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part of Norway’s HyNor project. The project will make driving a hydrogenfulled vehicle between Stavanger and Oslo possible by 2009. In August 2006, Statoil opened its first Hydrogen Pump at is Forus Service Station near Stavanger.

Statoil’s two hydrogen-fulled cars will be linked in with the Forus HyNor Station. In June, nine further cars will be linked in with the new HyNor Filling Station at Gronland, eastern Norway..

An additional two hydrogen-fuelled cars will become part of the Hytec Research Centre’s Filling Station in Trondheim next year.

Italy, Another AGIP multi energy service station opened

Eni chief executive, Paolo Scaroni, and the President of the Lombardy Region, Roberto Formigoni, opened the third Agip multiEnergy service station, a state-of-the-art facility that makes innovative use of new forms of energy to improve respect for the quality of the environment and of life.

The station is part of the European Zero Regio Project, which aims to develop, in Lombardy and the RheinMain region in Germany, integrated systems for sustainable mobility through the use of multifuel hydrogen service stations for zero-emissions vehicles.

The Zero Regio Project, which is cofinanced by the European Commission, involves the construction and experimentation of two innovative structures for the supply of multifuel hydrogen, in Mantua and Frankfurt, for the refuelling of fuel cell vehicles, using a range of technological options for the production and distribution of hydrogen. 16 partners from 4 European countries are involved in the project and it is coordinated, at a European level, by Infraserv Höchst GmbH and in Italy by the Lombardy Region.

In Mantua hydrogen is produced, at the service station, using a gaspowered 20 mc/h reformer. The technology uses a high-temperature catalytic process with a pre-mixed flow of steam and natural gas which is transformed into hydrogen in successive stages. The fleet of vehicles is made up of three cell fuel-driven Fiat Pandas, bought by the Lombardy Region for the municipality of Mantua.

Always with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions, the Mantua and Frankfurt stations are also considered „Green Petrol Stations”, given that they are equipped with solar panels of 8 and 20 kWp respectively, that can generate electricity from a renewable source of around 30,000 kWh/year, which corresponds to a reduction of around 16 tons/year of CO2 emissions. For the petrol-based part, multiEnergy is an innovative modular concept that integrates the refuelling of hydrogen with a range of conventional liquid and gaseous fuels, including biofuels, with a view to contributing to the development of the new generation of low/zeroemission vehicles that car manufacturers are offering the market.

In terms of energy saving, the multiEnergy station could become, in the short term, a platform for bioconstruction and bio-architecture to test low-impact recycled materials, electrical, heating, air-conditioning and lighting systems with efficiency gains that will make it possible to reduce energy consumption in terms of kWh/m2/year as is happening across Europe.

In the short term Eni will use hydrogen mixed with methane. The aim being to launch, at a national and European level, the use of this hydrogen-methane mix as an immediate solution, exploiting the Italian competitive advantage in terms of infrastructure and know-how in methane compared with the rest of Europe. Eni’s commitment has been formally recognised by two important sustainability indexes: the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good.

The creation of this new Agip multiEnergy station is a further demonstration of Eni’s commitment to the continuous improvement of the entire Agip network and the objective of providing a wide range of services and products. Eni has always viewed “Technology and Environment” together; the Agip network was the first in Italy to distribute unleaded petrol in 1987 and to produce, from the early ’90s, low sulphur diesel, as well as products such as BluDiesel, BluSuper, sulphur-free diesel and petrol, anticipating by a wide margin the introduction of European norms in 2009.

Georgia, SOCAR signs agreement on purchase of 14 petrol stations in Georgia

On November 12 2007, State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) signed an agreement through its subsidiary Socar Energy Georgia LLC on the purchase of a network of 14 petrol stations in Georgia

“After the signing of the agreement we are going to start renaming all the petrol stations as they will operate under SOCAR trademark,” Socar Energy Georgia’s head Mair Mammadov said. In parallel SOCAR is building petrol stations independently in Georgia.

“I think five petrol stations under construction will be commissioned until late 2007. Our network will use by 80% petroleum products supplied from Baku and only high-octane petrol will be imported from other countries,” he said.

The network of 19 petrol stations will allow increase sharply SOCAR’s share at the Georgian market of oil products. “Today our share at wholesale petrol market in Georgia is 50% and at market of AI-92 petrol 70%. SOCAR supplies to Georgia on average 20,000 tons of oil products a month, including 15,000 tons of petrol,” Mammadov said.

Earlier, until late 2007 SOCAR wanted to bring its retail network in Georgia up to 15 petrol stations, including its own and rented ones. SOCAR investments in Georgia have exceeded $300 million. Through its subsidiary SOCAR intends to expand its activity on whole oil sector of Georgia. SOCAR has a 51% stake in Socar Energy Georgia LLC and the rest belongs to Georgian partners.

USA, Georgia authorities seek input on E85 fuel standards

US Georgia state fuel standards meant to protect consumers from buying low-quality fuel could have the unintended effect of squelching the state's new ethanol industry, experts say.

That's why the state Department of Agriculture is holding two town hall meetings, to take suggestions on how to update Georgia's fuel standards for ethanol blends.

Interest in the ethanol industry has increased along with fuel prices and American concern about U.S. energy security. A new state incentive is available for offering an ethanol-mix fuel at retail pumps.

Ethanol refineries are popping up in Middle Georgia. A cellulosic ethanol plant, using wood to make ethanol, is being built in Soperton. Another in Cordele is planning to turn soft drinks and other juices into ethanol. "Ethanol production is ramping up in Georgia, and we want to make sure ethanol producers here work well with

the oil companies," said Terry Coleman, Georgia's deputy agriculture commissioner. "But we want to be sure that however we change the regulations, the fuel quality and octane levels are the same."

Matt Hartwig, a spokesman for the national Renewable Fuels Association, said Georgia is "particularly forwardlooking in its approach" to ethanol policy because it is trying to address not only the consumer market but also ethanol production. Although Tennessee has been the most rapid in accommodating ethanol blends, he said Georgia and Florida are making strides.

Georgia and other Southeastern states have strict rules regarding vapour pressure. Too much vapor - a bigger problem during the summer in hot climates like Georgia's - can cause "vapor lock," resulting in a car running poorly or not at all. On the other hand, too little vapor pressure can prevent a car from starting.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture conducts random testing on gasoline to make sure that vapor pressure falls within certain limits, said Rich Lewis, director of fuels and measures.

However, oil companies have expressed concern that in some conditions, ethanol blends might not meet these standards, said Oscar Garrison, assistant agriculture commissioner for consumer protection. The Renewable Fuels Association, Georgia Petroleum Council and many others have asked the state to reexamine its rules, he said. "Publicly traded companies are concerned they wouldn't meet the standard during the summer months," Garrison said.

Big oil companies need to install new ethanol mixing and storage facilities at their terminals if they want to expand their ethanol offerings, he said. They don't want to make that major investment if there's any chance their fuel won't pass muster.

State officials plan to develop alternative rules based on feedback from oil companies, ethanol producers and distributors, and from others who attend the town hall meetings.

Dennis Burnett, alternative fuels manager for Davis Oil Co. in Perry, said Georgia's ethanol market has already jumped into high gear during the past two months. Aleader in Georgia biofuel distribution, Davis Oil sells various cleaner-burning fuel blends in the midstate.

Burnett said he expects consumers will have much more access to ethanol at the gas pump if the state's fuel standard changes. He also expects competition for ethanol to become stiffer.

USA, Everett. Gasoline tanker explodes in Everett, igniting homes and cars

Dec 2007 - Atanker carrying about 9,400 gallons of gasoline overturned in a traffic circle and exploded, sending forth a torrent of fire that ignited at least two multifamily homes and as many as 40 cars.

Residents of a nearby neighbourhood were hastily evacuated, but no one was seriously injured.

The crash occurred at a rotary connecting Routes 16 and 99, fire officials said. State Police Trooper Eric Benson said the driver of the tanker lost control after driving through the rotary too quickly, flipped over and struck a guardrail.

John Malone, who lived in one of the building that was destroyed, said he saw flames outside his window when his girlfriend woke him. More concerning, though, was fuel from the truck that he watched move toward the homes.

“It was like a river,” he said. “I just grabbed my girlfriend and her aunt and ran.” Malone said he began to hear cars explode as the fuel and flames reached them. “As the river went, the fire went with it,” he said.

Firefighters’ efforts initially were hampered by frozen hydrants and icy conditions with the temperature well below freezing. By mid-morning, as the smell of fuel and burning wood mixed, firefighters continued to pour water on one of the ruined three-decker homes. Two light poles that collapsed during the explosion lay across the road near a line of burned-out cars, all encased in ice.

“In consideration of everything the firefighters at the scene had to deal with, I think it’s a miracle that we haven’t seen any serious injuries,” Everett Fire Chief David Butler said at a news conference.

Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Amy Thomas said crews found no immediate sign of any sheen on the nearby Mystic River or the Island End River, a small inlet off the Mystic. Most of the gasoline appeared to have dispersed or burned before reaching storm drains that lead to the rivers. Among those evacuated were 84 residents of an elderly housing complex that was threatened, but did not burn, Butler said. About 47 residents were taken from nearby triple deckers, including the two that were destroyed. Evacuees were brought to a nearby armory for shelter, where the Red Cross was assisting them. “The alarm went off and we all took off out of there,” said Francis Mahoney, who lives at the complex and was standing outside the armory wearing sandals and socks because he had to leave so quickly. “All we saw was the flames in front. We had to get out of there.”

The driver of the tanker, Chad LaFrance, 30, of Dover, N.H., was cited for speeding and for not carrying his medical certificate, which verifies his health. He was uninjured in the crash.

LaFrance worked for Abenaqui Carriers, Inc. of North Hampton, N.H., state police said. Amessage left at the company was not returned.

New Hampshire licensing records show LaFrance has a valid commercial driver’s license. The records list three speeding violations from 2000 to 2002 involving LaFrance’s personal vehicle, as well as two failures to have his vehicle inspected. There also was a violation involving an unregistered vehicle.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records for P.S. Marston Associates, LLC — the corporate entity that owns Abenaqui — show the company’s 83 commercial trucks and 105 drivers had been involved in four accidents in New England over the past 2fi years. There was injuries at one of the accidents, but no fatalities.

The federal records give the carrier a “satisfactory” safety rating — the only other rating category is unsatisfactory — with better-than-average inspections records relating to vehicles, drivers and hazardous materials.

Dylan Constantine, 32, said he was half asleep watching TV when an explosion that “sounded like a shotgun blast” jolted him wide awake. He roused his roommates and they took off outside, where they had to jumped through a wall of burning fuel that was flowing past his house.

Outside, cars were exploding one after the other, and Constantine noticed one man trying to drive away in a burning vehicle before abandoning it.

“We were scared the whole street was going to go up,” said Constantine, whose house was spared. “It’s amazing everybody got out of their houses.”

As he watched the fire burn, Constantine saw through the window of one of the burning homes a Christmas tree that was staying lit even as the fire burned and water poured around it.

“Best-lasting Christmas tree bulbs I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said.

USA, New Jersey, New Providence. Fire guts garage at New Providence gas station

Dec 2007 - Afire tore through a New Providence gas station gutting its garage, injuring a firefighter and frightening neighbours because of its proximity to a natural gas line. "I saw dark smoke, and it seemed to be under control, but then all of a sudden the flames went up," said Suzanne Freaney, who roused her family and fled her home, which stands two doors from the gas station and auto shop on Springfield Avenue.

The gas station, which is near the Berkeley Heights border, was closed at 7:30 am. when the fire broke out officials said. The fire was brought under control by around 10 a.m.

Fire Chief Craig Stapfer said the gas pumps automatically would shut down if they caught fire. He also said the gas tanks are secure because they are underground. One Springfield firefighter suffered a broken arm, officials said. A Corvette, a Ford Explorer and a Dodge pick-up truck were parked inside the ruined garage at Full Circle Repair, said owner Denny Mellon. Although the Texas Eastern natural gas line runs nearby the property, the New Providence fire chief said the line was not threatened by the flames.

Even so, although investigators are trying to determine the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage, New Providence police Capt. Ed Catallo said fires at gas stations can be particularly dire. "The flames itself are dangerous enough, but all the gas and by-products make it worse," he said. "The toxicity of the place is the problem."

USA, EPApromotes recycling materials into fuel

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency is promoting the recycling of certain petroleum secondary materials into fuel. This effort, which will revise the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulations, is expected to help petroleum refineries reduce waste and capture more energy from each barrel of oil by allowing for the recycling of these materials when they are used at a petroleum refinery for the production of synthesis gas fuel.

To qualify for the exclusion, the oilbearing hazardous secondary materials must meet several conditions. Provided the conditions of the exclusion are met, these materials will be excluded from the regulatory definition of solid waste and can be used to produce synthesis gas.

Gasification is a highly efficient, advanced technology that is currently used to convert carbon-containing materials into synthesis gas. In petroleum refining operations, synthesis gas is used to generate hydrogen and electric power. The regulation should be published in the Federal Register in about two weeks. Information on the rule is available from: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwast e/gas.htm There is a factsheet at: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwast e/gas-fs12-07.pdf

USA, Tampa Bay. Sneaky gas thief

Oct 2007 - Florida sheriff's deputies have arrested a 70-year-old man believed to have stolen thousands of gallons of gasoline using an elaborate pumping system.

Hobert Gibson of Winter Haven was arrested on grand theft charges of stealing thousands of gallons of gas from stations in Pasco and Polk counties. He was charged with two counts of grand theft by each county, and may face numerous additional charges, according to a Polk County sheriff's news release. Gibson may be responsible for stealing 3,000 to 10,000 gallons of fuel each week using a box trailer and truck to steal the gasoline from the gas stations, investigators said.

Deputies saw Gibson siphoning 400 gallons of gas from a Circle K store in Lakeland, and 523 gallons of gas from a Cumberland Farms Store in Dade City. Deputies in a helicopter and cruisers followed Gibson to the gas stations and into Hernando County, where he was arrested. Gibson was driving a stolen box trailer, taken from Central Food Equipment in Lakeland in 2005, deputies said. The trailer had been outfitted with two tanks with a capacity of 3,250 gallons of fuel. Gibson rigged a trap door in the bottom of the trailer and parked over the underground fuel tanks at gas stations. Deputies said he would drop a hose into the tanks and use marine batteries to pump the gas into the trailer. He would unload the fuel into larger tanks at his business, Crews Towing. Gibson would then sell the fuel at $1.80 a gallon.

Detectives said Gibson may have been at it since at least the beginning of 2007. They are now trying to find others involved. The case is still under investigation.

Australia, Brisbane. Petrol Diluter fined $470,000.

Dec 2007 - Apetrol distributor who ripped off motorists by deliberately watering down its premium fuel blends has been fined $470,000 in a Brisbane court. Northern NSW-based company Dojoo Pty Ltd, trading as Ballina Petroleum Distributors, and its managing director, Santo Pennisi, were convicted of 28 separate breaches of the Trade Practices Act following a successful prosecution by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

The Federal Court in Brisbane heard that between September 14, 2004 and June 22, 2007, Dojoo sold about two million litres of diluted petrol in its Lead Replacement, Premium and Ultimate range by mixing it with regular unleaded fuel. The scam netted the company an estimated $154,000 in additional profits, but only came to light after a television current affairs program was tipped-off by a whistleblower.

The development comes on the same day as an ACCC report which raised major concerns about the operation of the unleaded retail fuel industry. Mr Pennisi, one of four company directors,

admitted to masterminding the rip-off as a way to compete with the entry of retailing giants Coles and Woolworths into the petrol market. The court was told he ordered tanker drivers to fill the wrong petrol tanks with unleaded fuel at 12 separate BPservice stations owned by Dojoo, and also instructed administration staff to falsify company accounting records. The adulterated petrol was then sold to customers at the full price, despite lower octane levels. The petrol cocktail also had the potential to damage vehicle engines, the court heard. "Mr Pennisi must have known through his experience as a mechanic that such damage was likely," Justice John Logan said, before personally fining the disgraced executive $70,000. "The consumers were in a position of vulnerability. A consumer is an ordinary Australian they were relying on the labelling present on the bowser."

As well as sullying the reputation of BP, which had no knowledge of the scam but was now exposed to possible civil action by aggrieved customers, Dojoo's annual net profit had plummeted from $4.5 million to $2.5 million. The court heard it had made a $200,000 donation to a local charity for the establishment of a driving school as a way to pay penance to the motoring public.

Justice Logan said if not for Mr Pennisi and the company's obvious contrition, the penalties imposed may have been much stiffer.

Australia, Sydney. Fireworks blast investigation could take months

Dec 2007 - WorkCover New South Wales says it will be some months before it can establish the cause of an explosion at a Wallerawang fireworks factory in the central west.

The Howard and Sons factory near Lithgow was almost demolished in the blast and about 20 homes nearby suffered damage, including broken windows and guttering. The general manager of WorkCover, John Watson, says a group of technical specialists is trying to establish what caused the explosion. "It's a most unusual event, these things don't occur frequently so we'll take some months to look at all the evidence we collect from the site and establish exactly what has occurred and how we can be sure we are not going to have a recurrence," he said. Mr Watson says it could be months before the cause is known. "We'll be there as long as its necessary to look at the various profiles, the blast profiles and other factual information that's available from the scene, we'll be there as long as it's absolutely necessary to do that and get the information we need to support our very detailed investigation," he said.

New Zealand, Fuel Leak at New Pac ’n’ Save Petrol Station

The leak at the as-yet unopened Pak'n'Save supermarket petrol station in Mangere was believed to have been caused by a contractor who accidentally pierced one of the pipes, said Foodstuffs Auckland property development manager Murray Jordan. Aestimated 14000 litres of fuel leaked into the ground.

Auckland Regional Council staff assessed the area and were satisfied the leak had been contained to a localised area and posed no risk to people.

Mr Jordan said the petrol had been placed in the newly constructed tanks to test them. The tanks had a total capacity of 100,000 litres.

Russia, Fuel shortages closes service stations

Russia's petrol retail market is facing its biggest crisis in almost 20 years as severe shortages force some retailers to close their service stations.

Russian firms are exporting both crude oil and refined products. That, combined with outages at refineries in central Russia, has caused a spike in wholesale fuel and diesel prices.

The shortages have forced wholesalers to ration supplies to retailers, who in turn are unable to pass on higher costs after agreements with authorities to keep pump prices stable ahead of the Dec. 2 State Duma elections.

LUKoil and TNK-BP have partly stopped business at their retail networks in the southern regions, while Rosneft’s Siberian retail network has been working intermittently, traders said.

Petrol stations that yield little profit are also being shut down. “Temporarily shutting down service stations that sell little can be a way to reduce operating costs, instead focusing on sales on busy highways,” a source at LUKoil said.

Moscow city government held a meeting with oil companies and independent traders in the region to address the problem, a retailer said.

The independent petrol retailers are worst affected. It is not clear now this will affect the medium and long term development of an independent petrol retail market.

Indonesia, Petroleum Downstream Association calls for change to regulator

Indonesia Petroleum Association downstream committee member Debut Kamajaya said that the regulator's policy of only granting one-year concessions was unrealistic given the high costs that had to be born by firms in providing storage and distribution facilities if they wanted to enter the subsidized fuel market. "Retail fuel distribution is a long-term business as the firm will need at least 10 years to turn a profit," he explained.

In addition, Debut also called on the regulator to better define a number of the requirements it had set for would-be distributors as part of the bidding process.

BPH Migas theoretically offers opportunities to new market players to take part in the sale of subsidized fuels, which are currently handled solely by Pertamina. In order to obtain a concession, the other market players have to participate in a tender based on strict requirements.

Among the requirements is a commitment from the new players to provide services in at least two different distribution areas.

BPH Migas has divided Indonesia into four distribution areas -- area I, covering Sumatra; area II, covering Java and Bali; area III, covering Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Papua and Maluku; and area IV, covering West and East Nusa Tenggara.

Another requirement is that they have their own support facilities, including a distribution network and storage facilities.

As a result, would-be new entrants are discouraged from bidding and Pertamina always ends up being reappointed as the distributor of subsidized fuels, which account for more than 90 parent of the fuel sold for transportation purposes.

Two overseas firms, Shell and Petronas, which have been selling fuel here since the market was partially liberalized in late 2005, currently only hold a tiny portion of the market as they are only permitted to sell unsubsidized

fuels.

Other companies, such as BPand Total, have expressed an interest in entering the retail fuel market but have yet to do so.

BPH Migas chairman Tubagus Haryono said that at least six companies, including Pertamina, Shell, Petronas, Total, and BPhad bid for concessions to distribute subsidized fuels in 2008.

Even though the bidding process is not over yet, the regulator has said that the winner would once again most likely be Pertamina as it is the only bidder that can meet all the requirements.

Shell Indonesia general manager supply Iwan F. Salim said that it would be difficult for the Shell company to win a concession given the extent of the company's facilities at present.

Like Debut, he said that the regulator needed to review its policies on the deregulation of the retail fuel market if it was really committed to opening up the country's downstream petrol retail business.

India, Blast at medical square petrol pump

Jan 2008 - Alert employees at a petrol pump averted a major accident after a blast shook the Medical College Square fuel station. However, one of the employees, Kailash Ninawe, a resident of Kadbi Chowk, sustained minor injuries and was admitted to Government Medical College and Hospital. The incident took place around 6.45 pm on January 14th, when Dhantoli resident Sagar Meshram had gone to the company-owned Indian Oil Corporation Limited petrol pump to fill petrol in his two-wheeler. He was accompanied by his wife and threeyear-old daughter.

Before Ninawe could refuel Meshram's two-wheeler, the two-nozzle pump suddenly exploded. The impact of the explosion was so high that the tin cover from both sides of the pump was blown off. Soon, two alert employees of the pump, Kalmlakar Kedar and Kishore Nikam, used their presence of mind and doused the pump with fire extinguishers, recalled Meshram, while talking to TOI. Although he and his family had a miraculous escape,

Ninawe sustained minor injuries after one of the tin covers slammed into his back.

Two fire tenders reached the spot, but until then, employees of the pump had brought the situation under control, said Imambada police station's subinspector N S Bondre. Though the reason for the blast was not immediately ascertained, police ruled out use of any mobile phone that might have triggered it.

Nagpur city police's Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad also reached the spot. Senior manager of IOCL, Ramesh Humne said it is first time in the history of Nagpur that a pump got exploded. "We would also initiate an inquiry to establish the reason behind the blast," he added. Mohabbat Singh Tuli, president of Nagpur Petrol and Highspeed Diesel Dealers Association, said such incidents are rare and unheard of in the recent past. "We need to see whether it occurred due to electric short-circuit or petrol leakage. Once we come to know the reason, we shall take up precautionary measures in future."

Manila, Three killed in Philippine gas tank explosion

Oct 2007 - Three people were killed in the Philippine capital when a fuel tank explosion ripped through a shopping mall in the financial district of Makati, police said.

Panicked noontime shoppers ran out of the Glorietta mall as smoke billowed out of the building and police rushed in to investigate, witnesses said. "We have three confirmed dead," a police official on the scene told reporters.

At least 10 casualties were taken out by rescue workers, the officer added. "Our initial report is that it was an accidental explosion of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas)," said Manila police chief Geary Barias. He said the gas tank apparently exploded at a restaurant inside the mall. "I was on my way to the parking lot when I heard a muffled explosion inside the shopping mall," television journalist Mike Ochosa told DZBB radio. "People panicked and ran out. I saw smoke coming out," he said.

Pakistan, Road tanker supplies resume but 45 service stations destroyed

Oil supplies to almost all parts of Paksi resumed after the armed forces provided security to oil tankers, but retail sales would remain affected for sometime, official and market sources said.

Asenior official said the ministries of interior, defence and petroleum and natural resources remained engaged in making arrangements to overcome supply disruptions.

He said it was decided that oil tankers would move in convoys in the entire Sindh and some parts of Balochistan under the security cover to be provided by military trucks. Some convoys had started leaving petroleum depots to provide oil products to retail outlets, he added.

However, the official said that retail sales in some areas of Sindh would remain suspended for about a month as about 45 petrol stations had been destroyed in Karachi and interior Sindh. Atwin-dispenser costs around Rs6-8 million and takes almost a month to be imported and installed.

He said that the stock position of petroleum products had improved over the past few days mainly because of disruption of normal after the government had announced three-day mourning. “Even in areas like the NWFPwhere oil companies were facing shortages, stocks have been replenished.”

The official said that furnace oil stocks had decreased over the past few days because of disruption in the movement of crude oil, and refineries in the upcountry were unable to produce sufficient quantities. However, he said that the supply of crude oil had been resumed and refining would become normal in two days.Refineries in Karachi and mid-country had enough stocks, but their supplies were disrupted because of the law and order situation.

Market sources said that business activities would remain affected for some time.

Bahrain, Fuel tankers could still face restrictions on movement

Road tankers carrying flammable substances could soon be banned from roads in residential areas and other routes after the proposal was backed by MPs.

The bill also restricts tankers to specific timings for supplying petrol stations and transporting loads to industrial areas. The proposal stipulates that the government would be responsible for allocating specific main roads to be used by the tankers.

Acting Civil Defence director Major Mohammed Shuwaitar said he had nothing against the proposal, but added it would be studied before being approved. "The General Directorate of Traffic

already has a list of tankers, what substances they carry and which company they belong to," he told MPs. "This helps us know what substance we are dealing with whenever there is a spill. "To be honest, the country has seen just one tanker full of oil overturn on Sitra Causeway in the last 30 years - in addition to one tanker leak.

Malaysia, Petronas Dagangan to develop another 70 service stations

Petronas Dagangan Bhd plans to invest more than RM500 million to open another 70 Petronas petrol stations this year, said its senior general manager Md Fadzlan Abdul Samad.

He said: “We are planning to open about 70 petrol stations in all growth areas in the country such as the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor. We will be investing in excess of half a billion annually for the retail outlets,” he said.

He added that Petronas Dagangan would also be opening several new “hyperstations” in the country, in which these petrol stations would have post offices, restaurants and convenience stores under one roof.

“We want to offer customers more than just a petrol station. (Hence), we are on the lookout for land big enough for us to open these hyperstations, as space is our constraint,” Md Fadzlan said. “The investment for each hyperstation would cost more than RM10 million.”

Currently, Petronas Dagangan has two hyperstations in the Klang Valley. PetrolWorld visited both of these Petronas hyperstations back in 2006 and was very impressed with both locations which were in two very different locations in the Kuala Lumpur suburbs.

Pakistan, Government allows setting of LPG auto-gas stations

The government has allowed the private sector to set up Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Auto-Gas station throughout the country, a government notification said. An official said, “the federal government has finally decided to allow setting of LPG auto-gas stations like CNG stations in the country by allowing use of LPG as auto fuel as a replacement of petrol.”

It would be a new sector for investment by the private sector as the LPG would be an alternate fuel for the auto sector as against the existing costly petrol. In this regard, the government has made regulatory framework for use of LPG in auto sector, which has been made part of the LPG (Production and Distribution) Rules 2001 making amendments in the SRO 256 (1) 2007.

The federal government in a meeting considered the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources summary and approved in principle the use of LPG in motor vehicles, subject to Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) providing a regulatory frame work ensuring comprehensive safety standards. In this regard, the OGRA has devised a regulatory framework to ensure effective regulation, efficient monitoring and public or consumer safety.

The Regulatory Framework provides general criteria for installation of LPG auto-gas stations. Now OGRA has prepared guidelines or layout plans in accordance with the approved Regulatory Framework, showing details, including the minimum required inter distances for the equipment, storage tanks and built-up areas etc. The Regulatory Framework contains the following criteria to setup LPG autogas stations: stand alone LPG auto-gas station, LPG auto-gas station colocated with CNG, gasoline and diesel.

The installation of LPG refueling station shall conform to the technical standards prescribed in LPG (Production and Distribution) Rules, 2001 and NFPA58. For ensuring safety, the storage capacity at an LPG auto refueling or dispensing station shall be limited to 10 metric tonnes (maximum).

Botswana, Gaberones. Shell blames heavy rains for contaminated fuel

Dec 2007 - Shell Filling Station in Mogoditshane has confirmed that the petrol station sold water-contaminated petrol to motorists last week.

Shell Botswanas External Affairs Manager, Mr Eric Galotshoge, said selling of petrol mixed with water to motorists was not done deliberately because the company was not aware until one of the motorists complained. Mr Galetshoge said the problem was caused by heavy rain received in Mogoditshane. He said after receiving complaints from the motorists the company inspected its petrol tanks and discovered that one of the seals that covered the main petrol tanks was not properly placed and due to the heavy rains the water leaked into the tanks. He however, said all affected clients would be compensated accordingly by the petrol station, adding that the water had already been drained to avoid any further inconveniences.

Speaking in an interview one of the complainants, Selagaboy Boiphemelo said after refueling at the station his car started giving him problems just a few meters from the service point. He said the problem forced him to stop the car and thereafter it did not start. I started getting suspicious when the petrol pump meter they were using to pump petrol into my car was moving much faster than the normal speed I know, about five more cars that had a similar problem just next to mine he said Mr Boiphemelo said upon checking with the supervisors at the petrol station, he learnt that the petrol was contaminated with water.

South Africa, Petrol station leak solution remains elusive

A Shell petrol station in Eastcliff, Hermanus, close to Cape Town has been dealing with what appears to be a fuel spillage from a fuel dispenser. The site is close to the ocean but the amount of fuel and extent of the leak has not been verified.

Shell SA's spokesperson Monica Ledingwane admitted that the company has been aware of a spillage from a fuel dispenser at the petrol station for some time.

“We suspect that the spillage might have migrated north-east along the Main Road into a storm water pipe. In October we opened a culvert to install cushions around the storm water pipe in an effort to absorb the spillage. In addition, we have excavated wells in the forecourt between the pump dispenser and the Main Road and on the corner of Fairways and Main Road with the hope of determining the location of the product and to confirm the spill profile.”

Ledingwane said specialist environmental consulting firm Pragma has cut out a trench system to recover the leaked fuel and prevent further migration of the fuel.

Ameeting was held in November with the department of environmental affairs in an effort to solve the pollution problem. “Technicians are currently working on the problem and trying to solve the crisis,” she said.

Hytek gets the gist over refuelling

When Gist Ltd were looking to kit out an expanding depot with fuelling equipment, Hytek’s products fitted the bill perfectly.

Expansion at Gist’s Thornbury depot meant that a complete new refuelling system was needed. Installers County Pumps provided a huge new selfbunded storage tank capable of holding 125,000 litres of fuel. The tank has two compartments, one holding (white) road diesel and the other gas oil (red) diesel.

The tank feeds off four of Hytek’s Alpha pumps. The white diesel fuel dispensers pump at 90 litres per minute and the others at 70 litres per minute.

Each suction line is fitted with an inline Hytek PR valve. The pumps are positioned on two islands, with safety break couplings incorporated in hose connections to prevent vehicle’s driving away.

Gist’s Thornbury depot, near Bristol, is used for fuelling of articulated lorries and rigid vehicles used for the distribution of a major UK retailer’s food range.

As well as delivering to stores, Gist also distributed to the retailer’s food outlets at UK service stations.

County Pumps’sales director Alison Newport said the company had worked with Hytek since its inception 22 years ago.

“We have built up a longstanding relationship with Hytek to ensure customer needs can be met in terms of product range, spares, excellent quality and a highly reliable back up service.

“We can rely on Hytek for parts to be despatched to ourselves or direct to site within the timescales needed. We are pleased to be one of their leading distributors.”

Gist supply manager Michael Swindell said: “We have Hytek equipment installed at some of our other depots and have never had any problems with their equipment. Based on past experience we were happy to go along with County Pumps’ recommendation and use Hytek products for this installation.”

Gist has a fleet of around 1,100 vehicles operating from its many depots and servicing the needs of many high profile clients.

Hytek’s products are sold only through distributors. Distributors can call 01279 815600 for a copy of Hytek’s catalogue. End users should ask their fuel supplier, pump installation/service company or tank manufacturer for further information.

Hytek celebrates employee dedication

Hytek’s technical manager is celebrating twenty years of success in employment with the fuelling and lubrication equipment company.

Clive Wellings, has been working at the company since he left school. The first full time employee, Clive started in the Hytek workshop as a production engineer, building pumps.

With a keen interest in engineering and mechanics, Clive is now technical manager and designs new products for the company. In fact he is responsible for Hytek’s most popular product within the industry. He came up with a specification and design for the robust Alpha diesel fuel pump and then sourced all the parts.

Clive said: “Hytek has offered me excellent career progression. They have encouraged and helped me to expand my abilities.” He added: “Alot has changed over twenty years. The company has grown from just two directors and me, to around thirty people.”

In his time at the company Clive has seen the introduction of several new initiatives. Hytek undertake regular ‘lean thinking’ projects where the company regularly inspect and improve areas of working life for their employees. They are also committed to recycling all waste in their dedicated recycling area. A keen supporter of helping the environment, Clive helps to keep up the green spirit, by cycling to work everyday.

Clive said: “Hytek is a brilliant company to work for. It has a lovely family atmosphere and there has always been an emphasis on customer satisfaction which has stayed with us through the years. I hope to continue working with them for a long time.”

Articles Why do all petrol stations look the same?

By David Davis, Minale Tattersfield

This paper was delivered at the APEA Conference 2007.

Ask any person in the street to describe a petrol station, they would inevitably include in their description a flat table-like canopy structure covering the pumps which faces a box like shop building. Apart from brightly coloured decorative surfaces trying to mask the similarity between different retail brands, respondents who answered as we suppose would largely be correct for the vast proportion of petrol stations worldwide are exactly that. But why?

As petrol station designers for many major networks across the world during the last 20 years we at Minale Tattersfield are asked this many times. Can the blame be put on our shoulders? Not entirely so we would argue as the flat boxy aesthetic had already emerged before our times in developed countries during the rapid personal vehicle ownership period from the early 60s. Amore accurate answer would revolve around the economics of building a petrol station. If a retailer is to build a network of 10s, 100s or 1000s of petrol stations, there is no more economically better solution than to build petrol stations as if they were the cars that they fuel, that is by using bulk or mass production techniques where as many components as possible are standard and as minimum as possible are special and location specific. This is generally possible because all the key criteria for petrol station layout are universal such as the turning circle of vehicles. Therefore petrol stations are not only componentised like cars but totally modular like Lego or Meccano construction toys, being easily bolted in position to suit the particular needs of a location.

So does it matter? To the consumer apparently not. Market research generally finds that motorists say they are concerned primarily with convenient location, clean toilets and price. In reality motorists are not such price hawks as they say. More revealing still is that sales turnover figures dramatically increase after a significant redecoration of a petrol station. In the

UK Shell noted a 20% increase after the RVI reimaging program of the early 90s. In less developed markets where the general standard of petrol station presentation is low, a newly decorated station may increase turnover far more dramatically, even 200% has been quoted. So yes it does matter to consumers how petrol stations look and if it matters to consumers then as any good retailer will say it matters to us to the petrol station industry too.

So if it does matter, what are we as designers and our clients the retailers themselves doing about the

appearance of petrol stations. The trend during the last 20 years has been to continue the modular ethos further and create bright and cheerful decoration systems that simply bolt on to the light-weight canopy and building structures. Our first oil company client BPset the trend with an immensely successful and ground breaking design which coincided with the much publicized IPO in 1987. The key design feature for BPwas a rounded bull-nose green aluminium composite decorative system applied on all their canopies which at night had a smart green neon strip running from end to end. Previously BP’s canopies were the same as every one else at the time, a flat acrylic light box with green, yellow and white stripes plus a splash of red. At night the whole surface was back illuminated but invariably wasn’t due to one or two “Black teeth” or fluorescent tube failures. Not only did the new design look better, it cost less. So the key move forward for BPwas 1) To clean up a confusing colour palette and choose one distinct colour and make it their own. 2) Create a more modern, automotive inspired shape for the decoration system and 3) As a consequence of using pre-coated factory applied painted metal surfaces for the bull-nose, create a different

lighting system for night time appearance.

The 3 “Golden Rules” described above were subsequently applied to all the other major oil company re imaging programs, notably Shell in 1990 and Total soon after. Even after BP’s introduction of the Helios logo and “Beyond Petroleum” positioning statement, they have been true to the 3

rules. In fact green as a colour has evolved into green as a philosophy for BP or perhaps more accurately an aspiration. Nevertheless how one presents ones self or company to the world is now more than ever a priority board room topic. That is to say the value of a brand has been recognised as an equity of great value and in certain circumstance such as Coca Cola the most valuable asset the company owns.

So if the main priority during the last 20 years has been about brand presentation, what of the flat table like canopies and box buildings? In fact the first significant deviation were the Mobil round “Mushroom” canopies that sprouted around the world during the 1960s complete with cylindrical pump housing. The Mobil roadside retail brand has greatly diminished since but a number of “Mushrooms” survive in Italy as part of the Q8’s network. This scenario is symptomatic of an industry which is constantly in flux, merging, acquiring, selling, and rationalising…..which only further favours the flat boxy structures which can easily change their brand a number of times during their lifetime. Although the overwhelming quest to be different is a hard urge to suppress and it’s not difficult to find “One-offs” of various sizes and shapes dotted around the world. However they largely remain “One-offs” because of the prohibitive financial consequences of breaking from what suppliers and sub contractors can easily build or more accurately familiar with building.

Even renown architects Norman Foster and Santiago Calatrava have design petrol stations for Repsol in Spain and Eko in Greece respectively. Our own company ventures into this

“Forbidden zone” include the d r a m a t i c cantilevered canopy design for Italiana Petroli whose then president demanded such a flagship statement to support a parallel “Space age” advertising campaign. Once IP engineers and ourselves were left with the task of reimaging the whole network on a limited budget we soon “Got real”

and distilled the essence of the more futuristic design into something more practical.

Our most recent foray into attempts at breaking the mould was at the behest of Reliance Petroleum in India who quite justifiably argued that even existing canopies could be further reduced in price since they had 2 canopy skins where 1 would suffice and had numerous decorative elements which were not required functionally speaking. Therefore why not minimalize the canopy design further but at the same time create a beautiful architectural shape that could be easily replicated. The single skin barrel vault solution that we created responded to that brief but frustratingly was too different to a conservative construction

industry whose nervousness of change won the day.

So it’s likely the flat table-like canopies and boxy buildings albeit with pretty decoration will remain for a while longer. There are no breakthroughs in material science on the horizon which will significantly change matters. BP’s solar PV curved glass canopies and wind turbines although worthy were more about communicating company aspirations and supporting nascent technology than building an economically viable petrol station. Car fuel technology is changing but that is unlikely to alter what we see above ground. The biggest change we foresee in the near future is really a continuation of the current trend towards tempting consumers to buy their groceries on the move with more substantial convenience stores on site offering a decent range of products and more significantly a higher profit margin for the retailer. There will be other changes but predominantly less visible such as energy efficient lighting and heating

systems plus where appropriate recycling bins which cleverly not only offer an environmentally friendly service and communicate positive company attributes but attract customers to the site for other more profitable activities.

Model Licensing (Application) Forms

By Roger Marris, WYFRS

The process of issuing and renewing licences for petrol filling stations has the potential to place an unnecessary administrative burden on petroleum licensing authorities (PLAs) and licensees alike. With some PLAs in the UK, the absence of non-standard forms for the grant, renewal and transfer of licences resulted in a wide variation of the data required from the applicant.

This irregularity, together with the (informal) national policy for renewing licences annually, was raised by the three representative bodies of the petrol retail industry at a meeting of the Petroleum Enforcement Liaison Group (PELG) on 26 January 2006.

The PLArepresentatives on PELG acknowledged the administrative problems arising from the absence of standard forms and the amount of work involved with annual round of renewals; the latter being especially onerous on those licensees operating numerous filling stations throughout the country; ie supermarkets and major oil companies. It was agreed that model application forms should be produced with the renewal form being designed to require the minimum of data to be entered by the applicant so as to streamline the process.

The annual licensing policy stemmed from advice given to PLAs by the Heath & Safety Executive in March 2002 (PETELNo.65/47) to issue licences for periods not exceeding 12 months; this was in anticipation of the introduction of new (permissioning) regulations that would replace the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 (PCA). The reasoning behind the advice was to avoid PLAs having to give refunds for any unspent portion of the licence fee when the new regulations came into force.

With the abandonment of Phases 2 and 3 of the programme to modernise petrol legislation in 2004, the rationale supporting the annual licensing period ceased to have any relevance as the PCAwas to remain in force for the foreseeable future.

After all the stakeholders had been consulted and comments taken onboard, the final drafts of the model application forms were approved by PELG. The wishes of the retail industry for an increase in the length of licensing periods was covered in the model application and renewal forms which make provision for the applicant to apply to the PLAfor the licence to run for 1, 2 or 3 years.

On 16 June 2007 the PETELcircular No. 65/62 ‘Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 – Petrol Filling Stations –Licence Renewal Periods – Model Application Forms’was published on the HSE’s website in addition to being circulated to all PLAs through the regional licensing groups. http://www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/6562.htm

Since the rug was pulled on the modernising programme, PELG has striven to promote consistency in the enforcement of the PCA. Firstly by producing a set of model licensing conditions and latterly by the production of the model application forms.

Indications are that the majority of PLAs have adopted both the model licensing conditions and the application forms. For those PLAs that have not done so, it is unclear if it is an intentional decision or just that PETEL circulars have not reached the heads of department or elected members.

Articles Do you know if your Stage II Vapour Recovery Solution is working correctly?

By Marek Kurowski, Gilbarco Veeder Root

Introduction

The much-publicised Vapour Recovery Stage II deadline of January 1st 2010 is fast approaching and is no doubt at the forefront of many minds within the retail petroleum industry. In realty this deadline is only part of the story, critical to the implementation of these regulations and equally as important, is the effectiveness and monitoring of the vapour recovery systems. There are guidelines governing compliance and the recording of the efficiency of the vapour recovery systems.

How can you demonstrate compliance?

In simple terms by testing and documentation, but more specifically in three distinct areas:

1. System type testing and certification

Operators need to install systems that meet the minimum requirements. Vapour Recovery Stage II systems should be independently tested and certified as meeting the minimum 85% efficiency requirement. Automatic monitoring systems should also be tested and certified. The most common standard used is the German “Merkblatt 1”. The manufacturer of the system should be able provide these approval certificates when the equipment is purchased.

2. Post installation testing, retrofit and ongoing maintenance

Purchasing the equipment is only the beginning, it must to be correctly installed, calibrated and tested to ensure it performs to the required standard with the results recorded accordingly. The Forecourt Equipment Federation (FEF) Stage II Vapour Recovery Test Certificate can be found in the FEF Stage II Code of Practice and can be used as the basis for compiling these results. The FEF represents all the major UK suppliers of Stage II systems and a copy of the Code of Practice is available from www.fef.org.uk

3.Ongoing periodic testing and inspection

Defra PGN 1/14 (06) prescribes in Section 5.21 that where automatic monitoring systems are not installed Vapour Recovery Stage II systems should be tested annually. If automatic monitoring is installed then every three years will suffice. The results of these tests should be compiled and recorded in a suitable way and made available to the Site Operator. In addition, PGN 1/14 (06) Section 5.23 stipulates that Vapour Recovery Stage II systems without automatic monitoring require the Site Operator to carry out weekly checks to verify functionality of the vapour recovery system and these results held in a log book on site.

To successfully demonstrate ongoing compliance, automatic monitoring systems offer operators several significant benefits:

a)Prescribed system testing is every three years rather than annually representing a significant cost saving

b)No requirement for weekly operator checks that will at best only identify that the system is operational rather than operating within the 85% to 115% efficiency range

c)No requirement to document the weekly checks

d)Automatic monitoring systems will identify a problem with the Vapour Recovery Stage II system providing the Site Operator with seven days to have it resolved before the affected petrol nozzles are inhibited from operating.

There is also an argument that automatic monitoring affords major advantages for regulators as it ensures vapour recovery systems are operating within the specified efficiency range and can demonstrate this performance as required.

On site testing and calibration.

The following section describes the methods of testing carried out by Gilbarco Veeder Root (GVR), which will typically be representative of other suppliers in their general approach.

To demonstrate this, it will be beneficial to first illustrate a typical Vapour Recovery Stage II system.

APEAtel/fax 0845 603 5507

Typical Vapour Recovery System (Single sided) (Non-vapour recovery compenents within grey box)

Vapour Recovery Stage II efficiency measurement and calibration

- this is the standard test for active open systems and will be used on new equipment, retrofit work, ongoing maintenance and periodic testing.

The tests are carried out on each side of the pump as they have separate Vapour Recovery Stage II control and vapour paths. No fuel is dispensed and the tests measure the volume of air rather than vapour recovered, hence the importance of the “K” factor (correction factor for air) that you will have seen in various documents. A hand held terminal is connected to the vapour recovery controller and assumes control to simulate the petrol flow. An external calibrated gas meter measures the resulting amount of air recovered by the system. The terminal allows the engineer to control the simulated petrol flowrate and view the actual flowrate of the air collected and the efficiency percentage. If this falls outside the required specification the terminal is used to recalibrate the stage II system. Calibration is by means of changing the simulated petrol flowrate across the operating range and mapping the resulting actual flowrate of air collected into the system memory. The system specific “K” factor is required by the terminal when calibrating the system to apply the correction factor for air. The efficiency performance at 38 L/min and 20L/min is then checked to ensure it falls within the required 95% to 105% range. GVR test at 38 L/min as this is the maximum flowrate pumps with Vapour Recovery Stage II are set to. This ensures that the pumps always operate within the optimum performance range of the Stage II system. This check is then repeated on any other petrol nozzles on this side of the pump and the whole process is then repeated on the other side of the pump.

Typical test equipment set up – in real life

The GVR automatic monitoring system uses a well proven rotary displacement flowmeter to measure the actual recovered vapour and checks against the pump petrol flowrate to determine the actual Vapour/Petrol ratio for each valid transaction.

The GE1 flowmeter and encoder - key component of the automatic monitoring system

Avalid transaction is one that has a duration of greater than 20 seconds at a flowrate of at least 25 L/min. The monitoring system can store up to 1000 transactions per pump side for download to a laptop computer. This data can then be used for troubleshooting of the Vapour Recovery Stage II system when required, and for demonstrating actual operating efficiency. The data can be viewed in graphical form to identify trends etc or transaction data line by line as per the samples below:

B-Nr.3349 14:37:07 28.1.07 0 127 100.0 37 1 35.9 35.6 B-Nr.3349 15:11:53 28.1.07 0 128 99.6 40 1 33.87 33.98 B-Nr.3349 15:17:50 28.1.07 0 129 101.2 98 1 35.16 34.73 B-Nr.3349 15:22:47 28.1.07 0 130 100.9 57 1 34.70 34.36 B-Nr.3349 15:36:26 28.1.07 0 131 101.8 78 1 35.42 34.76 B-Nr.3349 15:41:03 28.1.07 0 132 101.9 50 1 35.32 34.63 B-Nr.3349 15:49:33 28.1.07 0 133 100.1 94 1 34.79 34.73 B-Nr.3349 16:09:49 28.1.07 0 134 98.7 26 1 33.68 34.12 B-Nr.3349 16:13:15 28.1.07 0 135 99.2 70 1 33.25 33.49 Sample transaction data with vapour recovery efficiency highlighted

Sample data in graphical form taken from a Gilbarco Euroline VR Stage II retrofit

The monitoring system indicates the current status of each side of the pump by a simple traffic light sequence of:

Green = OK Amber = ALARM (7 day clock is counting down) Red = STOP.

STOPmeans that the petrol nozzles on this side of the pump will not operate. If any diesel nozzles are present they should continue to operate normally. The system status can be displayed in several ways:

External traffic light LED on each side of the pump, via pump communication to POS or via data cable to kiosk indicator/tank gauge for onward transmission to remote location via telecoms.

When the monitoring system is commissioned the flowmeters are calibrated against the external calibrated gas meter. The actual performance can then be checked by running an air test as previously described and by using a laptop computer to display the monitoring system air flowrate against the actual air flowrate through the external calibrated gas meter. GVR standard practice is to set the monitoring flowmeters to within +/- 0.5 L/min of the external calibrated meter at 40 L/min flowrate. This test can be performed at any time to verify the performance remains within specification.

The final system test is carried out via the hand held terminal to simulate the ALARM and STOP conditions. This enables the Engineer to confirm that the petrol nozzles do not operate when in STOP condition and that the diesel nozzles will continue to operate.

Auto Regulation or Auto calibration

Some Vapour Recovery Stage II monitoring systems can include an “Auto Regulation” system that continually adjusts the recovery system to compensate for environmental influence, wear and backpressures. These systems can only provide corrections within the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs control limits but have the effect of reducing false alarms. In a system like the GVR monitoring system the optional Auto Regulation system does not require any set up or maintenance.

Additional tests for retrofit work and prescribed periodic inspection

Retrofit work involves assembling pipes and connecting various items of equipment within the pump itself. Before the Vapour Recovery Stage II system can be commissioned and calibrated it is essential to ensure that the new vapour paths are secure and there are no leaks.

Leaks before the vapour pump would

To test retrofit Vapour Recovery stage II and automatic monitoring systems GVR use a hand held laboratory vacuum pump and a selection of fittings to test the various systems offered during the retrofit process.

Vacuum test kit and in use on site during Stage II retrofit

Where you actually apply the test varies from system to system as you require suitable test points that are easily accessible. Most of the GVR systems have the proportional valve next to the vacuum pump in an accessible position so the system is split in two for testing at this point. A700mb vacuum is applied on the vapour pipe work above the proportional valve, which includes the hose(s) and nozzle(s) – see earlier system diagram.

The other test point is the connection to the shear valve. At this point a 700mb vacuum is applied at the shear valve connection and this tests the pipework up to the vapour pump, through the vapour pump and up to the proportional valve. All the pipework/equipment joints are either compression fittings or have Dowty seals so as long as they are correctly fitted and tightened they will pass the test. Experience shows that 700mb vacuum will easily expose any connections or components that are not vapour tight.

The prescribed period inspection stipulates that the vapour containment integrity is checked every 3 years and the above method can be employed to confirm this within the pump.

Conclusion

The current industry wide activity of installing new pumps with Vapour Recovery Stage II and retrofitting existing pumps is only the start of a much longer process. To realise the benefits envisaged by the legislation and to justify the investment Operators, Contractors and Regulators all have important roles to play. The industry is currently on a steep learning curve and so it is essential that these Operators, Installers and Regulators all work together to deliver these benefits as we move towards the 2010 deadline. Yes we can draw on the significant experience of our European colleagues and the industry is benefiting specifically from their experience in equipment design and resulting system reliability. However, there are subtle differences in the UK situation particularly when we are trying to go from virtually zero compliance to full compliance in three years – a real challenge for us all! APEAtel/fax 0845 603 5507

By Jamie Thompson

Introduction

The APEAhas published a guidance note on the storage and use of high blend ethanol fuels and this can be obtained as a free download from the APEA web site www.apea.org.uk it offers advice to Petroleum Licensing Authorities and to industry in general on the legal requirements and the safety and environmental precautions that should be taking when introducing these new fuels onto forecourts.

The Association drew up this publication with the assistance of many in the industry and followed the successful method of discussion and consultation with interested parties that was adopted when publishing the “Blue Book” guidance; eventually this guidance will be introduced into the Blue Book when next revised.

What is E85?

Ethanol produced from agricultural products is one of a range of bio fuels that have been developed in response to concerns for the environmental impact of the continuing and increasing use of petroleum.

Bio-ethanol is a completely renewable and sustainable alternative fuel source. When ethanol is mixed in high volumes with low volumes of petrol, a potent yet environmentally friendly alternative fuel called E85 is created. This eco-friendly fuel can reduce by up to 70% the typical emissions of fossil carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the greenhouse gases widely believed to contribute to global warming.

Bio-ethanol is available in various blends, most commonly E5, E10, E85, E100. The E stands for ethanol and the number denotes the percentage of ethanol in the blend, so E85, also known as fuel ethanol, is composed of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol.

So how does it reduce CO2 emissions?

Since bio-ethanol comes from biomass, it actually ‘recycles' CO2 already present in the atmosphere. That is, the crops grown for conversion to bio-ethanol remove CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. When the bio-ethanol is burned as a fuel during combustion, CO2 is then returned to the atmosphere. However, up to 70% of the CO2 emitted is offset by the bio-ethanol crops' previous removal process.

As an alternative fuel, not only does bio-ethanol reduce CO2, it also helps reduce our dependence on oil significantly.

In Europe an EC Directive requires each country to reduce its dependency on fossil fuel and by the year 2010 at least 5.75% of the fuels we use must be bio-fuels from renewable sources.

Ethanol is already in use in existing unleaded fuel blends and under existing European standards can contain up to 5% ethanol, (this percentage may increase in the future)

The high blend ethanol fuels this guidance note refers to are those in excess of 30%

E85 should only be used in what are termed flexible fuelled vehicles (FFVs) and other vehicles that are fitted with

engines that have been designed and manufactured to burn alcohol fuel and unleaded fuel. The conversion of existing vehicles is not generally feasible due to the high cost, which requires changes to valve seats, injector systems, fuel pipe work, fuel pump and engine management system able to detect different ethanol-fuel blends and/or petrol and adjust itself to suit. In the UK we have a small number of cars available which run on both E85 and unleaded fuel. The Ford Focus, the Saab and Renault Megane are examples.

The Initiatives to Store E85

In Europe with each country deciding how to meet these targets it is inevitable that there are differences of approach.

Sweden is an example of a country committed to encouraging use of E85 by using the “carrot and stick” method

Sweden's story is an ideal example of how government involvement can make bio-fuel a practical, mainstream option, not just a special-interest issue. In essence, the Swedish government has provided the necessary incentives for widespread acceptance and use of biofuel:

•Legislation in Sweden ensures that bio-ethanol E85 sells 25% cheaper than petrol

•50% of government agency fleet cars must be eco-friendly vehicles.

•Flex-fuel cars get free parking in many Swedish towns and cities.

•Flex-fuel cars are exempt from the congestion charge in Stockholm.

•Company car tax is 20% lower for environmentally friendly cars like the flex-fuel.

•50% of refuelling stations must have an E85 pump by 2009.

•65-87 Euros reduction in vehicle tax depending on model of the car.

Not surprisingly, almost 11,000 BioPower cars have now been sold domestically in Sweden!

Sweden is leading Europe in encouraging the use of bio-ethanol as

an eco-friendly renewable fuel source. E85 already accounts for 2.5% of fuel for Swedish road transport, by far the highest proportion in any European market. It is an important part of the Swedish government's strategy to eliminate its dependency on oil by 2020.

Sweden's first E85 pump was installed at a filling station in 1995, but initially bio-fuel deployment was very slow due to the small number of flexfuel cars. Steady expansion began in 2002, and by 2005 the number of filling stations with E85 pumps had risen to more than 300, or about 10% of the national network. Now there are over 800 bio-ethanol E85 refuelling points in Sweden, and new pumps are opening at an average rate of between five and ten a week. It is projected that by 2008, 25% of the country's filling stations will be offering renewable fuels.

France also has a programme to expand the number of service stations that have E85 available and some of the companies are projecting that over 500 filling stations will shortly be dispensing E85.

The situation in the US where approximately 400 service stations already sell E85 has the political issues driving its installation of being lessdependant on foreign oil and more dependant on the US farmers who produce the ethanol. In addition they expect the E85 fuel to retail at 20% less than regular fuel. There have been some concerns over the compatibility of dispensers and equipment being used by the regulators and Underwriters Laboratories are working hard to get appropriate testing of products against these new fuels.

What is apparent that you cannot just remove the unleaded fuel and replace with E85 at the service station, it is important that a full review is made on the suitability of the equipment already on site and changes are made where necessary to ensure that materials are compatible with the high blend of ethanol.

The UK Position

In the UK there have been no fiscal initiatives by the government yet, but they have announced the setting up of The Renewable Fuels Agency under the Department of Transport which starts on 1st April 2008- so this may well change in the foreseeable future.

The company leading the storage and dispensing of E85 has been the supermarket chain Morrisons who have a number of filling stations in East Anglia, and Somerset selling this product. E85 is also available in other parts of the country, and with other dealers. At the time of writing this about 20 service stations are selling E 85 in the UK, but at a price differential of 2 pence per litre; the differential falling well short of the 20% difference the industry thinks it is needed to make the

product a success.

It is unfortunate that some of these sites which started selling fuel have now had the fuel withdrawn, whether this has been due to compatibility issues or low sales is not clear.

The challenges associated with E85 Storage

HBEF have different properties to those of petrol, which means special considerations have to be made when choosing equipment and materials for certain components of the installation. Some conventional materials (such as aluminium, zinc and brass) used in petrol stations together with some plastic and rubber materials may be adversely affected by HBEF

E85 has a high alcohol and solvent content and can have a detrimental effect on storage tanks constructed of GRP, causing the tank to soften and possibly fail. It can also cause fuel quality issues arising from degradation of the tank. HBEF should not be stored in GRPtanks unless the tank has been specifically constructed and certified for use with HBEF.

Also steel tanks that have been lined with polyester or epoxy based materials may not suitable for ethanol blends. If there are any doubts about the compatibility of material used to line a tank, the manufacturer of the coating system or the installing contractor should be contacted to confirm that the lining has been certified for use with HBEF.

Existing dispensing equipment and attached components are unlikely to be compatible with HBEF. Advice should be sought from the manufacturer(s) to ensure that all the component parts of the dispenser are compatible or that those, which require adaptation or replacement, are identified.

Perhaps the most important change is likely to be that for the drainage of forecourts, with the Environment Agency concerned that E85 which is water soluble will not be separated in the oil separator and may pass through into the drainage system. While this may not be such a problem if the discharge is into the foul sewer the EAis very concerned if the discharge is into controlled waters and will likely impose special conditions on such sites. It is recommended that early consultation with the Environment Agency in such cases is a must.

I have only touched briefly upon the issues and would recommend that you download the 15-page document, which covers the concerns and provides good guidance on how to meet your legal obligations and indeed ensure that the equipment you use will meet the safety and environmental concerns when storing and dispensing this fuel.

The APEAwill also be happy to discuss and answer any questions the guidance note may raise.

By Peter Fear, Northamptonshire County Council

Background

During late November 2007, whilst out on Trading Standards visits, I drove past a small village roadside Petrol Filling Station. I was familiar with both the site and the owner – a sole trader, due to previous Trading Standards and Petroleum inspections. The site is adjacent to the path and only has room

for several cars to be parked on the forecourt at any one time. Vehicles also pull onto the forecourt to use the shop. What caught my eye were 2 gentlemen operating a car valeting service on the forecourt.

Something just didn’t look right. I drove past 4 times to work out exactly what was going on. I could see electric cables hanging down that were operating both the jet wash and vacuum. These were in extremely close proximity to an unleaded petrol pump. I then realised that they must be operating on top of petrol tanks but couldn’t recall which grades of fuel. Not being armed with a camera or my petroleum paperwork I returned to the office.

I then recalled a Bulletin article by Brian Baker entitled “A tale of enforcement” (December 2005) regarding a similar matter. Upon reading the article, it reminded me that the local Environmental Health Officer was also in a position to serve a Prohibition Notice on the site. I had not carried out a joint inspection with an EHO on Health and Safety matters and this was the first potentially serious incident I had come across since Northants took over Petroleum matters from the Fire Service (April 2006).

Whilst at the office I had time to examine the file for the site. It was clearly a ‘material alteration to the

approved arrangements’, however, I could find no record of any authority agreeing to this operation. I managed to contact the right Environmental Health Officer, who was also unaware of the car valet. We arranged to visit the following day.

The inspection

Forecourt and roadside

Upon our arrival, the car valet was in operation. We managed to observe a whole valet take place. The vehicle was jet-washed and vacuumed on top of 4 unleaded tank manholes. To do this, the operators had to take their ‘ordinary electrical equipment’inside hazardous zone 1, there being a 1 metre hazardous zone around each tank manhole. The equipment was plugged into an extension cable with the cables wrapped around and hanging half way up the front of the sales building. The extension cable was plugged into a residual current device and then into an ordinary electrical socket on the outside of the shop. It was later revealed this electric socket had been taken out of use many years ago but was put back into use after some electrical works had been carried out inside the shop.

In addition to this, water from the jet-wash was being forced down the lifting holes causing a considerable build up of water in each manhole. Upon completing the valet, the vehicle pulled forward a few yards (it should be in metric, but I’m a golfer…) and the valeters filled the vehicle with unleaded fuel all within