wonderful association.

I will not

say how much I enjoyed the day and

Brian Baker 5

Forecourts. I'm sure that nobody wants

Editor’s Report

to read an issue of the Bulletin written

Please accept my apologies for the

entirely by me!

late publication of this issue of the Bulletin, which I hasten to add, was Printing was purposely

contributors for their input and remind

delayed until after the recent APEA

you to please keep the material coming.

Conference, Exhibition and Dinner so

To those of you who have not previously

that we could include news of this

submitted an article I say go on - give it

important and popular event rather than

a go, the APEA Bulletin belongs to its

report in March next year when it would

members and should contain their

no longer be news. I am pleased to say

input. As I believe I said in previous

that the whole day was a great success

issues, providing that your submission

supporting photographs in the highest

and we have received much positive

is newsy and relative to our industry we

resolution possible so that we can

feed back from exhibitors and visitors

will do our very best to include it. Don't

publish these to maximum effect.

alike.

worry too much if you don't feel

deliberate.

confident about your grammar or

I would like to take this opportunity to

I don't propose to take up too many

presentation, providing it's legible we

wish you and your families a very happy

column inches with my editor's report

will edit any article and return it to you

Christmas and hope that you also enjoy

for this issue as I have already gone

for approval prior to publication. It's

a prosperous and healthy new year.

into print with my article on the

always nice if there is some visual

conference and the item based on my

material to accompany an article so

Tony Jenner

presentation

wherever

Honorary Editor

Contracting

cheque,

By the time you receive this issue the APEA annual conference, exhibition and dinner will have taken place in October, I hope that all of you that attended had a great time. At the time of writing this report Christmas seems a long way off, but I hope that you all have a lovely Christmas and best wishes for the new year. Membership renewals You will have received your annual membership renewal letter with this issue.

Now that we have the new

website up and running you are now able to renew your membership online at

www.apea.org.uk

possible

please

include

that wish to pay by credit card or

Business Manager’s Report

the

‘Membership’ page, my postman would appreciate it too! This should make the process much easier for you all, but for those of you 6

I would like to thank our regular

these

options

are

also

available. As I mentioned last year, I would be really grateful if you can renew your membership before the end of this year, so that it reduces the number of reminder letters that I have to produce each year. Website By the number of hits that we are

ensure that you complete the form if

receiving it looks like the website is

you wish to be included in the 2006

proving to be a benefit to the APEA

Yearbook.

members.

I hope that you find the

information on the site useful. If you

Publications

wish to contribute anything to the site please feel free to log on and go to the

The APEA currently have the two guides that can be purchased from the

Yearbook You should all have received your

office, these are: The

guidance

for

the

design,

2005 Yearbooks in October. I will be

construction and maintenance of petrol

sending out 2006 Yearbook registration

filling stations

forms in early in the new year, so please

APEA members £30.00 plus p+p

Business Manager’s Report construction and maintenance of petrol

Bulletin Advertising

filling stations APEA members £30.00 plus p+p Non APEA members £90.00 plus p+p Code of Practice for Ground floor, multi storey and underground car parks APEA Members £10.00 plus p+p Non APEA Members £20.00 plus p+p If you wish to purchase a copy please contact me at the APEA office.

New APEA Logo

The APEA now has a new logo as shown on the front of this issue of the Bulletin, if you are a ‘Corporate’ member you are entitled to use the logo

All current Bulletin advertisers should have received their 2005 advertising renewal letters in October. Remember that if you book for all four issues you receive a 25% discount and we are able to offer discounts for those of you that wish to book for more than one issue too. The advertising rates remain unchanged for 2005 and are listed on our website on the ‘Publications’ page at www.apea.org.uk All advertising enquiries should be directed to me. If you would like to book advertising for 2005 please call me on 01799 502929. Training

on your business stationary etc. If you have not already received the logo by email from me please contact me by phone or at admin@apea.org.uk

Bulletin

Thank you to all of you that have contributed to this issue of The Bulletin. Please send me any news items, press releases or articles for the March 2005 issue and I will pass them onto our Editor for approval. We are always pleased to receive contributions from our members and it ensures that the Bulletin remains and interesting and informative read.

Thanks to all of you that have booked on our training courses including the new DSEAR course which is proving popular. Thanks go out to all our trainers who often travel long distances to provide their valuable services. If you are interested in hosting a bespoke course for your company please do not hesitate to contact me. We can offer discounted rates for these courses. You can download a booking form from our website training page, just click on the course you are interested in and the course details and form are displayed or please contact me by email

or by phone and I can email you a copy or you can simply book online from the website. Course dates are listed on page 60 and further dates will be added as we progress through to the end of this year and for 2005. You can now view the up to date list on the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk/training Membership To date there are 966 APEA members with 19 members joining during July, August and September. You can find details of new members on page 10. Should you also have any other changes to your contact details please log onto the website www.apea.org.uk and you will be able to amend your contact details. If you are unable to remember your logon id and password please call or email me and I will be able to give you your details. General Assistance Finally if any of you need any assistance with industry matters, please do not hesitate to contact me on 01799 502929 and I will endeavor to help. I look forward to hearing from you.

Jane

New APEA Members

Warren Peters

Martin Mitcham

Gilbarco Veeder Root

122 Hill Rise

Detailed below are new members that have recently joined the APEA during July, August and September 2004.

Crompton Close

St Ives

July 2004

Basildon Essex

Huntingdon Cambridgeshire PE27 6SG

SS14 3BA David Gutwenger

Paul Hocking

Richard Atherden

Mountain Ash

LCM Ltd Forecourt Developments

66 High Street

Box Hill Road

Unit 1 Langlands Business Park

Crowthorne

Tadworth

Uffculme

Berkshire

EX15 3DA

RG45 7AZ

Dorking Surrey KT20 7JN 9

August 2004

Jonathan Hughes

Geoff Pickering

24 Rogerson Road

Orbital Maintenance Services Ltd

Armin G. Leibundgut

Fradley

56 Dene Hall Drive

Bernstrasse 229A

Staffordshire WS13 8PE

Bishop Auckland Durham DL14 6UG

Heimberg 3627

Philip Steward

Switzerland

57 Gordonbrock Road

Francis Binnie

Brockley

Falkirk College

Victor James

London

Grangemouth Road

Hattrell and Partners

SE4 1JA

Falkirk FK2 9AD

1 Copthall House

September 2004

Alexander Hill

Station Square

42 Jones Green

Coventry

Carol Howard

Livingston

West Midlands

Southern Co-operatives Ltd

West Lothian

CV1 2FQ

44 High Street

EH54 8QB

Philip McMullan

Fareham PO16 7BN

David Owen

38 Duxford Close

Nathaniel McCoy

Isle of Anglesey County Council

Bowerhill Melksham Wiltshire

Irish Pump & Tank Co. Ltd

Trading Standards

Chapelizod Industrial Estate

Council Offices Llangefni

Dublin 20

Anglesey LL77 7TW

Ireland

SN12 6XN Jane Hammond

David Barr

Andy Kennedy

NE Lincolnshire Council

Wallis Fuels Ltd

74 Crusader Drive

Freeman House

12 Coronation Road

Sprotsbrough

Freeman Way

Stocksbridge

Doncaster

Grimsby

Sheffield

DN5 7RX

N E Lincolnshire DN32 7AU

South Yorks S36 1AX

Letters to the Editor

are to be applauded. However, from

I attend a number of dinners on behalf

both my experiences as a Petroleum

of BEN and I feel you got it just right, all

Dear Sir,

Inspector and my later career, I am

round.

First, I stand corrected. Given that the

convinced that simulated exercises

"tin can" used by Suffolk County

deepen

Council was a safe container (as we

enforcement officers.

licensees'

suspicion

£1585.40 cash/cheques and can add a further £322.67 GiftAid making a grand

have been assured by Roger Hopkins),

I remain unchanged in my belief, on

total for the night of £1908.07 which is

and that the fuel which was "obtained"

the main issue, that preventing a 'real'

great, especially as this is the first time

and

actually

occurrence (and using it to demonstrate

we've done this and many guests may

dispensed (as Phil Thomas appears to

"paid

for"

was

not

shortcomings) is far more effective than

have been unaware of BEN.

state), then clearly the 20 checks were

staging an event which causes people

not unsafe.

to take inappropriate action or fail to

Second, I am well aware of the powers

available

Best Wishes Rex Wheeler

exercise was illegal. (My use of the word "entrapment" in this instance was perhaps ill advised). I agree that new and innovative methods of publicising vital messages

Please pass on our sincere thanks to all concerned through your bulletin.

take appropriate action.

enforcement

bodies. I did not intend to imply that the

Tremendous news - we collected

Carl Bayliss Dear Phil, Brian and Jane, Firstly,

congratulations

Commercial Development Manager on

excellent evening at the APEA Dinner -

BEN - Motor & Allied Trades Benevolent Fund

News

UK, Arrest follows cross-border operation to tackle £5 million fuel fraud Customs officers have charged a man from Armagh with money laundering offences following a series of operations in Northern Ireland and the Republic to tackle an estimated £5 million fuel fraud. Customs Head of Investigation Northern Ireland Jane Salt said: "This latest operation highlights our commitment to tackle oils fraud in Northern Ireland and to stop major, organised smuggling operations. It is a great example of Customs using our full powers to take action against the proceeds of crime. "Money is the lifeblood of serious and organised crime, and this action will have disrupted a number of criminal enterprises in Northern Ireland. "The proceeds of crime legislation is a very important weapon in our armoury in the fight against organised crime and the Government is determined to crack down on those who seek to profit from their illegal activities. Customs attach a high priority to tackling excise frauds that undermine legitimate businesses and rob the honest taxpayer of funds which should go into public services." Supported by Police Service of Northern Ireland and agencies in the Republic, Customs investigators searched domestic and business premises in Armagh on 12th August 2004. During the operation, Customs officers uplifted records and seized an estimated E97,050 (equivalent to £65,000), which has now been detained. In a co-ordinated operation in the ROI, officers from the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) carried out searches in Co. Monaghan. Issued by HM Customs and Excise Marketing and Communications Division Anyone with information about illegally imported drugs, tobacco or alcohol or about VAT or fuel fraud can speak to a Customs officer in complete confidence at Customs Confidential 24 hours a day

on 0800 59 5000. Or fax 0800 528 0506, write to Freepost SEA9391, PO Box 100, DA12 2BR, or e-mail customs.confidential@hmce.gsi.gov.uk http://www.hmce.gov.uk

UK, Fatal Crash Tanker driver ‘fell asleep’ A fatal accident on the M11 at Ugley was caused by the driver of a BP petrol tanker falling asleep at the wheel, a court heard. The tanker ploughed into a broken down car parked on the hard shoulder, killing its driver, 34-year -old Yiman Mohammed, from London. Dennis Allen (35), of South Avenue, Southend, pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court to causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for three years. He was also disqualified from driving for four years and ordered to take an extended driving test. The court heard the accident happened on December 3 last year as Allen was returning the tanker back to his depot at Coryton, Essex. A following lorry driver saw the tanker traveling along the hard shoulder and flashed his lights to alert the driver. The tanker responded by returning to the road, but then drifted back onto the hard shoulder. It straddled the hard shoulder for some distance and the lorry driver formed the view that the tanker driver was falling asleep. Eventually the tanker went onto the hard shoulder again and crashed into a stationary car, killing the driver. During the trial of issue, Allen claimed the cause of him going onto the hard shoulder was either sneezing or trying to get his handkerchief out of his pocket. But in his ruling, Judge Charles Gratwicke said: "Having heard the evidence, I'm satisfied that this fatal collision was caused by the defendant falling asleep at the wheel of his vehicle." Defence counsel Ian Lawrie, in mitigation, said Allen had held an HGV licence for 12 years. He was a respected employee who normally drove at a high standard. Allen felt an overwhelming sense of guilt for what happened and had shown genuine contrition. The true punishment would be the daily reminder to his conscience that he was responsible for the death of another man.

After the trial, the victim's wife, Zubeyda, said: "We have been devastated and saddened by his death. We were at court to see Dennis Allen sentenced. Our heartfelt thanks go to Essex police and our family liaison officer Pc Mark Burey. We would like to convey our deepest gratitude to those who stood by us throughout the past nine months. In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we have drawn consolation from their words of comfort." Senior investigating officer Mark Harman, of Bocking road traffic unit, believed the accident should be a poignant reminder to drivers to be alert and remain in full control at all times.

UK, Wind turbines to power BP cafes Oil giant BP is planning to use Scottish wind turbines on its petrol stations to power its trendy new coffee bars. The group is to test two mini windmills at a site in Edinburgh as the first step towards introducing the technology to some of its other 1200 sites in the UK. Renewable Devices, based just outside the city, has developed a 2ft turbine which is so quiet it can be attached to buildings. A spokeswoman for BP said: "We are looking at this as a pilot but it could be rolled out if it is successful. It is looking at meeting the station's electrical needs and lowering emissions of carbon dioxide." The company has lodged a planning application to attach two turbines to the roof of its petrol station at Ingliston. Each turbine produces enough electricity daily to make 1000 cups of coffee. Their power will feed into the Wild Bean cafe - BP's answer to Starbucks and Costa Coffee - on the site. If the tests prove economically and commercially successful, the miniature Swift turbines could be deployed on BP's network of 160 cafes, or power the company's network of petrol stations. BP opened what it claimed was the world's greenest petrol station in Hornchurch, Essex, three years ago. However, its three wind turbines are mounted on pylons on a patch of empty land. The mini-turbine system is easier to install and more flexible, said the BP spokeswoman, which means it could be used at more sites. Its developers claim the Swift turbine to be the world's first 13

News roof-mountable turbine. They envisage a future of urban windfarms - mini turbines attached to thousands of homes - reducing the pressure to build 300ft windfarms in some of Scotland's most rugged countryside. David Anderson, one of the directors of Renewable Devices, said the company was in talks with several businesses to mount the turbines on commercial premises. "We are moving through a number of field tests in the UK. BP is one of those. If the pilot test goes well we would hope to develop the relationship," he said. A primary school in Fife was fitted with the turbines earlier this year and the company is in talks with housing associations in Edinburgh and the Borders. The secret of the turbine is its size and silence. Conventional windmills have to be kept away from buildings to prevent noise and vibrations coursing through homes, offices or schools.

UK, Boost for London's hydrogen buses BP has put Britain's hydrogen revolution back on track by beating off local opposition to a futuristic refuelling station. The groundbreaking scheme is seen as critical to support governmentbacked trials to run buses powered by fuel-cells through the streets of London in a move to cut greenhouse gases. But not everyone is happy, with BP being accused of "grandstanding" by Friends of the Earth, which castigates the company for not putting more cash into other renewable schemes that would bring a more immediate environmental payback. The oil company had its original proposals for turning a BP Connect petrol site at Hornchurch, Essex, into a hydrogen station turned down by the borough of Havering. "We have just been notified that we have won the appeal to build the site and we will be talking to local residents to make sure it causes minimum disturbance for them," said a BP spokeswoman. After a long search, Hornchurch was considered the only appropriate location for refuelling three London buses offering services from Ilford to Oxford Circus in the centre 14

of London. The vehicles, manufactured by DaimlerChrysler, have already started operating but BP has been forced to bring in individual canisters of hydrogen gas at ten times the cost of using liquid hydrogen from a pump. London mayor Ken Livingstone has described the buses as "the greenest, cleanest and quietest ever", although there is still some public concern about the safety of hydrogen. Some of this disquiet emanates from experiments last century with this kind of fuel, which led to the Hindenburg disaster when a hydrogen-powered airship burst into flames. (PetrolPlaza-GreenEnergyNews)

UK, Grimsby, Aug 7 2004 Probe into petrol leak at Toothill A Petrol station in Grimsby has been declared contaminated land after 1,000 litres of fuel leaked from one of its underground tanks. The petrol seeped into the ground from the Shell filling station on Yarborough Road when the tank failed four years ago. Although the tank was decommissioned at the time, the land around the station at Toothill has not been fully treated since. Now the Environment Agency is investigating the situation and if the need arises, it has the power to take Shell to court. A spokesman said: "Following a request by North East Lincolnshire Council, the Environment Agency carried out an inspection of the land known as the Shell petrol filling station at Toothill, Grimsby, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. "The land has subsequently been determined as contaminated land. "Under the Contaminated Land (England) Regulations 2000, the site has been designated a special site. The Environment Agency is currently investigating the situation to consider what further action might be necessary." Shell staff were alerted to the problem when they noticed discrepancies in the volume of fuel supposed to be in the tank. It is not fully clear how the leak occurred, but it is thought there may have been a problem with the "man lid" - which is used to access the tank. What is clear is that cases of leaking tanks are extremely rare.

The site has been able to operate adequately with the decommissioned tank but recent tests have shown that clean-up work is needed. The amount of petrol spilled is equal to about 20 full tanks from a family car. A Shell spokesman said: "We can confirm that there was a small fuel leak from a tank below our retail site on Yarborough Road in May 2000 and we immediately took this tank out of service. "Recent tests on the site show that there is a need to continue to do further clean-up work. Once the Environment Agency gives Shell the authority, it will employ a specialist third party contractor who will manage the project and oversee the work. We hope it will be underway shortly. The fuel leak poses no risk to site staff, customers or those near to the site and we are in touch with the local authority and the Environment Agency in keeping them fully informed." ANGLIAN Water operates the Littlecoates treatment works behind Westhill Road and Chelmsford Avenue, which is situated close to the fuel station. The plant supplies the vast majority of Grimsby with tap water. But a spokesman for Anglican Water quashed fears that the fuel may have entered the water cycle. "We've been kept well informed and have been in close contact with the Environment Agency," he said. "We have been monitoring the case very closely to make sure we are delivering highquality water to our customers. I would like to stress that tap water quality has not been affected."

UK, New European Standard on Road Tanker Design A new manufacturing standard - EN 13094 - has recently been published that focuses on the safety of Road Tankers transporting dangerous goods, including petroleum. The new standard is due to come into effect in the UK form 1st July 2005. This important new standard specifies the minimum requirements for the design and construction of metallic tanks used for the road transportation of petroleum spirit and other dangerous goods with a maximum working pressure not exceeding 50kPa.

News The code was drawn up by CEN (the European Committee for Standardisation) and was approved on 21 February 2004 and has now been recognised by the UK's Department of Transport as the interim design code satisfying the requirements of the European Directive 2003/28/EC The new code will make a number of changes. For example, it requires the implementation of a calculation method to verify the strength of all aspects of the tank such as the barrel, heads, partitions, openings and lids under both service and test conditions. Other areas where manufacturers will be affected are: • Ensuring all materials and thickness are fully compliant • Manhole sizes are to have a minimum diameter of 500mm • Tolerances allowed under the standard are covered for plate thickness and alignment • The shell design does not generate cracking or other signs of metallic distress • That welded joints meet the new standard • All service repairs must be checked and approved by a third party Copies of the standard should be available shortly for the BSI Source: Petroleum Review(Energy Institute) September 2004

UK, Sept 21 2004 Health effects from Hydrocarbons The Environment Agency has published on its website the responses to its July 2003 consultation on health effects from hydrocarbons in soil. The Agency's report presents a summary of the responses to the various questions and issues raised in the consultation document and will be used in conjunction with other materials and information sources to develop a framework for deriving human health risks from petroleum hydrocarbons in

soils. Review of Comments on: Environment Agency Public Consultation Paper - Principles for Evaluating the Human Health Risks from Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soils can be accessed here. http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/commondata/105385/re view_867956.pdf

UK, Sept 13 2004 BP pays for refuelling damage BP is offering compensation potentially worth thousands of pounds to motorists who have been confused by the colour of its pumps and filled their car with the wrong type of fuel. The company introduced a new range of improved Ultimate fuels last October and used a light blue colour on unleaded pumps to differentiate it from standard -quality petrol. It says it has now recognised that many drivers confused these with darker blue diesel nozzles. The company says it will reimburse any motorists who can prove they misfuelled at a BP station because of the colour-coding problems and damaged their cars. Bills could be as little as £30 for draining the tank on a small car that was not driven and up to £4000 on larger models that had run on the wrong type of fuel. BP says a receipt is the easiest way to show that you have been confused, but will also check its own records against motorists' bank statements to trace an instance of misfuelling. What Car?'s editor, David Motton, said: 'It's a great shame for all concerned that the confusion had to arise in the first place, but very good news that BP is willing to ensure that motorists aren't left out of pocket as a result.' While BP in the UK has now marked up Ultimate petrol nozzles with a green more familiar to motorists in this country, it says light blue will continue in other markets across Europe, where drivers are already used to it being used on unleaded pumps. • Don't drive away if you realise you've filled with the wrong type of fuel. Always check the pump you're about to use, particularly on the Continent

where colours and names vary. Black usually indicates a diesel pump, as do the words gaz, gas or oil. • Around 120,000 motorists use the wrong type of fuel each year, according to the AA.

UK, Sept 14 2004 Man dies in firework explosion A man was killed when a highpowered firework exploded, it was revealed today. Police and bomb disposal experts rushed to a block of flats in Romford, Essex, after neighbours reported a loud blast. Residents were evacuated and a man, believed to be in his 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene. A police spokesman said: "Police were called at about 2am this morning after reports of an explosion in a block of flats on King's Lynn Drive, Harold Hill. "The building was evacuated and, once inside, officers discovered a man, believed to be in his 40s, inside one of the flats. He was pronounced dead at the scene. "Enquiries are under way to establish the circumstances of the incident. "It is not in any way terrorist-related, but we have to treat it as a serious terrorist threat even if it is not." Police were not able to release any further details of the man, but the spokesman added: "It has all the hallmarks of an attack by the person but we cannot say it is suicide because it is much too early."

UK, Teeside, Oct 5 2004 Blitz on deadly firework trade Black market traders illegally peddling fireworks from their doorsteps could be risking their lives by keeping the explosives in such an environment, fire chiefs warned today. The warning comes as police, council and Cleveland Fire Brigade launched a blitz on black market fireworks. They want to crack down on the illegal sale and use of dangerous fireworks which plague neighbourhoods at this time of year. Steve Walton, of Cleveland Fire 17

News Brigade, said: "The risks of storing what are explosives within houses where fires, cookers and smoking materials are commonplace are extremely high. On top of the physical danger, anyone involved risks prosecution and places their tenancy in jeopardy." Middlesbrough police and council have already received an increase in reports of firework misuse throughout the town - a month before Bonfire Night. A range of measures have been introduced to curb the problem, including a confidential hotline to 'shop' black market traders. Police will also use brand new powers to prosecute anyone under 18 caught in possession of a firework in public. Detective Superintendent Stewart Swinson, Middlesbrough Police's crime manager, said: "We started receiving calls about fireworks two weeks ago. It seems to be getting earlier every year. Anti-social behaviour is unacceptable and at this time of year we will not hesitate to use new legislation to bring peace to neighbourhoods." A Responsible Firework Retailer Scheme has also been launched by Middlesbrough Trading Standards where shops pledge to only sell fireworks between October 15 and November 6. Councillor Barry Coppinger, executive member for community safety, said: "This scheme has been an innovative part of the council's strategy. Combined with harder-edged enforcement measures, such as test purchase operations using child volunteers, and the confidential hotline for the public to report illegal sales, our determination is clear." New legislation, coming into force in January 2005, will control fireworks sales periods for the first time by increasing the cost of a licence to sell fireworks outside festival periods.

UK, Sept 3 2004 Kuwait sells Q8 petrol stations The state-run Kuwait Petroleum Corp has sold 75 Q8-branded petrol stations in Britain to a private UK-based company, Malthurst Jamal al-Nouri, who heads KPC unit Kuwait Petroleum International, which is also called Q8, informed that the deal covers the stations run by its subsidiary Kuwait 18

Petroleum Great Britain. KPGB was established in 1986, when KPC ventured into the British market. It has worked on building its own petrol stations and buying other companies. Mr Nouri, who is also the chairman and managing director of KPC Holdings Europe, said the buyer already owns and operates 110 petrol stations in Britain. "The deal will help Malthurst Jamal al-Nouri to boost its stake in the British retail market and to raise its affiliated gas stations in the market to 250," Mr Nouri said. He added that the deal included assets of his company in the British market, such as the petrol and diesel filling stations as well as wholesale operations. But the transaction does not cover Q8 Aviation jet fuel sales operations, which serve Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester.

Ireland, Co Kerry, Aug 10 2004 Tesco rejects job loss claims in Co Kerry Tesco has rejected claims that the opening of a new petrol station at one of its stores in Co Kerry led to the closure of eight local filling stations and the loss of 40 jobs. The Society of the Irish Motor Industry has accused the supermarket chain of cross-subsidising its grocery business by selling cheaper petrol. It comes after the company confirmed plans to open two new filling stations at Tesco stores in counties Offaly and Westmeath. Tesco is selling unleaded petrol at 93.9 cent a litre today -around eight cent cheaper than the average independent retailer around the country.

Ireland gears up for the first motorway service station Discussions will get underway shortly over the operation of four service areas in Northern Ireland. Several new motorway service stations are expected to open on the Emerald Isle over the next couple of

years, and leading petrol retailers such as Statoil, Esso and Texaco would be foolish not to seize this fresh opportunity to capture a larger share of the Irish market for both fuel and nonfuel products. Unusually, Ireland has never had any motorway service stations. The country has been dominated by A-roads, with the motorway network being quite limited. Until recently the longest stretch was a mere 72km, with lorries and trucks simply stopping in nearby towns for rest bite. Currently motorists along the east coast economic corridor have the M1 linking Dundalk and Dublin, and the M50 in the southeast. However, with considerable investment being undertaken in the country's road infrastructure, the advent of a sizeable motorway network means that drivers will in future face the prospect of traveling a lengthy distance without a convenient pit stop. With this in mind, property developers have already sought planning permission for a total of four motorway service stations, all in Northern Ireland initially. Yet, so far, no service station operators and petrol suppliers have been recruited, though discussions with potential operators of the four new sites will begin in September according to reports in the trade press. Some of the UK's service station operators have responded skeptically to the opportunity, claiming that a preponderance of commuters and a lack of long distance motorists lessens its appeal. However, the opportunity for fuel providers is huge, especially if they have a strong convenience offering. Commuters are the perfect audience; the type of segment that will pick up dinner and an additional five to ten items on the way home from work. Moreover, the opportunity is potentially better than on many sites across the Irish Sea. England's Highways Agency imposes strict retail restrictions on its motorway sites, with the Irish authorities being less stringent. In Ireland all involved parties can afford to create something fresh and different from the traditional UK model - after all, with British service stations voted the worst in Europe in an AA backed survey, they don't exactly exhibit best practice. With such a huge opportunity approaching, Ireland's key players, especially Statoil and Exxon, are expected to partake in the negotiations:

News they would be crazy not to.

Portugal, Good Signs The accompanying photographs were taken by Charles Smith from UPP Ltd whilst in Portugal and show how the Portuguese have addressed the problem of identifying an LPG pump on the forecourt. Anybody who has tried to

candlelight was still critical in hospital yesterday. Abbas Mirza Ali, aged 30, was topping up his tank in his garage, in Diraz, on Monday evening, during the nationwide blackout. His cousin, Juma Ebrahim, aged 24, also suffered 20pc burns to his legs after running to his aid. "Mr Ebrahim is better and is doing fine but Mr Ali is still being kept on a ventilator," said sources. Mr Ali suffered burns on his face, neck, both upper limbs, chest, part of the back and abdomen and underwent skin grafts to his arms on Wednesday.

Bahrain, Huge queues at petrol stations

seek out the presence of an LPG dispenser on a crowded retail site will immediately recognise this simple but effective solution. Charles said, ‘Do we think there's any chance of UK oil companies adopting this "approach?”’

Bahrain, Aug 27 2004 Petrol tank blaze victim still critical A Bahraini who suffered 50 per cent burns when he was engulfed in flames while filling his car with petrol using a

Police were called in to control queues at some petrol stations in Bahrain yesterday. Most of the country's 36 petrol stations were knocked out for most of the day by the power blackout, but five stayed open with back-up generators. Once word got out drivers rushed to these stations creating massive queues - and draining the stations' tanks. Police were called out to control the queues and to cool frayed tempers. Traffic backed up on the Al Esiiqlal Highway just outside the GDN offices, as drivers desperate for fuel tried to get in. Some stations began limiting customers to BD4 worth of fuel each, to cut queuing time and conserve supplies. By noon there were only five operating petrol stations, functioning with their own generators, said a Bapco spokesman. The generators run on petrol, so the stations were expected to stay open throughout the power cut, he said. By 5pm, 16 fuel stations were in operation, as power was gradually restored to various areas, said the spokesman. He said the company was having difficulty keeping track, because the phones were out of service. At the independent Al Hasan petrol station in Muharraq, workers said that there was no power to operate the pumps or the tills in the shop. They had been turning away people since 8.30am, which has resulted in a huge loss of business for the station. The Bahrain local market totals only five per cent of Bapco's total business, said the spokesman. (PetrolPlaza)

Press Releases PRA member wins appeal against petroleum licence conditions PRA member, Mark Carsley, has won his appeal against Nottinghamshire County Council. The requirement in his licence conditions to lock the dispenser nozzles into the dispenser housings was the condition in question and Mark contested that making a member of staff lock the dispenser nozzles when the station was closed for the night, put them to an unacceptable risk of harm. When Mark carried out a risk assessment as required under the "Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999" he determined that requiring a member of staff to walk out around the dispensers on a remote site where there was no street lighting, exposed them to the risk of attack from would-be assailants. When that was set against the small benefit derived from locking the nozzles of dispensers that were electrically isolated anyway, there was only one route left to him and that was to appeal against the licence condition. In his submission, Mark made the point that more damage to the dispensers could be caused by slashing the hoses of locked nozzles than the vandalising of the nozzles by smashing them on the ground. Furthermore, it would be possible to obtain more fuel from a severed hose than by use of the nozzle on a dispenser that was electrically isolated. One such incident occurred in the last fuel shortage, where twelve hoses were slashed to drain down the residual fuel from the hoses. He also pointed out that locking his nozzles would not prevent someone bent on mischief, from obtaining petrol when they could obtain as much as they wanted from an unattended site, only a short distance away. In considering all the facts, the Health & Safety Inspector made the following conclusions: • Whilst the requirement to lock the nozzles in their housing is detailed in published authoritative guidance, the 21

News specific reason for this is not. • For the modern style of nozzle fitted at this site, the primary reason for locking it in its housing is deduced to be to prevent interference that might subsequently result in an individual being wetted with petrol on using the multipump dispenser. • Locking the nozzles in their housings does contribute to the safe dispensing of petrol at licensed petroleum filling stations. • There are alternative methods by which this contribution to the safe dispensing of petrol of licensed petroleum filling stations may be achieved. • A daily visual inspection of the nozzles with appropriate action taken to isolate any nozzle suspected of being interfered with, is one such alternative method considered to be appropriate for this site. • There is no recorded history of interference with the nozzles on this site. On receiving the Health & Safety Inspectors recommendations, the Secretary of State directed the Licensing Authority under section 44(5) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 to substitute the existing licence conditions with the following condition. 1.7.1 When the licensed premises are closed for business, all electrical power to the dispensing equipment shall be switched off and: • Either (1) The dispensing equipment shall be securely locked to prevent nozzles being removed from their housings. • Or (2) The nozzles shall be inspected prior to opening the premises for business. The inspection shall comprise a visual check for signs of interference including external damage and displacement of any nozzle from its housing. Any nozzle found to have been interfered with shall be deemed to be potentially unsafe and not be brought into use; ie locked in its housing with an appropriate notice displayed on the nozzle until it can be checked for 22

correct functioning and safe operation. A log shall be kept of the daily check with record made of interference with any nozzle plus the remedial action taken. The log shall be retained at the licensed premises for at least twelve months and shall be available for inspection by an authorised officer at all reasonable times. This appeal serves to demonstrate the conflict that can exist between a licensing regime with prescriptive conditions and other Health & Safety legislation which place duties on employers to bring controls based on the risks which are determined by risk assessment. Whilst Mark won his appeal, other site operators wishing to vary from licence conditions, should only do so by seeking consent of the Petroleum licensing Authority or if refused, taking the same route that Mark did by formally appealing against the condition. As in all such cases, it would be necessary to demonstrate the appropriateness of such an appeal from a risk assessment.

Flaming Hot News! Keeping abreast of legislative issues has never been more important, and with so many products on the market making the right choice for your specific circumstance has never been easy. Walter Page (Safeways) Limited has been at the forefront of flammable liquid safety products for over 30 years and decided that it would take the lead in providing a range of cabinets that have been independently tested to meet the new UK Regulations. The Highly Flammable Liquid Petroleum Gases Regulations 1972 have been replaced by The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) Part of these regulations explain the standards that cabinets and enclosures must meet if they are tested. The simple fact is, that in the UK it is these regulations that you must comply with and Walter Page (Safeways) are the first company to independently test flammable liquid storage cabinets to ensure that they comply. The storage cabinets were tested by a leading fire research, testing and consultancy agency. The cabinets fire

performance was tested using the heating conditions of BS476: Part 20 : 1987 and European Standard EN 13631 : 1999. The cabinets passed the appropriate test criteria, and after the test it was additionally ascertained that both sumps in the cabinet were liquid tight and that the doors could be easily opened and closed by hand. A copy of the Test Confirmation is available upon request. Walter Page (Safeways) Ltd has an extensive portfolio of products which are supported by a team of knowledgeable, experienced staff who are available to answer any questions you may have on this or any other related issue. For independent information on the regulations you may wish to contact your local HSE Office or visit their web site www.hs.gov.uk For further information and for your free fully detailed catalogue - please contact us at 6 Kerripston Court, Manor Road, Kempston Hardmdck, Bedford MK43 9PQ Phone: +44 (0) 1234-854323 Fax: +44 (0) 1234-840382 e.mail: sales@walterpage.co.uk Web Site:www.walterpage.co.uk

OBE Honour for SIRA president (Chislehurst, Kent, July 2004) Sira, the global instrumentation and measurement solutions company, is pleased to announce that its President, Professor Richard Anthony Brook, has been awarded an OBE in this year's Honours list. Since his appointment, Professor Brook has ensured that Sira's name is synonymous with cutting-edge technological innovation. Professor Brook has many wider interests, as President of the Association of Independent Research Te c h n o l o g y Organisations (AIRTO), a member of t h e Knowledge Transfer and Emerging

News Technologies Working Groups of the National Measurement System, a founder and director of venture capital firm E-Synergy and a non-executive director of the National Physical Laboratory. With degrees in Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science from Bristol and London Universities, he is a chartered engineer, a chartered mathematician and a fellow of the Institutes of Electrical Engineering and Measurement and Control. He holds an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from City University, where he is visiting Professor of Measurement and Instrumentation. "It's marvellous to be recognised in this manner," said Professor Brook. "It reflects well on the Government's acknowledgement of the importance of space programmes to civil, commercial and military capabilities, as well as its appreciation of companies, like Sira, stimulating prosperity in the UK through technological innovation."

Gilbarco Veeder-Root Announces Agreement to Acquire DOMS GREENSBORO, NC – August 30, 2004 – Gilbarco Veeder-Root has signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Doms A/S. Doms is a leading service, support, and technology provider based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Their forecourt controllers are among the most widely used in the world, with systems installed in more than 22,000 sites. The company will operate as an independent, separate business and will maintain its Doms brand “Gilbarco Veeder-Root provides significant core expertise, market and technology leadership and a strong financial position,” said Niels Bengtsson, managing director for Doms. “We believe this change will make us a stronger company by enabling continued investment into new product development. With their strong global presence, we will be able to expand our site controller technology to other areas of the world.” Doms will continue its service business in Denmark, providing support

for Wayne ® , Tokheim ® , and Gilbarco ®dispensers. “We are enthusiastic about the opportunity to strengthen our position in the European market,” stated Gary Masse, president of Gilbarco Veeder-Root worldwide. “We believe this combination will create significant value for retail petroleum operators in the region.” Doms was founded in 1958 and became part of the Danish C.W. Obel Group in 1996. In 2002, C.W. Obel determined that the Technical Installation and Service segment, which included Doms, did not align with their strategic direction. This made Doms an excellent acquisition opportunity for Gilbarco Veeder-Root. Gilbarco Veeder-Root is a leading global provider of retail and commercial fuel dispensers, point of sale systems, automatic tank gauges, fuel management services, submersible pumps, site and retail management and environmental compliance. Its integrated systems are designed to reduce cost of ownership, enhance environmental integrity, and improve performance and profitability for petroleum marketers, private and commercial fleets, and high-volume retailers. Brands include Gilbarco, Veeder-Root, UstMan, SIR, Red Jacket, and Gasboy. Headquartered in Greensboro, NC, the companies have manufacturing, sales, distribution, and service locations in North and South America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim. (www.gilbarco.com, www.veeder.com, www.gasboy.com) The company’s headquarters will remain in Copenhagen, Denmark under the direction of the current leadership team. Statements in this release that are not strictly historical may be "forwardlooking" statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. These include economic and currency conditions, market demand, pricing, and competitive and technological factors, among others, as set forth in the company's SEC filings. Contact: Kathy Holland Gilbarco Inc. 336.547.3174 phone 336.547.5299 fax kathy.holland@gilbarco.com

Gilbarco Outdoor Payment Terminals Awarded EMV and VISA International Certification Approval means terminal meets rigid secure payment standards. Greensboro, NC USA- October 5, 2004 Gilbarco Veeder-Root announced that their new Secure Payment Outdoor Terminal (SPOT) has received EMV Level 2 and VISA PED (PIN Encryption Device) approval. This certification means the terminal meets the rigid security standards required to accept payment cards at terminals used on petroleum forecourts, mandated for many European and Asian markets in 2005. The product was launched September 14 at the Automechanika 2004 exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany. SPOT is Gilbarco's new global outdoor payment terminal specifically designed for the retail petroleum industry. The terminal, which accepts credit and debit cards, can be configured for either manual and motorised card insertion. SPOT is available with a colour or monochrome graphical display. TCP-IP connectivity provides an easy to interface, standard approach to display advertising and merchandising content. The product design provides for easy adaptation to the installed base of gasoline dispensers regardless of manufacturer. "The open standards used to develop the SPOT platform and the smooth path that led to the EMV and VISA PED approvals are examples of Gilbarco's commitment to deliver our customers with state of the art solutions for the petroleum forecourt" said Pietro Visibelli, marketing manager for payment solutions for the EMEA region. "Feedback at the Automechanika 2004 show confirms that customers are impressed with the modular approach and the robustness of the solution." SPOT, which was developed by Gilbarco Veeder-Root in Italy, represents a global solution for markets where EMV standards are going to be introduced within the next three years. "Gilbarco Veeder-Root is committed to developing in-pump and standalone 25

News payment systems that meet the demands for EMV driven secure payment solutions," said Chris Whitley, global marketing director for payment and forecourt control systems. "Programs like the UK Chip&Pin which will be enforced January 2005, are fully supported as will the upcoming VISA PED requirements for North America."

West Sussex County Council trading standards offer free checks on LPG converted vehicles Free safety checks on vehicles converted to run on Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) are being carried out this month by West Sussex County Council Trading Standards Service. An increasing number of cars are being converted to LPG because it is: • • •

Cheaper. Cleaner. Greener.

However, a survey conducted last year by Trading Standards conducted showed that 15 out of 16 vehicles converted to run on LPG failed safety checks. David Dewdney, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Community Services, with responsibility for Trading Standards, said: "West Sussex County Council is committed to the protection and improvement of the environment by creating a 'greener' county. "This is the second year we have offered West Sussex motorists this safety check and I believe this initiative will help to ensure LPG vehicles are safe on West Sussex roads. "The service is free and by attending a safety checks now motorists could avoid problems later." The Trading Standards Service, in partnership with the LP Gas Association, amended its Fair Trade Charter for the Motor Industry in 2002 to allow LPG companies to join the scheme and demonstrate their commitment to safety and fair trading when carrying out LPG conversions. 'Appointment Only' vehicle checks will be carried out by an inspector for 26

the LP Gas Association 'Approved Installer' certification programme. Telephone the Trading Standards Service on 01903 839700 to book a free appointment at either: West Sussex County Council's Broadbridge Heath Depot, near Horsham or The County Council's Clapham Depot, Worthing. Find out more about the work of the Trading Standards Service via the Internet at: http://www.westsussex.gov.uk For further information, contact Simon Eden, Media Relations Manager, on 01243 777116. e-mail: simon.eden@westsussex.gov.uk

PEI continues to compile and report static electricityrelated incidents occuring during vehicle refueling TULSA, OKLA., SEPT. 30, 2004 Since static fires first came to public attention in the mid-nineties, the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI) has been a leading voice in investigating and educating the public about potential fire hazards due to the discharge of static electricity at the gas pump. With the approach of cooler weather and the upcoming observance of National Fire Protection Week, beginning October 3, 2004, it's important to remind the public of the many ways static electricity can is generated. Re-entering your vehicle during refueling, particularly in cool, dry weather can cause a build-up of static electricity. It may be tempting to get back in the car for any number of reasons, but the average fill-up takes only two minutes. Staying outside the vehicle will greatly minimize the likelihood of any build-up of static electricity that could be discharged at the nozzle. Remember the Three Rules for Safe

Refueling: 1) Turn Off Engine 2) Don't Smoke and 3) Never re-enter your vehicle. PEI continues to focus on making the public aware of static dangers. In the past year, PEI has been represented on both talk radio and morning television, reporting on Safety Tips for Refueling. The Myth Buster program, created for the Discovery Channel, featured PEI Executive Vice President, Bob Renkes, in two segments on static electricity at the pump. These segments are still being shown in reruns. PEI's web site now features a video of an actual refueling fire which can be viewed at www.pei.org/static. As of September 2004, PEI has received 160 reports from 39 states and Washington, DC. In all the reports, obvious causes such as open flame, running motor, etc., could be eliminated. It appears to many people in the industry that electrostatic charging was the probable cause of the fires. In many of the accidents reported, the motorist became charged during the refueling process through friction between clothing and the car seat to such an extent that electrostatic discharge to the vehicle body, fuel cap or dispensing nozzle occurred. PEI’s investigation of refueling fires shows static electricity to be the main cause of fires at the pump. None of the incidents investigated were related to cell phones, as has been suggested in numerous emails circulating on the Internet over the past several years. PE1 refutes the emails attributed to its organization, and has neither authored nor authorized any mass email documents on the subject. Though much of the information contained in the emails is factually correct, it also contains some erroneous information particularly as it relates to cell phones and fires. For more information on avoiding potential problems with static electricity build-up at the pump, refueling safety and safe fuel storage and handling guidelines, visit PE's web site at www.pei.org/news/static.htm Contact: Tammy Henson & Marketing/Public Relations * Petroleum Equipment institute Tel: (918) 494-9696 email: henson@pei.org P.O. Box 2380,Tulsa, OK 74101-2380 USA

Articles

APEA Annual Exhibition, Conference and Dinner 2004 By Tony Jenner The 2004 APEA Conference, Exhibition and Annual dinner was held on Thursday 7th October at the Hilton Metropole Hotel at the NEC in Birmingham. This year we adopted the format which some members may remember from the old days when this event was held in Dunstable. This was a one day conference with a small number of exhibitors occupying space only stands around the conference hall. Exhibitors were asked to close down their stands during the conference session which allowed our speakers to receive the full attention of all those in attendance. It is rewarding to report that the day proved successful and popular with exhibitors and delegates alike. Because of space restrictions each exhibitor was restricted to a single 3 metre x 2 metre lot onto which most erected simple stands where they displayed brochures and graphic panels illustrating their products and services. It seems that most exhibitors found this simple approach quite refreshing as it allowed them to quickly assemble and disassemble their stands without the frustrations that accompany attending larger exhibitions.

The conference session was opened by our Chairman, Brian Baker at 11:00 am with a friendly and light hearted welcome message. Brian explained that the theme of this year's conference was the past, the present and the future, with a look at different aspects of the industry and how things have changed in the last 20 - 30 years. Four speakers had been invited to inform and entertain throughout the day with their individual opinions regarding their own aspect of the industry. First to take the rostrum was Adrian

Levett of Warwickshire County Council. Adrian delighted and entertained us all with his opinion of how things had changed from a regulators point of view. It was interesting to hear that despite all of the changes we have seen over the years it was Adrian's opinion that many of the real issues still remain the same, not the least of which is the lack of uniformity between authorities when enforcing the Petroleum Regulations. Adrian received enthusiastic applause for his professional and enlightening presentation. The pre-lunch session was my time to address the conference with my personal opinions of how the role of the contractor has changed since the mid 1970's. In my presentation, which was unsupported by any visual material, I addressed the subjects of Health & Safety, the Environment and the changes in technology which had occurred since I began service in the industry in 1975. Much to my surprise, I too received applause and congratulations which made my lunch even more enjoyable. Lunch was taken between noon and 14:00 when visitors had the opportunity to meet with friends, colleagues and exhibitors. This once again showed the benefit of the simple format of the event with everybody being able to meet and conduct their business in the informal and friendly atmosphere that had developed over the day. At 14:00 it was back to business with David Kerr, Country Manager for international pump manufacturer, Dresser Wayne, giving his amusing and lively account of how petrol pumps have changed since their invention early in the 20th Century. David (who incidentally was the only speaker without grey hair) had interesting photographs depicting the various makes and models of pumps which have graced our forecourts over the years. David had gone to great lengths to identify pumps manufactured by others, therefore making his presentation totally non commercial. David received genuine and enthusiastic applause at the end of his enlightening presentation. We are all very grateful to David who changed his business schedule to make his presentation. Our final speaker, Stuart Howell of

Castle Hampton Management Consultancy gave a most professional and entertaining presentation on how petrol retailing has changed over the years. Stuart reminded us of many oil company marketing strategies, some of which were hugely successful and some of which had proved equally disastrous. Stuart provided some thought provoking material on how in his opinion the attitudes of the various oil companies had shaped our industry to where it is today with the hyper markets occupying a more than prominent position in petrol retailing. On concluding his presentation Stuart also received the sincere applause of all those in attendance. Chairman, Brian Baker once again took the rostrum and offered his thanks to all of the speakers and invited questions from the floor. After a brief question and answer session, Brian closed the conference, but not before reminding everybody of the schedule for the APEA Annual Dinner which was to be held in the hotel later that evening. Visitors then had the opportunity to view the various exhibition stands or network with friends and colleagues until the exhibition finally closed at 17:00. Once again the simplicity of the event paid dividends with exhibitors being able to break down their stands quickly and without fuss. Pre dinner drinks were served in the bar from 19:15 with almost 300 diners taking their places for the 20:00 meal with Brian Baker once again welcoming friends and guests. From a personal point of view my meal was enjoyable with the food being served fresh and hot, all enhanced with a glass or two of red wine! Following dinner, coffee and to the accompaniment of after dinner drinks, Robbie Glen our guest speaker took the floor. Robbie, now retired, was once the governor of the infamous Barlinie Jail, in Glasgow, and entertained us all with a medley of jokes and anecdotes from his life's experiences. Following on, Carl Bayliss introduced the charity BEN. Carl explained how this organisation, which exists to support members of the automotive industry in times of hardship and crisis, operates and relies totally on voluntary contributions. A table collection raised 27

Articles the amazing sum of £1,908.07 on the evening and Carl has asked me to convey his most sincere thanks to all for their generous support of this most worthwhile cause.

commodities, with, from their point of view, little or nothing to distinguish one brand from another As a principal marketing philosophy, Stuart stressed that successful companies took pains to understand the needs and wants of customers today - but the real rewards lie in the accurate prediction of their needs tomorrow. Retail marketing is a never ending game - but an enjoyable one.

Brian Baker once again took the floor, thanking everybody for attending and making the whole day and evening an outstanding and enjoyable event. Concluding the official dinner, many diners retired to the bar where they continued to enjoy themselves until the "wee small hours" But, that's another story!

Petroleum Retailing Synopsis by Stuart Howell Stuart Howell is a former manager of BP's Retail business in the UK. After leaving the company in the mid 1990s, after 30 ten yrs service, he formed his own Business Management Consultancy and became the Retail Course Director at The College of

Petroleum & Energy Studies in Oxford, and an Associate Professor at Ecole Nationale Superieure du Petrole et des Moteurs in Paris. He has 40 years 'in the business' to look back on and gave an interesting talk that helped to highlight some marketing peaks and troughs over the period.

Without dwelling on early history, he reminded Conference that the sale of petrol to the public started with the sale of product in two gallon cans by blacksmiths shops in the countryside, where the real growth of car ownership originated. The first 'real' petrol filling station forecourt was built by the AA in Aldermaston in 1920. To say much has happened since then is a complete understatement. Time prevented Stuart dealing with such

Soon after the introduction of post payment self service, it was apparent that the retail oil industry had to look to

fundamentals as Pool Petrol during the Second World War, and the abolition of on-site multi branding after it. However he did remind the delegates of the laying of a cornerstone of marketing in the UK, the introduction of self service in the 1960s. Numerous companies claim that they were first - an accolade best sorted out between themselves. Whereas this activity can be deemed as a 'strategic' marketing achievement, there are some 'tactical' ploys which are small but nevertheless small cornerstones in their own right. Make Money for Shell, Esso's Tiger in my Tank - which first appeared in the early 1990s in Norway, and of course the myriad of glass collection schemes and scratch card promotions, so numerous as to be beyond mention.

a more professional design and operation of their associated shops - for two reasons - customers were looking for more than fuel at the time of their stopping for it - and oil companies had to look for new margin streams to counter the competitive pressures on their core fuels business. A radical review of shop concepts resulted which has led to the far better offers we see today. Oil companies work hard at offering 'one stop replenishment' and making site visits by customers less distressing than they used to be. That pressure in the 1960s was as nothing to that compared with new adversaries that arrived on the scene in the 1990s. At the time of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and the subsequent conflicts in 1991 the price of crude escalated dramatically. Many oil companies had traditionally priced their products on a 'replacement cost basis'; with little or no time delay, and they continued to do so. This approach was not applied by 'new' players to petrol retailing such as supermarkets. The result was that price differentials widened to a point where the buying public could not ignore them and they created new buying habits for themselves, resulting in the drastic shrinking of market shares and margins previously enjoyed by the main players. The consequence is there for students to study today. Very sad - a sobering lesson which must not be forgotten.

Many of the schemes came about because oil companies sought to differentiate themselves from their competitors - they still do. A real problem is that, by and large, the buying public see road transportation fuels as 28

Articles death for under £1 for a packet of 20 cigarettes! All this fun could be had from an average wage of about £100 per week.

One marketing adage which must never be forgotten in any circumstances is 'never ever lose touch with customers and their needs and wants' Of course there will be other influences when it comes to looking to the future - particularly, alternative fuels. There is at least one scenario which forecasts the demise of Service Stations - but that's a long way ahead. As one former BP Director said to him when he was expounding about some 'blue sky' thinking some years ago, 'but Stuart, you can't even sell petrol properly yet'!! We'll do well to keep our feet on the ground - and keep listening to those customers.

Forecourt Contracting Since the Mid 1970's by Tony Jenner A Personal Perspective Based on the Presentation Made at the 2004 APEA Conference It must be stressed that these opinions are my personal opinions and are not those of the APEA, so if this presentation contains anything you don't agree with then please tell me and not our Business Manager, Jane Mardell! In my presentation to Conference I explained that I joined this industry in 1975 when I started work as a mechanical engineer with a company based in Woking, Surrey. The company manufactured retrofit kits to convert mechanical pumps to electronic operation, which made sense as petrol was fast approaching £1.00 per gallon and most existing mechanical pumps could only cope with a maximum product price of 99.9p per gallon. I reminded the audience that in the mid 1970's you could buy an average semi detached house in the south of England for about £15,000, enjoy a pint of beer for about 40p and if you felt so inclined you could smoke yourself to

I remarked that our industry was buoyant in those days with the dawning of new developments in equipment and techniques. Self service equipment, which had previously been cumbersome, many with electro mechanical counters were being superseded by new solid state equipment with the ability to provide more information and even to be able to transmit that data over the telephone! Speaking of forecourt equipment maintenance I recounted that this was generally provided by a few large companies in the 70's although some smaller organisations offered regional or local support. These large companies tailored their services to suit the major oil companies and enjoyed their business almost exclusively until stiff competition arrived in the late 70's and early 80's with other organisations springing up and offering competitive services at more attractive rates. This started a "pricing war" which still remains with us today! I made the observation that the approximate price of an annual service contract for a blender pump in 1980 was about £600, compared to an average price of less than £400 for a quad pump now. Remarking that we can accept that a modern electronic pump should have less to go wrong than an old mechanical pump and should therefore be more reliable, I did, however, suggest that this price comparison gives a clear indication that our industry has significantly increased its demands upon its service providers. I also noted how the structure of the oil companies has changed with the popular trend to replace the oil company engineer with a facilities management company. I stated that it is my opinion that this practice has not necessarily been to the good of the industry as many of these companies tend to operate as if they are an extension to the construction industry. I made my opinion known that what may work admirably on a construction site or when providing maintenance on a large single facility may not necessarily be the right solution when the same principles are applied across a network of retail premises. I noted that it is with regard to Health & Safety and the Environment that we have seen the most pronounced

changes in attitude. In the 1970's there was nowhere near the emphasis placed on health & safety as there is now although this is not to say that the working practices back in 70's and 80's were any less safe or carried out to a lesser standard than they are today. I also made the observation that responsible companies have always conducted their businesses in a responsible manner, while those less inclined to act responsibility have continued to do so. I observed that the marked difference between then and now is the need for a company to provide documentary evidence to support its claim that it is fully compliant with Health & Safety at Work Law. Unfortunately, in my opinion much of this documentation is churned out without anybody reading or understanding it, with risk assessments and method statements often only being read in the aftermath of an accident or incident! I confirmed my total commitment to the proper and sensible management of Health & Safety at work but made the observation that a more practical and hands on approach may be beneficial. I noted that much of the need for documentation is to do as much as possible to ensure that we are protected from prosecution (or should I say persecution) in the event of a mishap. I spoke of attitudes to the environment and how they have changed since the mid 70's when there was a sympathy towards protecting our surroundings, but not the awareness that there is now and made the observation that in the event of a leak in years gone by the first consideration seemed to be the direct financial implications of the loss of product rather than the possible damage to the environment. Regarding fuel storage I noted that until the 1980's things hadn't changed much since we first began to put petrol in underground storage tanks. Explaining that in the 70's nearly all underground tanks were manufactured from steel and were of single skinned design. I described the installation process and stressed why it used to be so important to properly encase tanks and pipework in sulphate resistant concrete to prevent corrosion. I made the observation that slip shod and careless installation practices could severely compromise the anticipated life of tanks and pipework, and stressed that the same applies equally today, despite the use of modern and non corrodible products. I mentioned how the under pump valve had replaced the angle check valve giving us a simple and immediate method of detecting leaks in suction pipework. 29

Articles I went on to explain how double skinned tanks with interstitial space monitoring were now the industry standard together with synthetic pipework. I also briefly discussed containment manway chambers and under pump sumps and once again stressed that these products offer excellent environmental protection providing correct installation practices are adhered to. I also expressed my personal opinion that it would be good for the industry to have a register of competent contractors, who can demonstrate compliance with industry standards. I reminded conference that it was in the 80's when the Americans visited in strength bringing with them new and exciting equipment all with the aim of protecting the environment. These included, overfill prevention valves, leak detection systems, vapour recovery equipment and precision tank testing systems. In many instances we readily accepted this technology and began a round of installing new equipment with varying degrees of success! Speaking briefly of leak detection systems I reminded my audience of some of the false alarm problems associated with the early equipment. I did, however, reassure delegates that I was not trying to discredit the reliability of these systems, because they obviously did work, but went on to explain my belief that we tried to interface selected technologies from the US with existing European systems and in so doing sometimes made difficulties for ourselves. I briefly spoke of Stage 1B vapour recovery equipment which was installed in line with Government legislation. Recounting that where this equipment had been installed on new sites it seemed to work efficiently, I did, however, note that when retrofitted to existing sites some problems were encountered. Explaining that fitting stage 1B vapour recovery equipment in conjunction with poorly fitted or non vapour tight overfill prevention valves caused the "flying fill cap" syndrome. I expressed my opinion that some of these problems still exist today, and may not manifest themselves until we come to install Stage 2 vapour recovery systems in the future. On a humorous note I reminded Conference that it was in connection with vapour recovery that we were introduced to new and quaint American phrases! The one that has always amused me is "Fugitive Vapour Emissions" which previously I thought were the result of an embarrassing lack of judgement or muscular control 30

following a night on the beer or a particularly spicy Indian Meal!

technology administered with tender loving care!

When discussing contents measurement and stock reconciliation I explained that when I came into the industry most gauging systems relied on the hydrostatic principle although the majority of sites were still equipped with dip sticks. I made a comparison between the stock reconciliation methods of the 70's and the accurate statistics that it is now possible to obtain using modern gauging systems. I also mentioned the attitudes towards liquid measurement in earlier years when it was not permissible to under dispense petrol under any circumstances. In those days I explained that most Trading Standards Officers would prefer to see a measure approaching the maximum tolerance of plus one fluid ounce per gallon rather than accepting a "strike" measure. I also mentioned how some Trading Standards Officers initially found the principle of under dispensing unpalatable! Describing how in days gone by nobody considered the health & safety implications of carrying full measures across a forecourt I explained that in many circumstances it would have been of no consequence to a TSO anyway as the pump fitter used to carry and empty the measures for him!

Considering the future I described how developments in mobile communications have changed the way in which service organisations now operate. This included the ability to send and receive work instructions and job sheets in electronic format, therefore allowing the more efficient deployment of engineers. The ability to be able to remotely interrogate electronic systems in order to identify and sometimes remedy a fault was also discussed.

To provide a light hearted illustration of how leak detection technology has improved over the years I raised a small "leek" in my right hand to represent the size of leak we could now detect, whilst in my left hand I displayed a "leek" of championship growth, illustrating the size of leak we may have reasonably expected before detection in the 1970's. I went on to explain that the small leek had been purchased from a local hypermarket whilst the large one had been the product of old and time tested

Considering staff, I explained that in the 70's there was a ready fund of service and installation engineers because of the apprenticeship system that was being operated throughout all industries at the time. I noted that our society does not now generally offer this level of practical training and this has created difficulties when trying to source new engineers. I also briefly explained the wide range of different skills it is necessary for a service engineer to posses and the practical and health & safety issues that are sometimes apparent when asking an engineer to carry out repairs to kiosk based systems having just been working on a hydraulic component. I concluded my presentation by thanking those present for their patience and attention, adding my wish that they enjoy the remainder of their day at the APEA Conference & Exhibition.

Enforcement - an historical perspective by Adrian Levett, Fellow and former Chairman, APEA In this short article, I am going to look back over 75 years of control over petroleum products. In doing so I hope it will remind us why what we do now is so much better, although there's plenty of room for improvement. It's worth remembering how crucial the oil industry is to Society. How quickly everyday life grinds to a halt when the tap is turned off. It's also worth considering how a safety case to allow the public such easy access to such dangerous substances in such large quantities might be viewed if introduced for the first time today! I am going to turn the clock back to 1979, in my opinion this was a pivotal

Articles Legislation

Handbook", author A. L. Good, Bishops Stortford Urban District Council 1967.

• Petroleum Consolidation Act • Health & Safety at Work Act etc. 1974

time, the start of a different approach, the dawn of technologies we take for granted now. From 1979 I shall look backwards over 50 years to the introduction of new legislation - the 1928 Act and then forward 25 years to today. In 1979 we said enforcement and we meant it, now we might say "securing compliance" - it's more PC. Let's remind ourselves what we were dealing with. At this time in many country areas, it was still possible to buy petrol from "across the pavement" sites, some with swing arms. In town centres these could even be in busy thoroughfares. Paint and highly inflammable liquid stores were also licensed. At the other end of the scale, motorway service areas with tens of nozzles were well established.

The former set out the framework, the latter modified and extended powers and codified offences. Our attention was really focused on the codes, licence conditions and guidance used for enforcement purposes like a bible, there was plenty to choose from, with the Home Office, learned associations (including our own) and others keen to publish. Examples are: • The storage of calcium carbide, published by the British Acetylene Association, December 1930 • Model Code of Principles of Construction and Licensing Conditions for the storage of cans, drums and other receptacles, petrol filling stations, basement, sub basement garages and underground car parks, published by the Home Office 1957 • Model Code of Principles of Construction and Licensing Conditions for distributing depots and major installations, Home Office, 1958 • Airfields, IP Model Code of Safe Practice Part 7 1965 • Electrical Installations in Petrol Filling Stations, An Electrical Times Guide. It is interesting to note that 5 years later when the APEA model construction requirements were published they were essentially a distillation of these - and I was the editor

On the technology side there is no doubt we had a love affair with 2 construction materials: -

Steel and Concrete

And because I come from Shakespeare's County, a sub plot Zinc for galvanising and Bitumen These were the materials that had served us well and exclusively for years. Much more could be said about technology - suffice to comment that pressure lines and GRP tanks had arrived by 1979. Up to about this time we kept it simple - but we spent a lot of time worrying about it - with good cause if you look at the reports of leaks.

The key point to note if you study them is the focus on the equipment and location, not the behaviour of people. Years would pass before we became satisfied with the "hardware" which now included "software" and chose to turn attention to staff training. A major source of information in the pre-e-mail era (can you remember that?) - I think we were even pre-fax was the Bulletin. Having mentioned "the Bulletin" - I must add a few words about the development of our Association - which played and continues to play a key role in how legislation and practice develop. This is best done by quoting from the introduction to the "Petroleum Officers

The Association for Petroleum Acts Administration "In 1958, a small number of Petroleum Officers, bearing in mind the lack of uniformity in Petroleum Acts administration, decided to band together and form a group, later to become the Midlands Petroleum Acts Administration Group. The idea behind the formation of this Group was to provide a common platform for all Petroleum Officers to make known their ideas, views and problems to their colleagues who were equally eager to share in an interchange of technical knowledge to the mutual benefit of all. These "Petroleum Pioneers" were building far better than they perhaps realised and in April 1965, a National body, the Association for Petroleum Acts Administration (a), was formed. The formation of branches provides a medium for local discussion and the "Bulletin" which is issued quarterly is a fine example of a first class technical journal. The Associate class of membership is of great value bringing into the orbit of the Association, Architects, skilled Engineers and Technicians of the petroleum and electrical industry and other specialists whose advice and opinions are always most welcome". Returning to the Bulletin; I have a complete set and looked at 1979 to see what was worrying us. Talking Point - Vol 18, No 1 August 1979 "Having just taken over as Editor I must echo the words of my predecessor in his swan song, that the production of this journal does seem "awesome and immense". I only hope that in time I may reach his high standard. The journal is not only the result of the efforts of the Editor, but also yours as members and associates and I do ask for your support with material and comment during my term. The Oil crisis hits the world headlines again, one reads of gun fights and murder at service stations in the States! At home for the Petroleum Inspector it means increase of storage of "loose" petrol in cars and homes and the hazards that go with it. It is expected a larger number of filling stations will close, leaving an increasing number of disused tanks. The last Bulletin reported on this and made recommendations; the HSE however should be made more aware of this 35

Articles growing problem and the difficulties Authorities face in making tanks safe and the cumbersome legislation which exists". J A J Thompson (Editor) At least the jacket was probably made of wool! In the list of key contents for Vol 17 covering 78/79, there are some clues with references to GRP tanks, offset fill boxes and a reminder that the APEA did consider explosives. Looking back from 1979 towards 1928 you actually see a picture of stability in the law once you get beyond 1975 when the HSAW etc. Act came into force. The 1928 Act was used to regulate all manner of highly inflammables and dangerous substances from its inception to the 1960's and demonstrates the early attempts to control substances that could cause fire or explosion - hence the many orders (now revoked) made under it. The process though was the same licence, licence conditions, construction requirements - do wrong and pay the fine. Actually the 1928 Act only codified some changes, the principle of a licence and licence conditions came from the Petroleum Act 1871, over a hundred years prior to 1979. This is not to say "petroleum inspectors" were not helpful. Referring to Vol 1 No 3 of the bulletin January 1963, M Gee, ADO Wolverhampton Fire and Ambulance Service reported "According to the legal adviser of the W M Group, an offence is committed if the can is not marked in accordance with this Act. It makes you think when you see people going to a garage with all kinds of cans, some of which are even marked as disinfectants or antifreeze. He went on to say…. We have some old installation's which are far from ideal and do constitute more than the usual hazard….When one considers that it is only in the last few years that most authorities paid any great attention to petrol licensing it is no wonder that some installations are not all they should be. It is also difficult to tell a person who has held a licence for 30 years, that you now consider that the installation is unsatisfactory….." Editor R P Holdaway, WM Department, Shrewsbury This is the nub of the problem with enforcement through to 1979 it was all about dealing with legislation that tended to fix everything in time. Risk 36

was not a word we used. The world of petroleum distribution changed dramatically between 1928 and 1979 primarily because it went underground and increased in volume. The love affair did not change. • Steel, Concrete, Zinc, Bitumen. • An Act, a licence, licence conditions. Incidentally as a link to modern times the 1928 Act did deal with some environmental matters Section II For the purpose of preserving for the enjoyment of the public the amenities of any rural scenery or of any place of beauty or historic interest or of any public park or pleasure promenade or of any street or place which is of interest by reason of its picturesque character, the council of any county or borough may make byelaws - (a) regulating the appearance of petroleum filling stations; or Looking forward Time to look forward from 1979. From now on the enforcement of the industry would gradually become fragmented with different inspectorates looking at different layers of the industry. Major installations moved to the HSE, together with road tankers, different structures in local government moved the function around and most recently "at work" storage has become the responsibility of either HSE or Environmental Health staff depending on the nature of the business. Nevertheless the principle of a licence has endured for retail filling stations. Another major change driven by the nature of petrol retailing has been the demand for consistency by the fewer and larger international companies. The concept of risk, defining, analysing and controlling risk has permeated all our thinking, and this has increasingly involved considering human behaviour. Emphasis is rightly placed on training and inspection involves ensuring this takes place. On site and off site plans to deal with emergencies are prepared, considered and we hope practised. Legislation and approach has changed, together with the nature of guidance. Perhaps most telling in all the changes is the extent to which industry and regulators work together - through committees, in this Association and in the field. Discussing, reviewing and testing. Look at a recent edition of the bulletin and scan the news page.

• Drug-user Admits Stealing Tanker • Apprentice 'Died After Tank Blast' • Petrol Blaze in Kitchen • Five Tankers of Illegal Fuel Seized in Belfast • Water in Tank Speeds Biodiesel Fuel Degradation • Overfill of Underground Tank Causes Problems for Irish Filling Station Owner Has anything changed - you could be forgiven for thinking not. Efforts to improve consistency include improved training of inspectors, open i.e. public published guidance and opinions, the work of LACORS and of course the APEA. Yet consistency remains the greatest criticism, perhaps the greatest challenge. I've got this far without mentioning DSEAR, the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere Regulations 2002 [into force 5/12/02] preceded by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. We see a new love affair emerging, now its not about materials, it's about: -

Principles Assessment Control measures

with a clear understanding that we can get the technology right - the people are more difficult. Throughout all the changes of recent years the petroleum officer has worked hard to change. Securing compliance is infinitely more complex but distinctively a matter of ensuring the industry are using the right approach and procedures rather than controlling the precise structure of a filling station. So what of the future; I suggest the following 4 points will influence our thinking: Future: • Demand for consistency will spread out across national boundaries • Alternative fuels will complicate distribution arrangements • Licensing will endure: indeed I predict a revival of the interest in this means of control across all business areas • Lastly enforcement will become more "desktop" based - with on site inspection increasingly rare.

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Photographs from the APEA Dinner

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‘BEN’ and the APEA By Kirsten Galvin, Marketing and Communications Manager, BEN BEN is the Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund - the automotive and associated sector's own charity & the very heart of our industry. For almost a century now, BEN has been helping, men, women & children connected to the one of the 20 industry sectors it encompasses. Employees past & present and their immediate family can turn to BEN in times of need & crisis. The Fund is working closely with the APEA to ensure that as many of their member organisations and associates know something of the help & support BEN offers in case they, or any of their colleagues ever find themselves in need. BEN is very grateful to the APEA for the support it is showing to the Fund not only in terms of creating awareness of its work, but also for the recent fundraising the organisation undertook at it Annual Dinner held earlier in October. A table collection held on the evening raised an outstanding £1908.07 for the Fund. Many of you as readers of this

publication and members of the APEA will have heard of BEN but may not necessarily be aware of the services and support the charity offers. BEN's Welfare Team is currently helping around 15,000 people in the community, 55% of whom are of working age. This often means that the help offered to an individual has an impact on an entire family, improving their quality of life. Help is provided in many ways including befriending, guidance regarding benefits and financial grants. There is also a confidential national emergency Helpline (01344 876770), which individuals can call in a crisis. In addition, BEN has four residential and nursing centres, providing a home to over 350 people of differing needs & ages. At BEN's newest centre, Town Thorns, near Coventry, there is a Young Disabled People Unit and at Alexandra House in Southport, Palliative Care is offered. Residential, nursing and specialised 'elderly mentally infirmed'

care plus sheltered housing are also provided at these centres. At the present time BEN has 118 beneficiaries that have a connection to the industries the APEA represents and to date the Fund has spent £109,280.94 on caring for these people. Caring and supporting all of BEN's beneficiaries requires £11 million a year, that's a staggering £200,000 a week. Next year will see BEN reach its Centenary, celebrating 100 years of innovative and pioneering care provision. Throughout the year the Fund will be running a Centenary Appeal from which it aims to raise £3 million in additional income, so that the charity can secure another century of care for the industries it supports.

To find out more about how BEN maybe able to help you or how you can help support BEN's Centenary Appeal please call 01344 620191.

New Training Provider for COMP'EX Training EX07 & EX08 In the UK, before work is undertaken in a petroleum environment, there is a requirement that personnel have a basic knowledge of the electrical apparatus being used and of the appropriate methods, techniques and working practices to adopt in order to maximise safety and to minimise the risk of dangerous situations arising. This requirement is reinforced by the need for a risk assessment under the Dangerous Substances & Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (Regulations 5 & 6). Falkirk College have now developed a training course that meets the requirements on modules 7 & 8 for electrical training for technicians and engineers that are required to work in the hazardous areas in a petroleum environment. The facilities at Falkirk College are unique and custom built to include realistic working plant and a simulated hazardous area. 'EX' training provides Electrical Installation Engineering Industry Training

Organisation (EIEITO) Nationally Approved Competence based Training that is supported by the Health & Safety Executive and it would be beneficial if candidates have previously studied the City & Guilds 2391 Inspection & Testing course. The course aims to raise awareness of operative competence in the installation and maintenance of electrical equipment and apparatus in hazardous environments. The Course covers Legislation, General Principles, Standards Certification & Marking, ATEX Directives and DSEAR Guidance, Explosion Protection Concepts (EX d. Ex e. Ex n. Ex p Ex ia/ib), Cables & Terminations, IP/APEA Guidance (Sections 2,3,6,14,17 & 19), LPG & CNG Installations, Permits to Work and Safe Isolation, Inspection & Testing, Induction to Competence Validation Testing, Reference material, HELA/LACORS PETEL Circulars and case studies. This part of the course

lasts 3 days A further 2 days is spent on EX07 Preparation, Installation & Decommissioning Petrol Filling Stations and EX 08 Inspection, Test & Maintenance of Petrol Filling Stations. On successful completion of the course and its assessments, the participants will receive the National Electro-technical Training Organisation (NET) certificate of competence. The cost is £896, with various dates being published. To apply, contact the Administration Team at Falkirk College Business Unit on 01324 403248 or write to;

The Business Unit Falkirk College of Further & Higher Education Grangemouth Road, Falkirk FK2 9AD 43

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Future Road Fuels By Malcolm Watson, Technical Director, UK Petroleum Industry Association When discussing future fuels three possible drivers for change are often cited - oil supply, air quality and emissions of carbon dioxide. This paper gives the oil industry's views on these issues and what future fuels we might end up using in the future. Oil supply Currently the UK is a net exporter of crude oil. However the supply of crude oil from the North Sea will decline and in the future the UK will become, like most other OECD countries, a net importer of energy. A recent study by Wood Mackenzie shows that as North Sea oil declines Europe will replace it with oil imported from Africa and the Caspian Sea. The proportion from the Middle East is expected to remain unchanged. The outlook is therefore for increasing diversity in sources of crude oil for the UK. This will ensure security of supply, especially as in previous periods of uncertainty the oil exporting countries have maintained supply. The oil industry believes that fossil fuels can continue to supply the bulk of the UK's and the world's transport energy needs for at least the next 50 years. In 2000 the US Geological Survey's World Petroleum Assessment estimated that the conventional crude oil resource base was about 3 trillion barrels, based on current prices. About half of this will have been produced by 2020.

development. T h e s e technologies will extend the world's potential supply of oil by making unconventional oil r e s o u r c e s commercially attractive. Higher sustained prices could produce a similar effect and at the same time extend the supply of conventional crude oil. Further liquid fuels will be provided by gas-to-liquid processes, which utilise stranded natural gas from areas of the world with no local gas market. This approach has been demonstrated by a Gas-to-Liquids plant in Malaysia. A series of large commercial plants supplying 140,000 barrels per day are planned for construction before the end of this decade. These alternative sources will provide increased diversity and security of supply, with less emphasis in the long term on the Middle East for energy. Hence, it is extremely unlikely that any movement to alternative fuels will be driven by lack of supply of crude oil. Air Quality

Demand for travel has grown over the years with the miles driven each year steadily increasing. A trend is that is Figure 2.6 Oil Supply Outlook expected to continue. This has increased demand for petrol and diesel to power the vehicles and raised concern over air pollution from vehicles. Air pollution is being addressed by progressively tighter European vehicle emission standards and changes to the for Source:ExxonMobil specifications petrol and diesel for example removing As well as conventional crude oil, lead and reducing sulphur. The there are significant unconventional changes to petrol and diesel enable reserves, including heavy oil in new vehicle exhaust after-treatment Venezuela and tar sands in Canada that technologies such as the catalytic can be produced using new converter on petrol cars, the oxidation technologies currently under catalyst on diesel cars and particulate

Source: DEFRA and UKPIA for CO2 traps on diesel vehicles. The combination of cleaner vehicles and fuels halved the emissions of most pollutants in the 1990s and are predicted to halve them again by 2010. For several pollutants the air quality targets set by the Government have been or shortly will be reached. However forecasts of future air quality highlight continuing concern over exhaust emissions of very fine particulates (PM10) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). This will be addressed by another round of even tighter European vehicle exhaust emission standards to be introduced around 2010-2012. The sulphur free petrol and diesel to be progressively introduced from 1 September this year will enable the new vehicle exhaust after-treatment technologies required by the motor manufacturers to produce cleaner vehicles with better fuel economy. The effect of the tighter European vehicle emission standards will be to reduce future emissions further than shown in the graph above. This will ensure that emissions from road transport do not cause exceedances of current air quality targets. Greenhouse Gases Another concern is over emissions of greenhouse gases from road transport. These are mainly carbon dioxide. Emissions of carbon dioxide rose steadily until around 1990 when the rate of increase slowed. Since 1997 emissions of carbon dioxide from road traffic have been virtually static despite a rise in miles driven approaching 10%. This is due to the improved fuel economy of vehicles, particularly cars, offsetting the extra miles driven.

Articles Under the voluntary agreement been the European, Japanese and Korean car manufacturers and the European Commission the emissions of carbon dioxide of the average car sold in Europe will be reduced by 25% by 2008/9 (to 140 g CO2/km). Further reductions are possible technically. A study by Ricardo, the automotive consultants, for the UK Government indicating that the fuel economy of hybrid Golf sized conventionally fuelled car could be improved progressively by 50% by 2020, with carbon dioxide emissions from diesel fuelled hybrid vehicles falling to around 77 gCO2/km on a tankto-wheels basis. This shows that there is considerable improvement possible with conventional technology. Discussions to extend the motor manufacturers' voluntary agreement are currently underway and an extension to the agreement is expected. This should ensure that the fuel economy continues to improve over at least the next two decades. At the same time increasing economic prosperity is expected to lead to an increase in freight and miles driven. The oil industry expects that over the next twenty years the net effect of better fuel economy and increasing miles driven to be slight reduction in fuel consumption and hence emissions of carbon dioxide from road transport. On the other hand some Government forecasts still predict an increase. Future Fuels In the next 30 years the oil industry believes that petrol and diesel used in vehicles with better fuel economy will dominate road transport. In the longer term, if the 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 called for by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution and adopted as a target by the UK Government is to be achieved, then technical measures to improve the fuel economy of conventional petrol and diesel will not be enough. Alternative low carbon fuels will have to be considered. There are a huge number of possible resources from crude oil to wind which can be converted to a range of fuels which in turn can be used in a range of engines. For example hydrogen could be made from natural gas by steam reforming or from water by electrolysis using electricity from wind or nuclear or fossil fuels. The hydrogen could then be used in a conventional engine or a fuel cell.

Source: Dft, DTI and SMMT Diesel could be made from biomass or natural gas or crude oil etc. All these possible options give different overall emissions of greenhouse gases which have to be

The effect of changes in vehicle technology over time must be included as well. One study that covered most of the above options and the effect of technology up to 2010 was carried out

Some energy resources, possible future fuels and engine technologies Energy Resources

Possible Fuels

Possible Engines

Crude Oil Heavy Oil Shale OilCoal Natural Gas Biomass Wind Hydro Solar Tidal Wave Nuclear

Petrol Diesel Naphtha Synthetic FT Diesel Biodiese lMethanol Ethanol LPG Natural Gas Hydrogen Di-Methyl Ether Electricity

Spark Ignition(Petrol)

evaluated. This is best done on a wellto-wheels basis that combines all the emissions of greenhouse gases in the production, transport, refining, distribution and use of the fuel so that comparisons are made on a fair basis and the best overall options selected.

Compression Ignition(Diesel) Fuel Cell Battery Electric Hybrids

by Conawe (European oil industry research organisation), Eucar (European motor industry research organisation) and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre at Ispra. The study was based on a 5 seater medium sized car such as a VW

Well to Wheels CO2eq Emissions of Future Fuel Options

Source: Concawe/Eucar/JRC 47

Articles Golf. Although it is very comprehensive the Concawe/Eucar/JRC study did not cover all possibilities so it is can only be indicative of the options. The figure shows the 2010 emissions from petrol and diesel car on the left. These show around a 20% (diesel) and 30% (petrol) improvement in fuel economy over current performance due to hybridisation (internal combustion engine and electric motor). A greater improvement may be possible over a longer time frame, as Ricardo has predicted. In the long-term natural gas imported into Europe and used in a conventional internal combustion engine will increase emissions of carbon dioxide. Natural gas will only offer CO2 benefits over petrol or diesel cars if locally produced natural gas is used or a natural gas hybrid car is produced. This is considered to be unlikely as a hybrid gas powered vehicle would be very expensive. In addition investment would be required in a distribution infrastructure which would not be profitable without a market. Conventional biofuels, biodiesel (FAME) produced from rapeseed oil and bio-ethanol produced from sugarbeet, offer lower CO2 emissions than petrol or diesel. The exact savings are highly dependant upon the source of biomass and the production process used. Advanced biofuels such as bioethanol from lignocellulosic fermentation of biomass, and FischerTropsch (FT) diesel from gasified biomass offer even lower CO2 emissions which are comparable with emissions from hydrogen fuel cells, with hydrogen produced from biomass or renewable (wind) electricity. The lowest emissions are from the use of hydrogen produced from wind in a fuel cell. Wind, wood and nuclear all offer low carbon sources of hydrogen. However several studies have shown that wind and wood save more CO2 if they are used to replace fossil fuelled power generation rather than produce hydrogen for road transport. Deciding the best use for renewable resources power generation of transport fuels - is an issue for the UK Government. The other issue that has to be addressed is the cost of the alternatives to petrol and diesel. For example conventional biofuels cost 2 to 4 times the cost of petrol or diesel. As alternatives fuels are likely to be used to save emissions of carbon dioxide the figure below gives the cost of saving one tonne of carbon being emitted as carbon dioxide with a range 48

of options. All the choices - hybrid vehicles, conventional and advanced biofuels and hydrogen in a fuel cell - are much more expensive that the Government's estimate of the value of saving one tonne of carbon, £70/tonne of carbon abated. The most cost effective option for reducing CO2 emissions from the road transport sector is the use of hybrid

dominate with new vehicle technology (Gasoline Direct Injection, Common Rail Diesel, Hybrids) giving better fuel economy. Up to 2030 - Petrol and diesel still dominate but there is greater use of hybrids and limited use of biofuels, CNG, hydrogen, LPG. Technological advances in a number of areas fuel

Source: Concawe/Eucar/JRC diesel/electric engines, Concawe/Eucar/JRC estimate the cost of CO2 savings with a hybrid is £450/tC, which is slightly lower than the estimates made by Ricardo in their report to the Government. The next tier of potential carbon reduction options for the road transport sector consists of biofuels, both conventional and advanced, ranging from £530/tC to £825/tC. The most expensive options for achieving carbon reductions from the road transport sector are those involving hydrogen for use within fuel cells with a range between £1500/tC and £4000/tC, i.e. roughly twice as expensive as the biofuel options. The figures for hydrogen use within internal combustion engines (ICEs) were broadly similar where energy penalties are counteracted by less expensive vehicle technology. In comparison with the costs of emissions reductions in other sectors of the UK's economy CO2 reductions from the road transport sector are very high and considerably greater than the expected compliance costs for the EU Emissions trading scheme (penalties at £100/tC) or for energy efficiency improvements in the domestic sector. Summary The oil industry believes that a realistic view of the future would be:Up to 2010 - Petrol and diesel

cells, biofuels, gas to liquids and heavy oil conversion provide a range of future options After 2030 - Diesel and Petrol are still in use along with a wider range of transport fuels. Hydrogen seems front runner today but in reality no clear winner yet. The oil industry is actively contributing to a low carbon future with a wide range of initiatives by individual companies to develop the technology and expertise necessary. These initiatives range from measures that could be implemented in the short term (such as processing vegetable oil in a refinery and converting straw to ethanol) to other measures (such as carbon sequestration) which open up policy options for the future. This work will ensure that whenever the UK wishes to begin the switch from petrol and diesel the oil industry is ready to play its part. However it is likely to be many decades before a switch is possible or necessary. Concawe, EUCAR, JRC Well-toWheels Analysis of future Automotive Fuels and Powertrains November 2003 Ricardo "Carbon to Hydrogen" Roadmaps for Passenger Cars November 2003 UKPIA Future Road Fuels June 2004 www.ukpia.com

Articles

Current Local Authority Partnership Schemes The following information was recently made available via the Health & Safety Executive and Local Authorities Enforcement Liaison Committee Petel 65/56

The Lead Authority Partnership Scheme was primarily developed to assist in improving consistency of Local Authority health and safety enforcement in relation to businesses with multiple outlets located in different Local Authority areas. A list of all current partnerships in the petroleum sector is given below, together with the relevant authority contact.

Company

PLA

Contact

ASDA (issues about unstaffed sites only)

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service

Roger Marris Tel. 01274 655784 Email: roger.marris@westyorksfire.gov.uk

Milton Keynes Council (Building Control Division

Brian Baker Tel. 01908 252332 Email: Brian.Baker@MiltonKeynes.gov.uk

Esso

Surrey County Council (Trading Standards)

Steve Rowe Tel. 01372 371756 Email: steve.rowe@surreycc.gov.uk

Petrol Retailers’ Association

Warwickshire County Council (Trading Standards)

Clive Stephenson Tel. 01926 414071 Email: clivestephenson@warwickshire.gov.uk

Sainsbury’s