The Bulletin Magazine - March 2014 by apeauk

The Bulletin

Journal of the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration

March 2014

Chairman’s Report

Editor’s Report

Bulletin Information

Fire and Petroleum Safety

General APEA Information

Services

Business Manager’s Report

2014 Membership Renewal and 2015 Yearbook Information

Letters to the Editor

New APEA Members

News

Job Advertisment

Press Releases

Brian Baker Editor Brian Baker & Associates

52 Milton Grove Bletchley Milton Keynes MK3 5BH Tel: +44 (0) 1908 377127 Mobile: +44 (0) 7798 765958 email: Bakerb4@sky.com

Jamie Thompson Publishing Chairman 70 Wangford Road

The Bottom Line; Our Industry, Now and Going Forward

Modular Filling Station Construction

Tel/fax: +44 (0) 1502 722999

Interview with Bob Renkes, PEI, USA

Mobile: +44 (0) 7770 625851

Service Free Fire Extinguishers

Hydrogen Pumps on the Forecourts The Five Year Plan

Ask The Experts

CONTENTS AND EDITORIAL

Reydon

Articles APEA Live 2013, Conference, Exhibition and Awards Dinner

Southwold Suffolk IP18 6NX

email: jamie@jamiethompson.org.uk

Jane Mardell Business Manager PO Box 106

Branches Branch reports

Saffron Walden Essex CB11 3XT

Training Training course photographs 2014 course dates and booking details

69 70

United Kingdom Tel/fax: +44 (0) 845 603 5507 Mobile: +44 (0) 7815 055514

NB. The technical content is not an official endorsement by or on behalf of the APEA and are entirely the views of the author’s

email: admin@apea.org.uk

Find us on LinkedIn

Front Cover - Filling station in Gambia, supplied from a recent trip by Jane Mardell, APEA Business Manager

Published by the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration A company Limited by Guarantee registered in England No. 2261660. Opinions expressed in this Journal are not necessarily the views of the Association.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT/EDITOR’S REPORT

ay I take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy, healthy and successful 2014. This is the time of year when everybody makes New Year resolutions and promptly breaks them and I am no exception. This is usually because the resolutions are generally not achievable or that we do not desire the change enough to make them happen. I have tried really hard not to make any resolutions this year however I have an extremely strong desire to manage my time far more effectively and to stop making appointments that mean I have to get up at 4 or 5am. I find that like so many of us I try to cram as much as is humanly possible into a day, including work, family and friends then the challenge is on to get everything done without letting anybody down. The diary for the coming year is starting to look pretty full already including APEA events such as the North West APEA branch meeting which is being held at the fabulous Anson Motor Museum, (further

details can be found at the back of the Bulletin). The APEA are a conference partner for the first ever European UNITI Expo in Stuttgart which consolidates our position at the forefront of Petrol Filling Station guidance and of course enables us to promote and reinforce our increasing European/global presence. The PEI show is again being held in October 2014 and I am pleased to inform you that Petrocom have agreed to fund my trip to the show as they did last year. We have an extremely good relationship with the PEI and in this global village/economy it is good to share experiences, learning and best practice across the continents. There are two interesting developments on the horizon that will affect Petrol Filling Stations, both associated with the Government's commitment to reduce CO2 emissions. The advent of AdBlue to be dispensed on the car forecourt into Diesel cars and Hydrogen as an alternative fuel. The APEA jointly with the Energy Institute have

Now we are underway with a New Year, may I wish everybody the very best for the months ahead as we look to fresh horizons and challenges. My report begins with the publication of the UK’s Health & Safety Executive’s proposed changes to petroleum legislation, known as Consultation Document 264. This has been eagerly awaited, certainly from my angle. It offers justified changes but I feel it is overlooking some very important issues. However in draft the document sets out to both modernise and rationalise petroleum legislation. In brief it is proposed to remove the current prescriptive licensing system in favour of a “permissioning element” – a Certificate of Storage in other words for which each retail petrol filling station and each workplace that dispenses petrol would require one. In the case of Private Installations and Domestic Premises wishing to store a permitted maximum, a licence would still be required. Furthermore, the opportunity has been taken to address the issue of acceptable

portable petrol containers. At first glance these new draft regulations seem to tidy matters up but when looking at the finer detail, there is no requirement to notify the enforcing authority of any fire, explosion, spillage, leak or suspected leak. Nor do they require a site register to be kept with maintenance records making it hard for an Inspector to audit against! The maximum number of containers that may be filled up on a forecourt is not specified. The new certificate will not stipulate the type of operation; Attended Service Attended SelfService or Unattended Service? Numerous other issues can be found which put questions rather than answers in my mind. I am certain that many in the industry here in the UK will respond and I hope adjustments are made as I see confusion emerging and dare I say a drop in standards. Local Authority Circulars will be necessary to avoid a myriad range of approaches. One thing I can tell you is when the consultation on the new regulations is over and we have finalised everything, the Association will be

commenced the process of writing a guidance document for Hydrogen and its integration onto Petrol Filling Stations - watch this space. The HSE review of Petroleum legislation

continues

expected

November.

published

anyone

and has

any

comments with regard the review please

direct

them

Jamie

Thompson as Chairman of the Technical Committee. Until next time…

running a new one-day course (as well as bespoke courses) on these new Regulations! Also a reminder that the Petroleum Enforcement Group (PELG) has moved their local authority circulars to the web site of the Energy Institute www.energyinst.org.uk so it is worth a visit to see what is current. Now winter is going and time to think about sowing some seeds. Ah, spring is coming and I can enjoy the company of my new (and only) grandson. I wonder if he will be a “Petrol Head” like his granddad – he will certainly be following the MK Dons! Until next time! Brian

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Bulletin information and how to submit copy for the Bulletin

• Free issue to APEA members (approx 1200 members worldwide) • Has international distribution and readership • Respected source of industry specific news and information • Contains relevant news items and reports from overseas Bulletin Advertising If you book in 4 issues this includes a 25% discount off the one issue rates. In addition Bulletin advertisers also receive a 50% discount off rates for advertising in the annual Yearbook. If you would like to book

• Individual, Fellow and Retired members receive one copy each and Corporate members receive 5 copies each per quarter. The editor of The Bulletin, Brian Baker, is always on the look out for new material, so if you have something you want to be included, please email it to the APEA office at admin@apea.org.uk and it will be forwarded to Brian for approval. Please email the text in Word format and any images as separate high resolution pdf or jpeg files to

advertising in the Bulletin, please email your requirements to admin@apea.org.uk or call the office on 0845 603 5507. 2014/2015 Copy deadline dates Pleaese ensure you send your

admin@apea.org.uk. We are always pleased to receive contributions from our members and it ensures that the Bulletin remains an interesting and informative read. 2014/2015Copy deadline dates Pleaese ensure you send your copy to admin@apea.org.uk before the dates below: June - 28th Mar (posted 16th May) Sept - 27th June (posted 15th Aug) Dec - 29th Sept (posted 5th Dec) Mar 2015 - 5th Jan (posted 20th Feb)

artwork to admin@apea.org.uk before the dates below: June - 28th Mar (posted 16th May) Sept - 27th June (posted 15th Aug) Dec - 29th Sept (posted 5th Dec Mar 2015 - 5th Jan (posted 20th Feb)

Size of advert

Advert in 1 issue exc vat

Advert is 4 issues (includes 25% discount) exc vat

Full page (A4) (10mmw x 297mmh, with 10mm border or with bleed)

£498.00

£1494.00

½ page (185mmw x 125mmh)

£249.00

£747.00

¼ page (90mmw x 125mmh)

£125.00

£375.00

BULLETIN INFORMATION

• The Bulletin is published four times a year with a print run of 2200.

3rd Edition of the Guidance for Design, Construction, Modification, Maintenance and Decommissioning of Filling Stations - ‘Blue Book’ (Revised June 2011) ‘Publications’ page. You can select to pay by credit/debit card or by invoice. Pricing as follows: APEA Member Hard back £70 pdf £70 plus vat

5 - 9 copies = 10% 10 - 49 copies = 20% 50+ copies = 30% To benefit from the APEA member discount you will need to log on to the website before purchasing. If you do not know your log on details

The guide is available in hard copy and also as a pdf download. If you wish to purchase the guide please go to the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk and click on the

Non APEA Member Hard back £140 Pdf £140 plus vat

you can click on the ‘Member log

Postage is free for orders to the UK and Europe up to a value of £500.00. For orders over this value and for deliveries to countries outside the UK and Europe, the postage will be calculated when the order is placed. There are also discounts available for bulk purchases of the hard copy version which will be calculated with your order as follows:

password or you can contact me at

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

in’ icon on the top right of the page and request your username and admin@apea.org.uk. The APEA also publishes the Code of Practice for Ground floor, multi storey and underground car parks. This can be downloaded directly from the APEA website and is available to members at £11.00 and £21.00 to non APEA members. 7

APEA Website The site features: • A resource centre - useful information and links to other web sites and downloadable PDF’s

• An easy to use site search page

• An events calendar – see what is happening in our industry and Association throughout the year

• View your Branch committee contact details (link on the home page)

• A contacts library - contact details for companies and organisations and licensing authorities

GENERAL APEA INFORMATION/BUSINESS MANAGER’S REPORT

• You can purchase publications – including the 3rd Edition of the Blue Book • View and book training courses for the year, you can opt to be invoiced or to pay online via secure payment systems

I hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year. I am now working on the June issue of the Bulletin and the 2015 Yearbook. Please check the deadine dates on page 7 for the Bulletin if you wish submit copy and please ensure you read the details in this issue on how to be included in the Yearbook. 2015 Yearbook On page 11 of this issue of the Bulletin you will find instructions on how to register for the 2015 Yearbook. Anyone who registered online for the 2014 diary will be able to update their details for the 2015 one, so making it easier for you, rather than having to enter them from scratch. Please remember that only members that complete the online process are included in the Yearbook. All APEA members are eligible for one free entry in the Petroleum Industry Company name listings and one in the Trade Directory section, please select the relevant Trade Directory heading when entering. Full instructions on how to be included are detailed on page 11 of this issue. You can also benefit if you wish to advertise in the Yearbook as follows: 8

• Members access to past Bulletin articles on line

As a member of the APEA you have access to some of the restricted content on the site as a benefit of membership. To access this content you will need to log on with your personal details below: To log on visit the web site at www.apea.org.uk and click on the member log on link at the top right of the page. If you wish to change your password or contact details at

any time please click on ‘My Account’ on the top right of the home page. If you do not know your username and password, please click on ‘Member Login’ on the top right of the home page and you can click to request these details, they will be emailed to the email address you entered when joining the APEA or you can email a request to the APEA office at admin@apea.org.uk. Website banner Advertising You can now place your banner on the APEA website. This is £200 plus vat for one year, please contact me at admin@apea.org.uk if you wish to make a booking.

• All existing ‘Bulletin’ advertisers, that advertise in four issues, receive a 50% discount off the 2015 Yearbook rates • Any advertiser taking out a full page advert in the 2015 Yearbook is entitled to a website banner free of charge from April 2014 to April 2015 on the APEA website 2014 Membership Renewals You were sent instructions with the December issue of the Bulletin and by email on how to renew your membership for 2014. The membership for any member that has not paid by 28th February, will be discontinued. You will still be able to renew your membership which you can do by logging onto your online account at www.apea.org.uk. Further information is on page 11. Members email addresses APEA communication to members is now carried out by email. If you have not added your email address to your membership record please can you either email me your address to add, or you can log on to your account and add it yourself. This will ensure you do not miss out on information about APEA activity.

New Members There have been 32 new members joining during October, November and December and details can be found on page 12. General Assistance If you need any assistance with general or technical matters, please do not hesitate to contact me at admin@apea.org.uk or on 0845 603 5507. Regards Jane

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

2014 Membership Renewal Payments

You can select to pay by PayPal or by credit/debit card via Worldpay or select to pay by ‘cheque/bank transfer’.

By Jane Mardell, APEA Business Manager

Payment by bank transfer Account Name: APEA Bank Name: Barclays Bank PLC Account: 93816672 Sort code: 20-59-42 VAT no: 566 1295 26 IBAN: GB90 BARC 20594293816672 SWIFT: BARCGB22

Membership Rates Individual membership - £40.00 Corporate membership - £150.00 Retired membership - £15.00 The membership represents fantastic value for money and the APEA continues to offer members technical advice, training courses, publications, networking and an excellent forum for exchange of information in the industry. We thank you for your continued support. Due to ever increasing costs the APEA would prefer all members to use the online payment facility as

this is the quickest and most efficient method of payment. You can pay securely by credit/debit card using Worldpay or PayPal on the APEA website. You will be required to log onto your account where you can download your invoice (you need to complete the renewal process to raise the invoice). Once payment is received an email will be sent to you to with a link to download your receipt from your account. By using the online service, this keeps what is already a very low membership fee to remain at these prices. Renewals by other methods incurs greater cost to the APEA and will result in possible increase in fees for future years, with already 75% of members paying online we wish everybody to use the online method so please use it this year. If you have not renewed please follow the instructions below. Go to www.apea.org.uk Click on ‘Renew your membership’ Enter your log on details. Click on ‘renew your membership’ and follow the instructions to the checkout.

APEA 2015 Yearbook How to enter your details By Jane Mardell, APEA Business Manager In order to ensure that your details are included in the 2015 Yearbook it is essential that you complete your online entry by 28th March. If you completed an entry for the 2014 Yearbook you will be able to use the same entry or amend if required, but you must complete the process of registration from the start. With this issue of the Bulletin I have enclosed an instruction letter to all members that are eligible for an entry in the Petroleum Company Contacts and Trade Directory sections in the Yearbook. Licensing and Enforcement Authorities will be contacted separately for their sections of the Yearbook.

Entry Instructions Even if you do not wish to advertise in the Yearbook, to be included you should complete your entry as follows: 1. To start your entry go the APEA website home page at www.apea.org.uk 2. Click on the link on the home page called ‘Member Registration’ and you will be asked to log in using your APEA membership userid and password. If you completed an entry for the 2014 Yearbook this will be displayed.

Please include your invoice number and surname as the bank reference on the bank transfer payment. Remittance advices to be emailed to christine.cook@ensors.co.uk Payment by cheque Please post cheques to the address below: Christine Cook Ensors Cardinal House, 46 St Nicholas Street Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 1TT If you are paying by bank transfer or by cheque, once payment is received an email will be sent to you to with a link to download your receipt from your account. Payment must be received by the APEA by the 28th February in order to maintain continuity of membership.

3. You will then be asked to complete your contact details and then select the Trade Directory or Trade Directories that you wish to be listed under. And that is it! Once you have completed the online entry form you will be sent a confirmation email if you have entered an email address on your entry. Each member is entitled to one FREE entry in the Petroleum Company Contacts section and one FREE Trade Directory entry (industry sector) per company in the Yearbook. Any additional company contact detail entries or trade directory entries are charged at £26.00 plus VAT. The system will total up any costs

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

MEMBERSHIP AND YEARBOOK INFORMATION

If you have not renewed your membership for 2014 please read the information below. Instructions were sent with the December issue of the Bulletin and by email on how to renew your membership for 2014. Any membership record that has not been renewed by 28th February will be discontinued. You will still be able to renew your membership which you can do by logging onto your online account at www.apea.org.uk.

due, if you have selected additional trade directories and you will be directed to pay via Paypal or Worldpay. Or you can also select to be invoiced, if you prefer. The entry system will notify me of your entry and I will then record that you have entered on the membership database. Once you have completed your entry, if you wish to make any amendments please contact me at admin@apea.org.uk. Advertising in the Yearbook The rates have remained the same as for the 2014 Yearbook, all adverts are on right hand pages. You can also benefit from the

following if you wish to advertise in the Yearbook:

of charge from April 2014 to April 2015 on the APEA website

• All existing ‘Bulletin’ advertisers receive a 50% discount off the 2015 Yearbook rates

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me at the APEA office on 0845 603 5507 or by email at admin@apea.org.uk. If you wish to book advertising please email me the size of advert space you wish to reserve.

• Any advertiser taking out a full page advert in the 2015 Yearbook is entitled to a website banner free

Advert sizes (artwork due by 28th March)

Fee (plus vat)

First Full page (page size 210mmw x 260hmm)

£1680.00

Full page (page size 210mmw x 260hmm)

£1483.00

½ page (185mmw x 115mmh)

£786.00

¼ page (89.5mmw x 115mmh)

£420.00

1/8 page (89.5mmw x 55.5mmh)

£268.00

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/NEW APEA MEMBERS

Dear Editor, RE: Bulletin. December 2013. Thank you for producing yet another excellent edition of the magazine. The item that caught my eye was regarding the refurbishment of a forecourt using like for like steel pipework. Following the ICL/Stockline

incident in 2004 where 9 died and many more were injured there was an enquiry headed by Lord Gill. The prime factor contributing to the incident was the leak of LPG vapour from corroded steel pipework that had been covered. The main results from the enquiry are that there is now a replacement programme to replace all the underground

metallic pipework associated with

Detailed below are new members that

Craig Smith CRS Electrical Unit D3 Avondale Works Woodland Way, Kingswood Bristol Avon BS15 1PA

November

have recently joined the APEA during October, November and December October William Francis Certas Energy Ltd 4 Eaton Park, Eaton Bray Dunstable, Beds LU6 2SR Roger Board Balvin Engineering Ltd Unit 10 Barwell Business Park Leatherhead Road, Chessington Surrey KT9 2NY

Micheal Duffy Micheal Duffy Construction Carrowbeg Kilmeena, Westport Mayo, Ireland Anthony Heselton Houndswood Farm Harper Lane Radlett Herts WD7 7HU

Nigel MacKenzie 22 Abington Road Symington, Biggar ML12 6JX Gerry Brady Tokheim Ireland Ltd Unit L1, Baldonnell Business Park Baldonnell, Dublin Co. Dublin 22 Ireland

Julie Gooding 71 Grosvenor Road Urmston Manchester M41 5AG Hasnain Muhammad Atlas Energy Management Limited Building 3, Chiswick Park 566 Chiswick High Road London W4 5YA

LPG vapour offtake installations. More details are available on the HSE and the UKLPG websites. Best wishes Richard Wigfull Wigfull & Co Ltd

James Townsend Pro Petro Alconbury Services Home Farm Drive, Alconbury Huntingdon Cambs PE28 4WD Mark Stanojevic Truckin World Limited Rusts Lane Alconbury Huntingdon Cambs PE28 4WD Russell Green Essex Tankers Ltd Meads Corner A1306 Arterial Road Purfleet, Grays Essex RM19 1TS Eoin Kirby Rilta Environmental Ltd Block 402 Grants Drive Greenogue Business Park Rathcoole, Co. Dublin Ireland

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Nathan Mott 45 Brough Meadows Catterick Village North Yorkshire DL10 7NX Antony Flynn ISG Retail Ltd Parklands Stoke Gifford Bristol BS34 8QU

Matthew Turner GCT Electrical Rose Cottage, Lockley Wood Hinstock, Market Drayton Shropshire TF9 2LU Matthew Thomas Gloucestershire Trading Standards Hillfield House, Denmark Road Gloucester GL1 3LD Stewart Hamilton Hamiltons (Stirling) Ltd 24 Riversdale Road Murrayfield, Edinburgh Midlothian EH12 5QP

Paul McGlinchey GEPD Services 25 Ashgrove Drive Lurgan Armagh BT67 9JQ Martin Carter BMS-LTD 3 Faversham Road Challock Ashford Kent TN25 4BQ

Andrew Nichols Clark-Drain Ltd Station Road, Yaxley Peterborough Cambridgeshire PE7 3EQ Cheryl Wells Thurrock Council, Trading Standards Civic Offices, New Road Grays, Essex RM17 6SL Jim Crowley Pump and Tank Technologies Ltd Unit 1 Beal na Blath Service Station Beal na Blath Crookstown Co Cork , Ireland

UK, Preston. Dad paralysed in fuel tank explosion A Heysham firm which manufactures airport fuel tanks has been ordered to pay £91,000 in fines and costs after a father-of-three suffered horrific injuries in an explosion. Karol Robaczewski was cleaning the inside of a 20,000 litre fuel tank, known as a bowser, when he was engulfed by a fireball that caused severe burns and left him almost completely paralysed. Fuel Proof Ltd was prosecuted after an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident at Middleton Industrial Estate in Heysham on 9 September

December June Persson Whelan Centra Group Oldcourt Villa Off Vevay Road Bray, Wicklow Co Wicklow Ireland

Matthew Butters Pneumatic Components Ltd Holbrook Rise Holbrook Industrial Estate Sheffield South Yorkshire S20 3GE Jude Dean P A Colacott and Company Shortacre Works Beach Road, Cottenham Cambridge Cambs CB24 8BW Nathan Smith Electrical Services & Projects Ltd Project House The Drive Worthing West Sussex BN11 5LL Nigel Howlett Suffolk Trading Standards Suffolk County Council Landmark House, 4 Egerton Road Ipswich Suffolk IP1 5PF

NEW APEA MEMBERS/NEWS

Darren Odonoghue OES Electro Mechanical Services Ltd 5 Northington Close Forest Park, Bracknell Berkshire RG12 0XT

Rebecca Watts Greendale Cottage Budby Road Cuckney Nr Mansfield Notts NG20 9NQ

Craig Duffy AD Electrical Solutions Ltd Castle House. 26a Town Road Croston Lancashire PR26 9RB

Andrew Powdrill Automobile Association 22 Kiln Orchard Way Birstall Leicestershire LE4 3NT

2011 identified serious safety failings. Preston Crown Court heard the 38year-old, from Morecambe, had climbed through a manhole cover on top of the six-metre-long tank and was cleaning the inside by applying a highly flammable solvent to a cloth and then wiping down the walls. Mr Robaczewski decided that the lamp inside the tank was getting too hot and so he pulled the plug from its socket. As he did this, a spark caused the fumes to ignite and he was surrounded by flames, which were witnessed shooting into the air up to two meters above the manhole cover. The fire was so hot that it melted the visor on his mask and his protective suit, so that only elastic from the collar and cuffs were left.

Mr Robaczewski suffered multiple burns over most of his body, including his arms, legs and face, his hair and eyebrows were burnt off, and his lips badly burnt. He was in hospital for three months and is now almost totally paralysed. The HSE investigation found the method of cleaning the fuel tanks with a highly flammable solvent had been used since 2007, but Fuel Proof had failed to carry out any kind of risk assessment. There was no supervision of workers or monitoring of the fumes inside the tank, and the masks and lighting provided were entirely unsuitable. The court was told the tanks needed to be spotlessly clean before being delivered to customers in the aviation industry to avoid dirt

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

NEWS

getting into the fuel used by aeroplanes. Workers took it in turns to clean each tank as the build-up of fumes from the solvent made them feel sick. The day after the incident, the company decided it did not need to use a solvent to clean the fuel tank and instead used soapy water. Fuel Proof Ltd was fined £66,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £25,000 after pleading guilty to a charge under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 on 28 October 2013. Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Rose Leese-Weller said: “Karol suffered horrific injuries in the explosion and will need to use a wheelchair for the rest of his life. “It is shocking that Fuel Proof allowed workers to use a highly flammable solvent to clean the inside of fuel tanks for four years without giving a single thought to the risks. “What’s even more appalling is that there was never any need for workers to use solvents to clean the tanks, as the company now uses soapy water to clean them out. “Firms should carefully consider whether they actually need to use flammable substances and, if they do, then find a safe way of using them, so that no one else has to suffer the terrible injuries inflicted on Karol.” Karol said: “I wish that what has happened to me never happens to anyone else. I am not able to lift my arms, move my legs and feet or hold anything in my fingers and hands. “Every morning after breakfast, I am moved into my wheelchair and stay there until it’s time for bed. “Generally, I am very bored and frustrated. I am not able to do anything I used to do before the accident such as drive a car, go to karate sessions or play my trumpet which I played since the age of 12. “I can’t play football with my son or give my children a cuddle, and my life will never be the same again.”

UK, Filling station staff fuelled by recognition

Staff at Hammond’s Jet forecourt in Halesworth are proud that their filling station was recognised as one of the best in the UK even though they failed to win the top title. Hammonds was shortlisted as one of the top-performing petrol stations,

making it to the final three forecourts in the Midlands area in the up to 2.5 million litres per year category of the Forecourt Trader Awards 2013. Despite not winning overall, to achieve this impressive recognition is testament to the vital role that this family-run business provides its local community. Louise Hammond, manager of the Jet site, said: “We were delighted to be recognised as a finalist in the Midlands area. The event was a great success and provided a good networking opportunity for us to meet with other forecourt operatives and suppliers, as well as spend time with the team from our fuel supplier, Jet. Naturally, we are disappointed not to win the category, but being one of only three finalists in the Midlands area is undoubtedly a massive achievement and a morale boost for everyone that supports us as a business.” She added “I personally experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, with a sense of pride for my family, staff and customers as we awaited the results. Of course, none of this would have been possible without our customers, our team, company directors, forecourt suppliers and Jet – we really want to extend our thanks to all of you. The awards event is certainly an experience I’m delighted to have been part of, and simply adds further kudos to our 51-year-old family business, where we aim to be the dealer of choice.”

research of hydrogen fuel and how it can be used in transportation. One of the primary goals of the project is to develop a comprehensive hydrogen fuel infrastructure throughout the United Kingdom. While the country does have a small number of fuel stations currently open to the public, the majority of these stations are located in or around London. Without a larger infrastructure, hydrogen-powered vehicles are not likely to be popular with consumers. Transport Scotland has committed itself to aiding in the project’s various endeavours. Scotland has plans to de-carbonize transportation within the near future in order to mitigate the impact that the country has on the environment. The country has also adopted a strong interest in renewable energy. Hydrogen fuel plays a role in the Scottish energy scheme as it will lower the emissions produced by vehicles and reduce the country’s need for fossil-fuels. The support provided from H2Mobility’s newest partners may be a major boon for hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen transportation currently faces many challenges, none of which can be overcome without significant monetary and administrative support. While infrastructure may be the primary focus of the H2Mobility project currently, the project’s partners are also working to reduce the overall cost of fuel cell technology in the hope of also reducing the cost of fuel cell vehicles.

UK, Government agencies join UK hydrogen fuel project

UK, London. Blazing petrol tanker closes part of M25 during morning rush hour

The Greater London Authority, Welsh Government, and Transport Scotland have all joined the UK H2Mobility project. This project aims to promote the use of hydrogen fuel cells in the transportation sector and has been responsible for the building of new hydrogen fuel stations in some parts of the United Kingdom. The UK has a keen interest in clean transportation because it can help the country reach its emissions reduction goals. The three new partners of H2Mobility will aid in the project’s various endeavours. Each new member will play a role in the planning, development, and

Aug 2013 - A blazing petrol tanker blocked parts of the M25 near Potters Bar. The vehicle caught fire in the morning causing significant tailbacks anti-clockwise between Junction 24 and 25 of the motorway, with motorists stuck stationary and some even getting out of their cars. London Fire Brigade (LFB) attended the incident at around 6.30am, with fire-fighters managing to contain the fire to the cab of the vehicle and stopping the fire from affecting the fuel tanker. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but the LFB released a statement saying there was no fuel

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

UK, Shoppers' faces to be scanned in advertising push at Tesco petrol stations across the UK

Tesco has acknowledged that it is installing facial recognition software at its checkouts to collect customers’ details, and plans to roll out the technology ‘into as many supermarkets as possible’. The technology is provided by Lord Alan Sugar’s company, Amscreen. The system, called ‘Optimeyes’ will first appear at 450 Tesco petrol station forecourts. Cameras installed in digital advertising displays above the tills identify the customer’s gender, age and how long they look at the advert. The information is processed in real time and fed through to advertisers. The technology also adjusts its choice of ad based on date or time, and monitors customer purchases. Retailers could run a Red Bull ad during the morning rush, for instance, and switch to advertising a women’s magazine if the technology detected several women in the queue. Amscreen chief executive Simon Sugar admitted that the technology was “like something out of Minority Report. This could change the face of British retail and our plans are to expand the screens into as many supermarkets as possible. Brands deserve to know not just an estimation of how many eyeballs are viewing their targets, but who they are too,” he added.

Tesco said Optimeyes could reach a weekly audience of more than 5 million people. Nick Pickles, of Big Brother Watch, said the move introduced “a surveillance state by the shop door. People would never accept the police keeping a real-time log of which shops we go in, but this technology can do just that,” he added. The Amscreen deal will see the technology in place for five years.

UK, Industry figures press UK business minister Michael Fallon to allow smaller independent garages to defer paying the tax until after the fuel has been sold to motorists

Ministers are being urged to allow thousands of independent petrol station owners to change the way they pay millions of pounds of fuel duty in a bid to protect Britain’s smaller forecourts. Currently, smaller forecourts have to pay the full amount when a tanker delivers its load. However, the Petrol Retailers’ Association (PRA) claims oil companies and supermarkets can defer duty payments for up to 28 days. A summit with Mr Fallon, tax chiefs and MPs took place in October and a further meeting is due shortly. Some 1,000 forecourts have closed over the past five years, with just 9,000 left in the UK, compared with 37,500 in 1970. Almost all new sites given planning permission in the UK are supermarket petrol stations. Government sources fear that unless the independent sector is given more financial freedom, Britain’s road fuel security could be threatened. One industry insider said: “When it looked like Grangemouth [refinery] was going to be shut for some time, the Government was asking forecourts to stock up on fuel. But some independents lost thousands. They have to pay duty upfront, and if petrol prices fall they lose out. Who’s going to give them that back?” Brian Madderson, PRA chairman, said allowing independents the right to 28 days “deferment” would be a

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“game-changer” that would allow sites to survive. He added they would also be able to pass on price cuts far more quickly. He said tax experts had found a loophole in the regulations that allows those independents who apply to delay the duty payments. But industry is worried that HMRC will soon close this down. Mr Madderson said: “It’s quite clear that our ability as a country to have forecourts all over the country is becoming challenged because of the number of independents that are closing. One of the main reasons is the onerous requirement to have to pay duty more or less as [fuel] is delivered. The oil companies, which have more money than possibly anyone else, have 28 days’ duty deferment on their side. How is that equitable? Changing this would allow my members far more financial freedom.” Motoring chiefs believe the change would assist fuel sellers, but are worried about whether drivers would benefit. One source said: “Our support would give the retailers considerable weight. However, our fear is that savings would simply go into the retailers’ pockets.”

UK, Motorway fuel price comparison signs given the goahead

The government will begin trialling motorway signs that show the cost of fuel at stations along a driver's route. Motorists will be able to see fuel prices of upcoming service stops in the direction of travel, allowing them to bypass particularly expensive petrol stations for cheaper alternatives. A similar service is already in use in France. The move comes in the wake of an Office of Fair Trading investigation back in 2012 that found motorway service stations were on average 7.5 pence more expensive than off-motorway forecourts. That may not sound like much, but filling up a 60-litre tank would cost you an additional £4.50 every time. The report did admit the cost of running a motorway service station was higher, but it argued it was unfair that drivers have to drive all the way in to check fuel prices. “The problem on the motorway is that the fuel prices are only 19

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spillage, and that the Environment Agency had confirmed that there was no impact to the local area. Writing on Twitter, the LFB said: “Traffic on M25 Westbound between J25-24 after a tanker fire. We contained the fire to the cab & stopped the fuel from igniting. No injuries.” Eye witness Harry Cottam later tweeted: “Avoid the M25 tanker on fire....queued for 45mins in A10 and people are out walking around on M25 traffic.” One lane of the M25 anti-clockwise between Junction 25 and 24 has now reopened but there are still long delays. The authorities advised people to avoid the area where possible.

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advertised on the forecourt,” a Downing Street source explained back in March of this year. “That is the legal requirement. But by the time you’ve pulled off the motorway and stopped, it is often more trouble than it’s worth to go on to the next service station, particularly as you’ve got no idea whether it will be any cheaper.” By highlighting petrol prices for all to see, it's hoped competition will help bring rogue service stations back into check ─ although a spot of price fixing could always occur, undoing the usefulness of the signs. “We have been pushing for this for some time,” AA president Edmund King said. “We used the example of France where they show you this on the auto-route. It means you can look for the best price at the start of the journey.” The Department for Transport will begin by trialling the new motorway signs, which are still undergoing their design. If successful, they will become a regular feature on UK motorways. Until then, you could always check out our tips to save fuel and stick to filling up at supermarkets while they engage in a petrol price war.

UK, Updated guidance on dangerous substances in the workplace

Five pieces of health and safety guidance have been combined to help employers more quickly and easily understand how to protect their workers from dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has consolidated five Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) under the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR), covering issues from plant design and operation, through to maintenance. The consolidated document (with the series code L138) is relevant to businesses handling or storing flammable substances. It is available to download or purchase from the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/book s/l138.htm. 20

The new ACOP is being introduced following public consultation and ministerial and HSE Board approval. Kären Clayton, Director of HSE’s Long Latency Health Risks Division, explained: “The text is now clearer and simpler overall and merging the five ACOPs eliminates repetition across the original documents. Navigation has been improved with an enhanced contents list to enable the duty holder to find the advice that is of most interest to them.” Legal responsibilities (i.e. the requirements of the DSEAR regulations) to protect workers’ safety are not altered by any redrafting to the ACOP.

UK, Wales, Haverfordwest. Mobile crane and petrol tanker collide on Welsh road

Aug 2013 - A mobile crane collided with a petrol tanker on the A4776 in Haverfordwest. A major clean-up operation was launched after the petrol tank ruptured spilling fuel onto the road. Dyfed–Powys Police said: “At approximately 06:40 in the morning an RTC involving a fuel tanker and a crane occurred. No injuries have been reported. “As a result a substantial amount of fuel leaked from the ruptured tanker. “Specialist equipment was used to remove the fuel spillage and the road is going to be closed for a protracted period of time, up to 24 hours.” It is believed the incident involved a Texaco tanker and a Grove mobile crane owned by Davies Crane Hire.

UK, Revised guidance to protect the health, safety and welfare of workers

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published new help for employers on how to protect the health, safety and welfare of their workers. Following consultation, HSE has reviewed and updated the Workplace Regulations Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) (L24) to make it easier for employers, building owners, landlords and managing agents to understand

and meet their legal obligations and so reduce the risks of over compliance. The ACOP was one of several identified for review and revision, consolidation or withdrawal in line with a recommendation by Professor Ragnar Löfstedt in his report Reclaiming health and safety for all. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 cover a wide range of basic health, safety and welfare issues and apply to most workplaces except for those involving work on construction sites, those who work in or on a ship and those who work below ground at a mine. Legal responsibilities to protect workers’ health and safety are not altered by any changes to the ACOP. HSE spokesman, Chris Rowe, said: “Across HSE we are working hard to ensure that employers have access to good quality advice which makes clear what they need to do to protect workers. “The revised ACOP has not only been updated, it will help employers understand the regulatory requirements on key issues such as temperature, cleanliness, workstations and seating, toilets and washing facilities.” The review of and subsequent revision to the Workplace ACOP was subject to public consultation and the changes were agreed by both the HSE Board and the minister of state with responsibility for health and safety. To view the revised publication visit the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/book s/l24.htm.

UK, Tokheim installs first ever LPG dispenser with media in UK

Flogas is fast developing a name for innovation in the UK LPG dispensing market, increasing its installations across UK forecourts in 2013. Earlier in 2013, Tokheim and Flogas partnered on a project to install the UK’s first ever LPG dispenser with an integrated media display in model: Q510 LPG with TQC VGA. Mark Clark, regional sales manager for Flogas Britain, says, “The commercial case for Autogas

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UK, RE-Tech UK launches Eye-Cap to stop fuel theft

The technology company, RETech UK, has launched an unique and advanced electronic fuel cap device ‘EyeCap’ which is being rolled out nationally to counteract

the ever expanding war on fuel theft. With rising diesel costs, fuel theft has become an increasing problem effecting councils, haulage firms, construction companies, transport managers and fleet owners up and down the country. It can occur anywhere – at overnight parks, depots or lay-bys. It can also happen to any vehicle, generator or plant equipment; no one and nowhere is safe. Organised crime across the UK are cashing in on either reselling the fuel or using it for their own consumption. Fuel theft within the commercial vehicle market has, to some extent, always been accepted as part of the operational cost. Operators have been aware of the problem but never really realised how much in terms of money is being lost from their bottom line. However with the rising fuel costs and the aid of new technology this problem is slowly being addressed. Richard Edwards, MD of RE-Tech UK comments: “There is a whole range of anti-siphon devices on the market, which is the first step to a preventative strategy. However these devices have limitations. Some don’t prevent skimming on a regular basis of small amounts of diesel, some have huge holes or are easily accessible for small pipes, some even have structures that can be drilled, bent or forced to allow siphoning. Whilst they can initially be a deterrent, they do not provide enough information to actually analyse the situation and issue no warning to events as and when they happen. The problem is also extending to company employees, where there have been several reported cases of fuel theft by employees.” Eye-Cap solves these problems. If the Eye-Cap is tampered with or removed from the tank, or even when it senses a puncture in the tank, a real time signal is sent monitoring the date, time, duration and location. These details can be filtered through any tracking system with the functionality to report such events, which can, in turn, trigger an alarm, CCTV, in-cab buzzers and/or even issue text/email alerts to a mobile phone or inbox. The tracking and CCTV aspect of the Eye-Cap is also vital for stamping out fuel theft by employees, as it could tell you

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whether the theft occurred whilst the driver should have been in the vehicle, or whether it would have been unmanned at that point. Eye-Cap can be specifically designed with a certain fleet in mind so that the cap is a perfect fit for vehicles, and the effects are tailored to customer needs.

UK, Weyhill, Hampshire. Thieves cause huge explosion

Sept 2013 - A huge explosion caused by a gang of thieves sprayed £20,000 in notes across a garage forecourt and damaged petrol pumps. A thief who took part in a raid on a petrol station that led to a cash machine being blown to pieces has been jailed for three-and-a-half years. Damien Limb, 27, was the driver for the bungled heist at a Texaco station that completely destroyed the ATM, scattering £20,000 of cash across the forecourt as well as damaging petrol pumps and the station's canopy. The heavy door of the ATM was blown 25 metres and sliced through an inch thick stanchion “like a knife through butter”. The gang only managed to scoop up £3,400 from the shattered cash machine. Police said afterwards that the thieves were lucky they did not kill themselves or others when they pumped oxygen and propane gas into the machine to cause an uncontrolled blast. Residents nearby heard a “huge explosion” at 3.15am on March 31 2013 as debris was hurled up to 38 metres away. The masked gang had prized open the machine using a crowbar at the filling station in Weyhill, Hampshire, and pumped the mixture in through hoses before sealing the hole with paper, Winchester Crown Court heard. After 40 seconds, the mixture ignited, probably due to an electrical circuit inside or heat from the machine, and it blew up. The whole operation and the explosion was captured on CCTV, which showed the ATM being completely destroyed before three men dressed in black started scrambling about trying to pick up £20 notes. The damage to the garage cost 23

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LPG is growing ever more compelling, thanks to evidence highlighting that vehicles running on Autogas LPG boast lower carbon than petrol cars. Flogas is delighted to support such a pioneering project, which reinforces our already established reputation as an energy partner not just an LPG provider and which showcases just what an adaptable, future-friendly fuel LPG is.” The alternative fuels market is continuing its growth across Europe and the latest figures confirm that LPG - which currently powers almost 3% of the passenger car fleet in Europe – is the most widely used alternative fuel. There are approximately 12 million LPG vehicles worldwide, while projections in Europe alone estimate that LPG could meet as much as 10% of Europe’s passenger car fuel mix by the year 2020, or 23 million vehicles. Adrian Beeby, Tokheim UK Sales Director, says, “There has definitely been an increased level of discussion around LPG in the last 2 years. It’s an extremely costeffective fuel, so an increasing number of drivers are purchasing or retrofitting LPG vehicles; this has led to an increased demand on the forecourts. The quality of the components and the range of solutions on offer have given us the edge in the UK LPG market. Our clients like that our Quantium LPG is truly modular – so they can add features like outdoor payment or in this case media to provide their endusers with added flexibility.” In the UK there are some 1,400 LPG refuelling installations, making the fuel readily available across the country, with Flogas operating a 30% share of the Autogas market. Currently, cars powered by Flogas LPG are available directly from the showroom of more than 20 different vehicle manufacturers in Europe, offering drivers savings of up to 40% on their annual fuel bills.

£150,000 to repair, while the cash point cost £15,000, the court heard. Limb, from Lichfield Road, Bristol, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to cause criminal damage with unknown persons, as the rest of the gang has not been caught. He was traced after police followed a trail of cash and wheel tracks from the cylinders' trolley from the scene, under a bridge where a receipt for water and a small amount of petrol from a garage in Bristol was found. CCTV from the garage was used to identify Limb.

UK, Consultation opens on plans to simplify petrol legislation

Ireland, Topaz plans to create 100 jobs at two new service stations in Ireland

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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on 15th December 2013 launched an eight-week consultation on plans to simplify and modernise legislation on the storage of petroleum. HSE invited comments on proposals to consolidate and refine eight pieces of legislation that apply to the storage of petrol at workplaces that dispense petrol, mainly petrol stations, and nonworkplace premises such as private homes. Kären Clayton, Director of HSE’s Long Latency Health Risks Division, said: “The proposal was to revoke all existing legislation and consolidate the provisions to be maintained into one single set of new regulations. This will modernise and simplify the current legislative arrangements whilst maintaining existing standards of safety.” The development of the new regulations was carried out in an open and collaborative way, drawing on a wide range of views from industry, regulators, other government departments and hobbyists, e.g. boating, vintage cars etc. The key change for petrol filling stations was the proposal to move away from licensing and to introduce a petroleum storage certificate, which will remain valid unless there is a significant change or the site is closed. This proposal has support from both industry and regulators. 24

The regulations will also provide clarification on the amounts that can be stored at home and the types of containers that can be used. The consultation was open until 7 February 2014. The HSE Board will make recommendations to ministers after consideration of the consultation responses. Note: At the time of going to print, the outcome of the consultation is not known but members of the APEA will be updated through the Bulletin, web site and through its Branch Network - Editor

100 full-time jobs are expected to be created when two new motorway service stations are constructed by Topaz, Ireland's largest fuels and convenience retailer. Construction of the sites on the M8 in Co Laois and M9 in Co Carlow will involve an investment of around €8m. One of the stations will be located at Junction 3 on the Dublin-Cork motorway (M8) near Ballacolla in Co Laois. The other will be situated at Junction 5 on the Dublin-Waterford motorway (M9) in Co Carlow. Work on the site in Co Laois will begin in January. A planning application has been submitted for the Co Carlow site and if granted permission work is expected to begin next summer. 200 people will be employed during the construction phase of both sites.

Ireland, More Irish filling stations join IPRA’s campaign against fuel laundering

Filling stations in Dundalk and around the county are backing a new Quality Assurance Scheme which has been launched by IPRA, the Irish Petrol Retailers Association. The idea of the scheme is to ensure that motorists are getting legitimate clean fuel and also to make life harder for criminal fuellaundering gangs operating along

the border. Larry Muckian, whose business is based at Oriel Park on the Carrick Road, said the beach flags that fly the quality logo at participating stations will help motorists recognise retailers who are responding to their demands for a clear indication as to what fuel is safe for their vehicles and is legal. Participating garages have signed up to random and independent testing to ensure that their fuel meets official government specifications. Customers will also be able to check, via a smartphone app, which garages have signed up. Labour TD Ged Nash said it is a very simple scheme, “but I believe it will be very effective. Fuel laundering is a scourge in our society. It destroys our environment, wrecks cars, steals from the taxpayer and provides a ready income to criminals. I have raised this issue many times and will continue to do so until it is eliminated.”

Malta, Marsa. Petrol stations not responsible for fuel mix they see - GRTU

Notices put up at fuel stations around the country, indicating that the diesel available is a mix with seven per cent bio diesel, are the responsibility of the Malta Resources Authority, the small and medium sized enterprises chamber, the GRTU said. Fuel station owners are not in any way responsible for the fuels mix they sell and are not responsible for any impact the fuel could have on vehicles, the GRTU added. The Malta Resources Authority accused the small and medium enterprises chamber, the GRTU, of irresponsibility in its attitude about labelling being displayed at fuel stations. It said a GRTU statement was intended only to create uncertainties. The authority said that the diesel being sold has not been changed, and conforms to standard MSA EN 590. The labelling being displayed at fuel stations is according to international and local standards and the notices being displayed at fuel stations are not anything new. Displaying the notice is one of the conditions of the licence to operate a petrol station, the MRA added.

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And in a statement meant for consumers, the authority said that after talks with the Consumers Association, importers and representatives of fuel station owners, it has started displaying notices at stations giving information about fuels being used, and the importers, so that consumers would be able to exercise their right of choice. The notices give the name of the importers and refer to the fuel quality. Each fuel has a particular colour assigned to it on the notices – black for diesel, green for petrol and orange for bio diesel. All stations should be displaying the notices within a few days. The fuel quality has not changed, the marks reflect the fuel that was available on the market. The diesel market is competitive, there are a number of importers supplying the fuel stations. The petrol market is not competitive, only Enemalta imports it.

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USA, 7-Eleven planning more CNG stations - success at a store in Moore has the retailer evaluating other sites

7-Eleven's experiment with compressed natural gas has been such a success that the company plans to offer the fuel at other locations. “I can't identify the locations, but we're sufficiently encouraged to do more of it,” said Jim Brown, CEO of 7-Eleven Stores, which owns the 7-Eleven locations in the Oklahoma City area. “At the time we did it, we weren't excited about what we were seeing as far as consumer demand,” he said. “I wouldn't have anticipated that it would have been so well received here. But now that it has, we see an opportunity there, especially given the way the product is priced in the market.” At 88.9 cents per gasoline gallon equivalent, the 7-Eleven in Moore is one of the least expensive, publicly available CNG locations in the country. When 7-Eleven was relocating and expanding its store at SE 19 and S Eastern Avenue in Moore, the city of Moore asked Brown to consider adding CNG. “They had converted a couple of vehicles and were in the 26

process of converting others to CNG,” Brown said. “We've had a 50year relationship with the city. They asked us to consider CNG. We had the space, so we got involved with Chesapeake (Energy Corp.) and learned as much as we could quickly. It's been pretty popular.” The city did not help pay for the upgrade, but the expected CNG demand was enough to convince Brown to try it out. “It was very difficult to make the decision on the first one,” he said. “The city of Moore stepped up to the plate, and we did our homework. It turned out to be a big thing.”

USA, CleanFUEL USA completes 85 public propane Autogas refuelling stations as part of federal grant

CleanFUEL USA, an industry leader in propane Autogas technology, completed the installation of 85 retail propane Autogas stations, making this clean and economical alternative fuel more readily available across the nation. “The installation of these 85 sites is a true step forward for the propane industry,” said Curtis Donaldson, founder and managing partner of CleanFUEL USA. “For more than 20 years we have shared a vision of installing public Autogas stations across the country, and the rollout of these stations contributes to that vision.” Spread across 13 states, the publicly accessible stations are expected to serve thousands of fleet managers and individuals operating vehicles fuelled by propane Autogas. Most of the stations are located near heavily trafficked roadways, existing fuelling stations, major airports and home improvement stores. The last propane Autogas refuelling location was installed at an Exxon Mobile station in Charleston, West Virginia. The construction of these facilities and refuelling equipment was funded through a $12 million grant from the Department of Energy’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Texas State Technical College (TSTC) served as the lead grantee of the funds, which supported the development of a national propane Autogas refuelling

network, incentives to convert school buses and other fleet vehicles to alternative fuels, and training for green jobs. “We’ve made tremendous progress, and propane Autogas is now more readily available thanks to this completed grant and CleanFUEL USA,” said Cindy Reily, associate vice president of institutional advancement at TSTC. In addition to station installations, the grant partially funded nearly 700 vehicle conversions and new propane autogas vehicle purchases for multiple fleets across the country including VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio, the City of Springfield, Ill., Fashion Glass and Mirror, as well as various school districts. Propane Autogas is a domestically produced, abundant alternative fuel that reduces the nation’s dependence on foreign energy sources. Already the leading alternative fuel in the United States, propane Autogas costs an average of 30 to 40 percent less than gasoline and up to 50 percent less than diesel. When compared with gasoline, vehicles fuelled by propane Autogas emit 20 percent less nitrogen oxide, 60 percent less carbon monoxide and up to 25 percent less greenhouse gases.

USA, Kangaroo Express adding quick-service restaurants to fuel stations

Morrisville, USA. Commuters can dine on gourmet home-cooking while filling up their cars at a Kangaroo petrol station. Kangaroo Express, owned by Cary-based The Pantry Inc., celebrated the grand opening of its exclusive restaurant Aunt M’s Kitchen at its Morrisville location on Saturday, June 22nd. The grand opening was part of Kangaroo Express’ larger plans to expand its quick-service restaurant (QSR) concept through parts of the Southeast, which the company announced in late May. “I think what we’ve designed here at Aunt M’s Kitchen is unique,” said Ross Adkison, division vice president of Kangaroo’s restaurant operations. “It has the quality taste and homecooking which you don’t expect at your neighbourhood convenience

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USA, E15 pumps open at Petro Serve USA stations in North Dakota

Consumers can now purchase E15 at six Petro Serve USA locations in Bismarck and Fargo, ND. Three of the fuel retailer’s stations in BismarckMandan began offering E1 and consumers could purchase E15 at three Petro Serve USA stations in Fargo-Moorhead. Petro Serve USA is an energy cooperative, owned in part by farmers who grow corn and soybeans. Area farmers as well as North Dakota ethanol producers are excited that consumers now have more market access to E15, says Kent Satrang, CEO, Petro Serve USA. He says that consumers are also benefitting. or example, they are saving five cents per gallon by purchasing E15 compared to E10 with 87 octane, with just a one percent to two percent reduction in fuel economy, Satrang says. “Sales of E15 this week took off better than I expected,” he added. Petro Serve USA owns 15 other retail stations (under the Cenex and Tesoro brands). They do not currently recognize E15 as an approved motor fuel, although the EPA has approved E15 for motor vehicles manufactured since 2001. However, these stations do sell E10, E30 and E85 (for flex fuel vehicles), as well as soy diesel blends, Satrang says, adding that Petro Serve USA has the most blender pumps of any fuel retailer in America. Petro Serve USA’s tagline, “Helping America Fuel Better,” reflects its commitment to both corn and soybean farmers in the eastern part of the state with the oil producers in the western part of North Dakota. It

specializes in 100 percent American made fuels and revitalizing the main streets of small towns in North Dakota and Minnesota, Satrang says. He adds, “Choice at the pump puts change in everyone’s pocket.”

USA, 7-Eleven first to offer electric-vehicle charging in New York City - partners with Green Charge Networks on infrastructure

Deploying Green Charge Networks (GCN) energy storage solutions, 7-Eleven Inc. is the first retailer to offer fast-charging services for drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) in the New York City area. 7-Eleven and GCN worked with the U.S. Department of Energy and several large utility companies to leverage local solar generation and energy storage, which enables the use of high-powered electric equipment, including EV fast chargers. This avoids extreme consumption peaks that lead to expensive electricity-demand charges for commercial-rate payers. Green Charge Networks’ energy storage system, Green Station, manages the power consumption at the 5820 Francis Lewis Blvd. 7Eleven location in Flushing, N.Y. It monitors the store’s load on a second-by-second basis and counteracts peaks and valleys by discharging and charging from an internal ion battery bank. “Even when the New York City electric grid experienced an all-time peak on July 19 during the recent heat wave, the Green Station allowed for EV fast charging while reducing peak demand by 56%,” said Vic Shao, Green Charge Networks’ CEO. “Convenience retailing in today’s world increasingly requires the use of high-powered electrical devices, including food service equipment and EV fast chargers,” said Tom Brennan, 7-Eleven’s vice president of infrastructure services. “Meeting our customer’s changing needs while keeping demand charges and thus our electricity costs in check is a very attractive value proposition for us.”

The Green Station empowers industrial- and commercial-rate payers to manage power consumption and rising demand charges. The energy-storage product is easy to install, maintenance free and economical. The root technology is a stochastic controller with sophisticated software that flattens the power load curve during peak consumption periods, with positive financial implications for the customer and electricity utility. 7-Eleven Inc. is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience-retailing industry. Based in Dallas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses more than 10,100 7-Eleven stores in North America. Green Charge Networks, a Santa Clara, California-based leader in power efficiency, specializes in energy storage solutions that enable the usage of high-powered electrical equipment without causing extreme consumption peaks.

USA, Drive-through fuel stations coming your way

Imagine never having to get out of your car in every type of weather condition to stand at the smelly fuel pumps to fill up for the commute. This fantasy is becoming a reality thanks to FuelMatics and Husky who have partnered up to produce an automatic fuel filling robot. The robot works to find the fuel filler cap, uses a suction cup to open it and then the machine inserts one of three nozzles into the fuel neck. This is done through a capless insert which is found on many of today’s vehicles. Then, it fills up your fuel tank and you are on the road! The estimate is a thirty percent decrease in the amount of time you have to spend waiting for your tank to fill up. The way you pay is through your smartphone, so you don’t even have to roll down your window if you don’t want to. “We feel this will be a great product for the future,” says Peter Ward of Glasgow Equipment Services, a former president of PEI. Driver benefits, as stated by Fuelmatics: • Faster, about half the time for a fill up, which saves time

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store.” Kangaroo Express launched its first two Aunt M’s restaurants in Charlotte in early June. Morrisville’s Aunt M’s is the company’s third quick-service restaurant establishment in the nation. Kangaroo also announced plans to open six more of its quick-service restaurants in stores throughout the Triangle and remodel more than 70 of its stores in the next 18 months. The company operates more than 1,560 convenience stores in the Southeast.

• Cleaner, as you do not have to touch the cap or the nozzle • Safer, as you do not have to step out of the car • More convenient Not only will automatic fuelling be faster, cleaner, safer and more convenient for drivers, it will be better for the environment. This is because the robot is designed to fuel your car without any spills or vapours being released. We aren’t sure when these type of stations will start to come to a location near you, while there are many benefits, gas stations still depend on sales of everything else from coffee to other travel incidentals which will still require you to get out of the car.

USA, Manhattan’s disappearing fuel stations

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Perhaps there is no clearer sign that Manhattan space has reached a high premium rates than the continuing disappearance of gasoline stations at main intersections. Spurred by the recession and now the recovery’s development clamour, service stations popular among New York cabbies and motorists are literally losing their ground to apartments, stores and offices. Rezoning of these sites for residential use has also spurred development. Their diminishing numbers have rankled city motorists and taxi drivers whose memories of long lines at gas stations after Hurricane Sandy remain fresh a year later. Others worry that high rises are relentlessly displacing essential fixtures of the city’s streetscape, like hospitals, churches and schools. But these sites, whose oddball shapes and suburban style always made an unusual fit in New York’s grid, offer developers can’t-miss opportunities in a land-starved city. And even though there is a risk of contamination from underground tanks where there might have been spills, developers covet the stations’ locations. “They tend to be on corner lots, at major intersections, which are great places to build,” said Zach Vella, a principal in VE Equities, which is constructing a 16-unit condo on a 28

former gas station site in TriBeCa. And nearby, where a Mobil once stood, VE Equities is building another 12-unit condo building. Some of these land parcels, viewed in the mid-20th century as castaway scraps, have become more valuable as fewer slices of land are available for development. With a sweep of pavement and often only a single tenant to relocate, these sites can be ideal for ground-up construction, according to Mr. Vella. “We are not confined by pre-existing buildings,” he said. “We can just sort of jump in.” In a sense, the bidding comes at a fortunate time. As the energy industry has consolidated in the past decades, reducing competition, oil companies have seemed to favour large block-long stations as opposed to scattered smaller ones. Some of those companies have left the retail gasoline business. Exxon Mobil, for instance, sold its company-owned stations a few years ago, and the new owners have been squeezed by changing driving habits and environmental rules. Outside New York, those owners often build large markets on their properties to raise profit margins, though that is often impractical in Manhattan. In October 2013, there were 117 stations in Manhattan, down from 207 in 2004, or a 44 percent decrease, according to the city’s Bureau of Fire Prevention. The city as a whole has 35 percent fewer stations than it did a decade ago. Manhattan seems comparatively underserved. Its 117 stations represent about 9 percent of the New York total, similar to Staten Island, which has less than a third of Manhattan’s population. Among the converted stations to generate the most interest recently is one at 10th Avenue, near the High Line in West Chelsea. Serving as a Getty station until it closed last summer, the spot featured an outdoor art exhibit with statues of sheep on grassy mounds amid redtopped gas pumps. The exhibit had an unintended consequence: generating respect for an industrial relic. “Somebody said to me, ‘I didn’t realize the gas station was so pretty,’” said Michael Shvo, a developer who bought the site for $23.5 million this year. Nevertheless,

he and his development partner, Victor Homes, are going ahead with plans to build a 12-story, 15-unit condo beginning next year. “Developers like these sites for the same reason gas stations wanted to be there originally,” Mr. Shvo said. “Lots of people and lots of traffic.”

USA, Minneapolis opens its first E15 and E30 fuel station

With a snip of the ceremonial ribbon, Minnesota motorists started their first fill-ups of a higher blend of ethanol fuels. Rick Bohnen’s Minnoco station at 60th and Penn was pumping a lot of this fuel last week. “Once the general public accepts E15, I think it will be a domino effect,” Bohnen said. “Other stations will have to put it in to stay competitive”. For starters, E15 is 15 cents cheaper than regular unleaded, which has 10 percent ethanol. E30 is 28 cents a gallon less, though it is designed to be burned in flex fuel vehicles only. The new blend of E15 is only designed to be burned in vehicles from 2001 and newer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Lance Klatt’s vehicle is among those that qualify. “I think it’s a great consumer choice. It’s the right direction to alternative fuels and it’s nice to have a new energy source in the marketplace,” Klatt said. It’s also good for Minnesota corn growers, whose organization is helping subsidize the venture. So, too, is the Minnesota Lung Association, which hails E15 and E30 because the fuels burn cleaner and emit fewer pollutants into the air. Still, the higher blended ethanol fuels are not compatible with older vehicles and most small engines, such as lawnmowers, snow blowers, outboards and motorcycles. Experts say if your engine and its oil aren’t designed for ethanol fuels, you risk long-term damage. “It’s not corrosive, but it takes away the lubrication properties. And with our internal combustion engines we rely on lubrication to keep the engine moving,” instructor Stephan Reinarts said. Minnoco is a coalition of independent filling station owners who are committed to ethanol. By

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late November 2013, four of these stations were expected to be converted with the E15 and E30 pumps across the metro.

USA, California backs Hydrogen stations in big way

NEWS

California wants fuel cell vehicles to be part of its ambitious plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state by 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. But right now, across the whole state, there are just nine publicly available hydrogen fuelling stations. Clearly this is a problem. The good news for fuel cell fans: The state recognizes this and is acting. A bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown commits $20 million a year for the next ten years from the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program to add 100 hydrogen stations. “One of the biggest obstacles to introducing fuel cell electric vehicles was the lack of fuelling certainty,” Professor Dan Sperling, chair of the California Fuel Cell Partnership and a member of the state’s Air Resources Board, said in a statement. “No more. The passage of AB 8 sends a clear signal to automakers, consumers and others that California will launch a market for FCEVs.” The California Fuel Cell Partnership is a coalition of automakers (including all the heavyweights), energy companies, fuel cell companies and government agencies. According to the group, in addition to the nine publicly available stations now open, 12 new stations are expected to be open by early 2014, and a further seven stations have been funded. A trade group of non-U.S.-based manufacturers, called Global Automakers – backed by Nissan, Honda, Isuzu, Peugeot and Toyota, among other – echoed Sperling’s point about the commitment to building fuelling stations being a spur for fuel cell vehicle adoption. “The Governor’s support for securing financing to start building significant numbers of hydrogen fuelling stations in California is critical to the success of fuel cell vehicles in California, providing consumers the necessary assurance that the infrastructure will be there to support these green technologies,” said 30

Gordon Fry, director of state relations. Fuelling infrastructure is a classic challenge for alternative fuel vehicles, one that’s obviously been a factor in the battery-electric rollout over the past few years. But compared to expensive hydrogen fuelling stations, EV charging stations are a piece of cake. In fact, since last reported on this issue, in late March, the number of public electric stations in the U.S. has grown from 5,612 to 6,601, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That’s an 18 percent increase in just over half a year.

USA, History of the modern fuel station in the United States

While fuelling stations existed before 1913 - after all, Karl Benz is credited with inventing the first gasoline-powered automobile in 1885 - fuelling was far from convenient a century ago. Early fuelling sites were a patchwork collection of pharmacies or even ramshackle sheds and blacksmiths’ shops where fuel was usually dispensed from a container, as opposed to being directly pumped into a vehicle’s tank. That all changed 100 years ago when Gulf Refining Company opened the nation’s first drive-up service station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, designed and built specifically to sell fuel. On December 1, 1913, the station opened and sold 30 gallons of gasoline — less than one percent of the daily sales volume of a fuelling station today. Customers at that first station would not recognise today’s fuelling outlets. Gasoline retailing has evolved from full-service attendants with crisp, white uniforms to modern, state-of-the-art convenience stores offering self-service gasoline (except for New Jersey and Oregon where self-serve is prohibited). In addition, today’s gas stations sell far more than auto-related products like motor oils, lubricants and batteries, and are known as much for their instore snacks, drinks and food - such as the latest trend of “fuel station gourmet” outlets - as for their fuelling. And of course gas prices have changed. Despite the higher posted

prices of today, gasoline is a relative bargain. Back on December 1, 1913, petrol cost 27 cents a gallon - which equates to $6.39 per gallon in today’s dollars. Convenience stores, which today sell more than 80% of the gasoline purchased in the country, began entering the gasoline retailing business in the 1960’s when a combination of new technologies and the lifting of state self-serve bans allowed stores to reduce labour costs and pass on savings to customers. “That first gas station did much more than define fuelling for the next century - it redefined retail and ushered in the era of convenience,” said Jeff Lenard, vice president of strategic industry initiatives for the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). “The emphasis was squarely on service and speed of that service, concepts that are even more important today.” When Gulf opened that original service station in 1913, there were approximately 500,000 vehicles navigating almost exclusively dirt or gravel roads. Today, there are more than 250 million vehicles travelling on the nation’s 3.98 million miles of paved roadways. Here are a few statistics regarding today’s fuelling industry: • There are 152,995 retail fuelling sites in the United States. This is a steep and steady decline since 1994, when the station count topped 202,800 sites. This count includes 123,289 convenience stores selling fuel, plus grocery stores, truck stops, traditional gas stations and low-volume fuelling locations like marinas. (Source: National Petroleum News’ Market Facts; NACS/Nielsen Convenience Industry Store Count) • The average convenience store sells roughly 128,000 gallons of motor fuels per month, or approximately 4,000 gallons per day. (Source: NACS State of the Industry 2012 data) • U.S. gasoline demand is an estimated 8.7 million barrels per day in 2013, or about 40 million fillups per day. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, ShortTerm Energy Outlook)

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• While about half of the convenience stores selling gasoline are “branded” outlets that sell a specific refiner’s brand of fuel, less than 0.4% are owned by the major oil companies. Chevron Corp. (406 stores), Shell Oil Products US (23 stores), and ConocoPhillips Inc. (1 store) still own and operate retail locations; ExxonMobil Corp. and BP North America do not own any locations. (Source: Nielsen data) • Small light-duty vehicles consume an average of 453 gallons of fuel per year, which equates to 1.24 gallons per day or 8.7 gallons per week. (Source: Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics) • The retail gross margin (or markup) on gasoline in 2012 was 18.4 cents/gallon, or 5.1% of the price of gas. Over the past five years, gross margins averaged 16.9 cents per gallon. (Source: Oil Price Information Service) • Nearly three quarters (72%) of all transactions at the pump are by plastic — either debit or credit card. (Source: NACS State of the Industry 2012 data) • Gasoline taxes averaged 49.5 cents per gallon in October 2013; diesel fuel taxes averaged 54.8 cents per gallon in October 2013. (Source: American Petroleum Institute).

Kuwait, Kuwait eyes multipurpose petrol stations in Vietnam share agreement with JV partners being finalised

Oct 2013 - State-run Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI) and its Vietnamese and Japanese partners of a joint refinery and petrochemical project are working on a retail business plan in Vietnam, which could introduce multipurpose petrol stations. KPI CEO Bakheet Al-Rashidi said: “We are currently in the stage of finalising a share agreement with

our joint venture partners, mainly PetroVietnam and Japan’s Idemitsu Kosan Company”. Al-Rashidi said in an interview during his visit to the Vietnamese capital: “At the time being, we have a plan to launch a new style of retail stations with such facilities as restaurant and restroom, so that people can visit retail stations not only for fuelling, but also for enjoying other facilities. This is a new development in Vietnam.” Al-Rashidi was here as a member of a high-level Kuwaiti delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil Mustafa Al-Shimali for a groundbreaking ceremony of the $9 billion Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Complex. KPI established the joint venture in 2008 with PetroVietnam, Idemitsu and Mitsui Chemicals Inc. to build the plant in the northern province of Thanh Hoa, some 180 kilometres south of Hanoi. KPI and Idemitsu each own a 35.1 percent stake in the joint project, while PetroVietnam and Mitsui Chemicals Inc. hold 25.1 percent and 4.7 percent, respectively. It is Kuwait’s third refinery abroad after Europoort in the Netherlands and Milazzo in Italy, and KPI’s parent company Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) is to supply all the feedstock for the facility. The Nghi Son project is also Kuwait’s first investment in its kind in Southeast Asia, which reflects its strategy to invest in oil refining, petrochemical and petrol distribution businesses using Kuwaiti crude oil as input materials. The first phase of the state-of-the-art refinery will have an annual oil processing capacity of 10 million tons, or 200,000 barrels per day, when it starts commercial operation in 2017. It will meet 40 percent of Vietnam’s fuel demand, and the capacity would be doubled in the second phase if the local demand is robust. The facility will primarily churn out refined products such as LPG, gasoline, diesel and jet fuel for the domestic market and petrochemical products including paraxylene, benzene and polypropylene for regional markets. The Nghi Son facility is Vietnam’s second refinery and the first built in partnership with a foreign investor. Through this project, KPI is expected to further expand its business

opportunities in Vietnam, where demand for oil products is rapidly increasing for 90 million people and 33 million motorbikes. Of the total investment capital of $9 billion, $5 billion will be mobilized from international banks, including the government- backed Japan Bank for International Corporation, and the remaining $4 billion will be directly financed by KPI and three other co-investors. Al-Rashidi said earlier that KPI has invited some Kuwaiti banks to contribute in the financing of this mega project and had found considerable interest. eanwhile, the project is expected to create tens of thousands of jobs for Vietnamese. In addition, as part of KPI’s corporate social responsibility to improve the life quality of the residents around the complex and Vietnam in general, there are plans to build a couple of schools and provide training for Vietnamese refinery staff at KPC’s facilities back home.

Thailand, 70 Fuel stations in Jakarta tightly guarded

Prior to the increase of the fuel price, tight security is implemented at petrol stations (SPBU). In Jakarta, as many as 270 stations are tightly guarded by the police. This effort is done to anticipate the possibility of citizens lashing out their anger at filling outlets. Head of Jakarta Police Public Relations, Police Great Commissioner Rikwanto, said each station will be guarded by 2-5 police personnel. The number of personnel deployed at each petrol station is adjusted to the local situation and condition. “270 fuelling stations will be tightly guarded,” he informed. Furthermore, police personnel are also tasked to regulate rushing vehicles, so refuelling could be conducted in an orderly fashion. This is also to anticipate the possibility of citizens piling up on gasoline just before the price increased. “Citizens are urged to hold their temper and also not to lash out their anger to fuel stations if the gasoline ran out,” urged Rikwanto. As known, 6 out of 9 factions at the Parliament have agreed to the plan. Thus, the official announcement must not be too far along. The National Development

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NEWS

• Americans travelled 8.04 billion miles per day in 2012. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook)

Planning Minister (PPN)/Head of National Planning Board (Bappenas), Armida Alisjahbana, has stated the price hike on fuel will be implemented this week. This is because there is a lot more to go before the 2013 Amended National Budget is issued as Statute. “Administration process will be prepared hastily. This is because Finance Minister, Chatib Basri, would like for the issue of the 2013 Amended National Budget as Statute to only take seven days after the actual Amended National Budget is agreed upon by the Parliament in Plenary Session,” he explained. The initiative foresees that the price of premium type fuel will increase by Rp 2,000 from Rp 4,500 to Rp 6,500 per litre, and diesel by Rp 1,000 from Rp 4,500 to Rp 5,500 per litre.

Pakistan, Pakistan’s first LPG gas station opened in August 2013 NEWS

The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Distributors Association has underlined the need for the government to make solid measures to extend relief to LPG consumers by reducing its price in the holy month of Ramadan. The Association Chairman Irfan Khokhar said, “The price of commodities comes down on the occasion of religious festivals around the world but here we see things otherwise.” He added the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) should play its role by taking action against those involved in extracting money through unjustified raises. However, he hoped, the government would take solid steps for promotion of LPG by opening LPG stations to extend relief to consumers. He further stated that his association would fully cooperate with the government by providing workable proposals in order to resolve issues and LPG promotion. Khokhar remarked that the Pakistan Muslim League (N) had the capability to steer the country out of the prevailing economic and energy crisis, besides resolving all outstanding issues of the business community. Replying to a question, he said the 32

association has always welcomed the government’s initiative and added the new LPG policy would address various issues that could not be covered in the previous policies besides encouraging growth of the LPG sector. He also revealed that Cress LPG Private Limited had plans to establish as many as 1,000 LPG gas stations across the country. He informed that the first station would be inaugurated in Mandra, Rawalpindi on August 14 followed my many others by 2015, in order to provide environment-friendly and safe fuel to consumers.

Korea, An increasing number of selfservice fuel stations The number of self-service petrol stations is rising quickly in Korea. For the first time, self-service stations now make up more than 10 percent of all petrol stations in the country. Over the last six years, the number of self-service fuel stations has increased exponentially from just 59 stations in 2007 to more than 13,000. “With rising gasoline prices and increased competition, it's hard for petrol stations to survive, so selfservice stations have been increasing since they cut labour costs and other expenses that go into a full-service station,” the owner of a station said. Many of the full-service fuel stations are feeling the pinch. More than 600 are temporarily closed or have shut down this year.

Philippines, Unioil spending 400 million pesos yearly to build 60 more stations until 2015 Fuel retailer Unioil Petroleum Philippines, Inc. has earmarked about P400 million for the construction of 20 retail stations this year, the company’s top official informed at The Ascott Makati Hotel. “We want to accelerate the expansion of our retail segment. So instead of constructing 12 stations every year, our new target is 20 stations every year,” Kenneth C. Pundanera, Unioil president, told reporters on the sidelines of the

launch of the company’s Euro IV gasoline products. “That’s about P400 million every year until 2015 to reach our target of 60 more retail stations.” The official added that as of endJune, Unioil had 33 retail stations across Luzon. “Our expansion this year will start with the three new stations that will open in August. They are about 95% complete already,” Mr. Pundanera said. He noted that two of these stations are located in Quezon City, while the other one is in Bataan. “So we will start the design, securing of permits and construction of 17 more stations within the year,” he added. “We will finish construction by 2014.” Mr. Pundanera said that all retail stations will be located in Luzon. Asked of the company’s plans on expanding outside the region, he said: “We don’t have plans on that yet because we still have to saturate a lot of areas in Luzon. So we are focusing on that.” Of its existing retail stations, Unioil has 21 stations in Metro Manila and 11 provincial stations located in Cavite, Laguna, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga. “Basically, we need to grow our retail segment here. We have been in the industry for quite some time and the retail needs a lot of expansion,” Mr. Pundanera said. Unioil also launched its Euro IV gasoline, which is compliant with European fuel quality standards. Mr. Pundanera said: “Unioil is the first fuel retailer in the Philippines to become fully Euro IV-compliant with all diesel and gasoline products having lower amounts of sulphur.” Mr. Pundanera said that Euro IV Gasoline will replace its Quantum gasoline brand. Last year, the company also replaced its Pure Diesel brand with Euro Diesel IV. In June Petron Corp. started offering its premium gasoline product that complies with European standards, called Petron Blaze 100 Euro IV. Unioil was incorporated in 1966 to engage in lubricants blending and distribution. In 1997, the company started establishing its retail network. Today, the company engages in operation of retail gas services stations, marketing and blending of lubricants, oil trading and the marketing of bitumen.

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the conference and the exhibition, which for most of the major suppliers attending, replaces Automechanika 2014 in Frankfurt, at which they will not be attending.”

APEA to be conference partner at UNITI expo in Germany

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The new International fuel retailing trade fair for Europe, UNITI expo, taking place in Stuttgart from 3 – 5 June 2014, will host a series of APEA seminars, covering a wide variety of important European fuel handling matters. Speaking about this significant addition to the APEA calendar of events for 2014, APEA Chairman Louise Morgan said “The opportunity for the APEA to take part in UNITI expo is a reflection of the association’s growing importance in Europe and around the rest of the world. It is also a chance for our members to see us in a different light, where our focus will extend mainly to the International activities of the APEA. Additionally we will of course be spreading the APEA message and encouraging new international members to join the APEA, from our exhibition stand, at which we would like to see as many APEA members as possible coming to see us during the show”. Sharing the podium with the APEA in the mornings will be members from CECOD, the Association representing all the International fuel dispenser and fuel measuring companies. The APEA will present in the afternoons. Topics for discussion at this point include Bio fuels in the US, fuel station designs and hydrogen as a fuel, with leading oil company executives to talk about the way forward. Nick Needs from McLean Communications, jointly responsible for the sales and marketing of UNITI expo together with Petrolplaza publisher, Com-a-tec GmbH commented; “It is the perfect fit to have the APEA overseeing the conference programme at UNITI expo, as its members, along with the major oil companies, represent our prime visitor audience. We also believe that the APEA’s involvement will enhance the international pedigree of the seminars, as in the fuel handling business; this key association is respected throughout the world. We hope of course too that many existing APEA members will be encouraged by this news to come to Stuttgart next June to see 34

Information about UNITI expo UNITI expo takes place in Stuttgart, Germany, from 3–5 June 2014. It is a three day international exhibition for manufacturers, distributors, installers, retailers, PMCs and commercial operators of petroleum equipment, petrol forecourt services & retail technology. The fair will expand over 35 000 gross square metres of space incorporating the conference centre and three exhibition halls to feature exhibits on; Forecourt Equipment & Technology, Shop & Convenience Retailing, Car wash & Car care, Payment & Automation, Fuel Logistics, Lubricants, Fuels and Additives. UNITI expo will also host the 2014 ‘Future of Forecourts’ Forum, an established international mainline conference, attracting senior executives from major petrol retailers, oil companies, government agencies and major associations from all over Europe. UNITI expo is organised by UNITIKraftstoff GmbH in co-operation with WDM, com-a-tec GmbH and McLean Communications Ltd. Further information at www.uniti-expo.com For general enquiries, please contact com-a-tec GmbH, uniti-expo@com-a-tec.de phone +49 7721 98 30 0 For press enquiries, please contact Nick Needs: nick@mcleanevents.com phone +44 7786 607075

PETROTANK South Africa starts manufacturing double wall tanks to EN12285 Mr. Chris D’Hondt, CEO of the CGH Group, is pleased to announce the opening of the group’s newest realization, PETROTANK South Africa, the most modern storage tank production facility in the African Continent. The official inauguration took place on October 24th in the

presence of Ms. Ingrid Lieten, Minister Vice–President of the Flemish Government in Belgium. Petrotank RSA , CGH’s second tank production factory in Africa, is located in Chamdor , Krugersdorp – Johannesburg. The plant’s linear production process is similar to the two other CGH tank factories; CGH Polska in Bydgoszcz - Poland and Petrotank sa in Berrechid Morocco. The double wall, steel/steel tanks are manufactured on a highly automated production line, involving computer controlled submerged arc welding, grid blasting and polyurethane (Endoprene) coating. The tanks are produced in sizes up to 100m³ to the European EN12285 standard. Thanks to its link with the other CGH members, TCI Environment in particular, and additional representation agreements such as with NUPIGECO, Petrotank RSA will be a one-stop shop for the supply of quality equipments needed to build service stations and fuel distribution facilities in South Africa and surrounding countries. For additional information contact: Mr. Johann Stadler – johann.stadler@cgh-group.com Mr. Chris D’Hondt – chris.dhondt@cgh-group.com Mr. François Meersseman – francois.meersseman@tci-e.com

OPW announces first sale of Avance Hoses from European Operations Prague, Czech Republic – January 2014 – OPW, a Dover Company (NYSE: DOV), is proud to announce the following: OPW’s award winning Avance dispenser nozzles can now be ordered with Avance dispenser hoses. Avance hoses are available as vapor recovery stage II hose assemblies, as well as conventional, non-vapor recovery hoses in different sizes. All Avance hoses meet the requirements of the EN 13483 and EN 1360 standards respectively, and are directly field interchangeable. First orders for Avance hoses shipped already. The Avance dispenser hose is made of premium materials,

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Air1® now has 120 sites dispensing AdBlue® at the pump across the UK! If you are on the road and looking for AdBlue, you will never be far from finding Air1. Air1 has partnered with oil majors and fuel distributors to ensure that the leading AdBlue

brand, Air1, is available at the retail pump. With 120 Air1 sites serving AdBlue across the UK, Air1 is the market leader across UK forecourts and truck stops in servicing the SCR fleets with their AdBlue requirements. Making the choice of Air1 means a guaranteed AdBlue UK supply, as Yara is the world's largest AdBlue prime producer. This secures you long term supply for AdBlue through its chosen network of preferred distributors across the world. With Air1 you have no fear of a break in supply. The combined efforts of the leading producer, Yara, and the local distributor, Brenntag, will always have the capacity to supply your AdBlue needs. Air1’s strong forecourt presence is just one of the many ways that the market leading AdBlue supplier is adding value to the brand for their customers. Air1 has also always been committed to providing industry-leading storage and dispensing equipment, repair & maintenance contracts, R&M service database and support from online capability. In the run up to Euro VI, Air1 knows that the demand for AdBlue product to the end user will only increase - Euro VI will see truck manufacturers such as Scania and MAN expanding their vehicle range that will need AdBlue. This may introduce AdBlue to fleets that have previously not used AdBlue and Air1 believe it is now even more important to provide convenient methods of re-filling AdBlue during journeys across the UK. To help locate any of the 120 Air1 sites where AdBlue is available at the retail pump, Air1 has an online locator which identifies your nearest retail station that sells AdBlue. You can also add your route to check for AdBlue stations on the way. These stretch across Europe and are updated on a monthly basis. In 2011, Air1 launched an AdBlue mobile locator app for iPhone and Android. The Air1 app uses GPS technology to identify the filling station closest to a driver’s location to make finding AdBlue easier for even more drivers who are out on the road. In 2012, Air1 continued to recognise the need for fleets and drivers to be able to locate AdBlue

on the road, and so joined forces with Truckmate Pro – the number 1 satnav designed specifically for trucks. All Air1 sites are now listed on all Truckmate Satnavs, making it even easier to fill up with AdBlue on a journey. Air1 has always been committed to providing AdBlue product to the end user, from large fleets to oneowner drivers. With a local distribution network available for home deliveries and a large, but still growing, retail network across convenient truck stop sites, Air1 continues to offer added value services that are miles ahead of the competition. For a full list of all Air1 sites that dispense AdBlue from the pump, download the Air1 App (available from the iTunes App Store or Android Market to download for free) or visit www.air1.info/uk for an online route planner tool. AdBlue® is a registered trademark of the Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V (VDA). Air1® is a registered trademark of Yara International ASA. For more information contact Charlotte Blades on 01472 889254 or visit www.air1.info.

Certas Energy UK (formerly GB Oils) rolls out new card payment terminals Certas Energy continues to strengthen its dealer support package with the roll-out of HTEC’s GemPAY card payment terminals. The roll-out will ensure dealers stay in line with the latest PCI DSS compliance legislation and, at the same time, improve productivity with enhanced processing power. GemPAY will also accept Allstar’s EMV card along with both the Shell and Gulf account cards. HTEC is working with Certas Energy on the roll-out and will be providing on-going service support for the terminals across its dealer network. “After an intense three months of planning and development, we are delighted that the roll out is now under way,” said Paul Muncey, head of retail sales, Certas Energy. “It is another significant step forward in the all-encompassing relationships that we are building with our dealers.

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suitable for all types of dispensers and liquid fuels. OPW EMEA and Veyance Technologies (the manufacturer of Goodyear Industrial Hose) jointly developed the Avance by OPW hose, based on information from extensive market research. Avance hoses are now available as individual components or as an integral part of the Avance hanging hardware kit. The first deliveries to customers have already been shipped from OPW’s factory in the Czech Republic. The manufacturing facility is certified to ISO 9001:2008, 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007 by Lloyd’s Register. Since its launch, the Avance product line has been greatly received in over 20 European countries and has earned recognition as a highly competitive solution. In addition to consistently positive customer feedback, Avance by OPW received the “Product of the Year” award at a major European trade show in 2013. “” am extremely happy about this addition to our product offering” says Carman Kobza, Managing Director of OPW EMEA. “Many of our nozzle customers prefer to order a complete hanging hardware kit. Now we can meet their needs. We will continue to develop the Avance by OPW product line to fulfill and exceed customer expectations.” Prior to commencing the production of Avance dispenser hoses, OPW signed an exclusive long-term sales and marketing agreement with Veyance Technologies to act as the sole Sales and Marketing channel for Veyance Technologies petroleum dispensing hoses and other related products used in commercial and retail fueling markets across Europe. For more information, please visit: www.avancebyopw.com. For additional information on OPW, please visit www.OPWGlobal.com.

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“HTEC is an industry expert in this field and GemPAY is specifically designed to meet payment processing requirements of credit, debit and fuel cards within the forecourt sector. It utilises a proven hardware platform and the very latest advances in payment terminal technologies that are compatible with most point of sale systems. The equipment we have selected has proven reliability and is robust and user friendly. “It’s altogether a better package for the forecourt and for our dealers. The new system is internet-based to process transactions faster and eliminate queues at the checkout and whereas transaction data was previously downloaded overnight, it’s now done in real time which improves security.” “HTEC have years of experience in Forecourt Payment and are proud to support Certas Energy in this project. It underlines Certas Energy’s on-going commitment to its dealer network with an enhanced dealer support package.” said Jeremy Lewis CEO HTEC.

Established in 1979 it has built a strong reputation, supplying software and specialist hardware to most of the UK’s major petrol retailers, as well as many European customers. For further information contact Tony Wynn at AW Marketing. Tel: 0161 439 3813 Mob: 07836 323549 Email: tony@awmarketing.co.uk

Petroman helps Hammond retain petrol So pleased was major independent garage operator George Hammond PLC with the Petroman Vapour Management Control (VMC) system’s ability to save it money that it has decided to install the equipment in all its new developments. The company estimates its stock losses due to vapour loss have reduced by 0.15% since installing the

Petroman VMC system, saving the company thousands of pounds a year. The three elements of the Petroman VMC system combine to retain as much petrol vapour as possible on the forecourt and turn it back into saleable product, instead of returning it via the vapour recovery hose to the delivery tanker. The three-stage process works by reducing the amount of vapour created when petrol deliveries are made, through the use of the Petroman Softfill perforated beam, mixing the existing vapour back into the fill stream through Petroman’s Accumulus valve, and balancing vapour pressure across all petrol tanks to reduce the amount of vapour that is sucked back into delivery tankers. The George Hammond group’s retail arm incorporates seven forecourts under the BP brand with combined annual fuel sales of 48 million litres per annum. It has recently completed three full redevelopments at Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppy, Thanet Way near Margate and Dover South, Dover and will shortly be undertaking similar developments at Deal and Three Elm near Tonbridge. The forecourts have all been equipped with automatic temperature control (ATC) dispensers, vapour recovery II and Petroman’s VMC vapour retention system. All gauges were calibrated before the installation. Says John Ryeland, managing director of George Hammond Retail: “It is absolutely clear that the VMC system has made substantial savings for the business by retaining

About Certas Energy The recent rebrand of GB Oils to Certas Energy follows a significant period of expansion for the company. Through organic growth and a number of acquisitions the business has grown into the largest independent fuel and lubricants distributor in the UK. About HTEC HTEC is one of Europe’s largest providers of managed payment and loyalty solutions, particularly for the petroleum retailing industry. 36

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fuel – product that is rightfully ours in the first place –within the tank farm and reducing wet stock losses. “Having the benefit of a spread of sites, with and without VMC and ATC pumps, we have been able to isolate the results of the system. “We are now planning to install VMCs in all new installations, because I know it works. We have seen significant increases in tangible stock retention across the three sites where we have already installed the equipment. I have proved to my satisfaction that it saves me money.” There are now 400 Petroman systems installed throughout the UK and Ireland, which the company estimates is helping garage owners retain in excess of 1 million litres per year. Says Petroman managing director Rodney Carter: “If every garage selling more than 2 million litres of spirit per year fitted our system, we estimate we could retain 3,000 litres of petrol in forecourt tanks, rather than it going back to the oil companies. This is product that retailers have already paid for and paid tax on. We calculate that this represents a saving of £26.30 per tanker load. “As well as saving retailers money, if we were able to retain the full amount of product, this would represent an annual reduction of 6,257 tanker movements. All this is achieved with no electricity costs and no requirement for space on the forecourt; all the equipment is powered by flow from the delivery and pressure and the valves are mounted with the existing vent 38

pipes.” George Hammond is a 250 yearold family business. As well as retailing, the company has two other operating arms. Its Port Services currently handles 350,000 tonnes of fresh produce annually with three weekly vessel calls to Port of Dover. Its Marine Division manages the cargo vessel documentation agency for around 80 cruise vessel calls each year and the management of 24 Trinity House deep sea pilots. For further information contact: Rodney Carter Petroman Unit 2, Dale Manor Business Park Swaston Cambridge CB22 3TJ 0122 836678 phil.lovatt@vapourcontrolsystems.co.uk

marketing and sales experience within Franklin Fueling Systems, Mr. Van der Gaag brings an extensive knowledge of marketing, product development and customer service to this position, as well as a history of working successfully over 35 years in the downstream industry. Starting as Service Engineer repairing dispensers, credit card terminals and POS systems, Peter poses a complete understanding of electronics, engineering, sales and customer service which he developed in many roles as a Project Manager, Sales Engineer and Sales Director. “Peter is a proven strategic sales director who brings to Franklin Fueling Systems invaluable experiences that will help intensify our focus on sales and customer service in the EMEA region,” said Jay Walsh, Executive Vice President for FFS. “We are confident that he will further build our brand and drive engagement with our customers.” “I am delighted to have the opportunity to play a key role in determining the future of a leading company in this industry,” said Peter van der Gaag, Vice President of Sales for EMEA. “It's an exciting time and I look forward to working with the entire organisation to develop innovative sales strategies to further build the Franklin Fueling Systems business.” Van der Gaag is fluent in Dutch and English and in his spare time enjoys spinning, motor cycling and amateur road race cycling. For more information visit www.franklinfueling.com.

Franklin Fueling Systems welcomes new Vice President of Sales for EMEA Madison, Wisconsin USA – October 8, 2013 – Franklin Fueling Systems, the world's leading provider of complete fueling systems, is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter van der Gaag as Vice President of Sales for EMEA. He will be responsible for delivering sustainable business growth within the European, Middle East and African regions together with leading an experienced team of sales managers. With more than ten years of

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The Bottom Line; Our Industry, Now and Going Forward

By David Newton, UK Retail, Director, BP Oil UK

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As we stare into the new dawn of 2014 and survey the economic landscape, it is pleasing to be able to report that the much heralded green shoots of recovery do finally appear to be in evidence. For our industry, which – particularly in times of austerity – is routinely derided by politicians and commentators and frequently suffers the worst impacts of government legislation those shoots can’t come too soon! The petroleum industry has always had a difficult challenge marketing itself. As the marketing guru, Theodore Levitt put it in his 1964 work, Marketing Myopia, “People actually do not buy gasoline. They cannot see it, taste it, feel it, appreciate it, or really test it. What they buy is the right to continue driving their cars. The gas station is like a tax collector to whom people are compelled to pay a periodic toll as the price of using their cars. This makes the gas station a basically unpopular institution”. A sobering thought. But for the many people – like myself – who have worked in this industry for many years, we know it is now much more than Mr Levitt would have had us believe. The modern forecourts serve a multitude of purposes…a safe, clean relaxing environment providing an opportunity for weary travellers to take a break from the stresses of modern life; a modern, contemporary top-up shopping experience providing meal solutions for now and for tonight; the local store servicing the very heart of local communities. At a time when oldstyle high street retailing has become unfashionable, the modern forecourt continues to evolve in step with the demands of customers. It isn’t, however, all plain sailing and there are a number of threats and challenges which we must accept and face in order for the industry to continue to thrive. Most of these threats stem from 40

the cold, hard reality that demand for our core product – road fuels – is now in decline, and will remain so into the future. In an age when the population continues to grow, and two and three car ownership is routine in modern families, this might sound a little counter-intuitive, but there are a number of reasons for this phenomenon: Drivers are staying more local This started as a short-term phenomenon arising from the initial credit crunch crisis of 2007, but is likely to remain a trend for the foreseeable future as people adjust their lives to the new economic realities they now face. Fuel prices will continue to rise Although in the short-term prices have, in general, been falling over the past twelve months, the long term outlook (next 5-10 years) will see prices continue to rise. In part, this will be – as has been the case for much of the last three decades – due to taxation rises, but also local site closures and stresses on refining infrastructure brought about by over-capacity in refining markets across the globe (as demonstrated by the recent Grangemouth crisis and prior to that the closure of the Coryton refinery). This will potentially lead to a medium to long term increase in wholesale products as Britain increases its levels of net importing of refined products. Improvements in engine technology Petrol engine innovation has been the focus of engine manufacturers for a number of years now, and the fruits of this work are now appearing in the market. 1.1 litre engines which produce the same performance levels as an old 1.6 litre engine, but with the massive advantage of delivering up to 30% improved fuel efficiency will result in greater time between fills.

David Newton presenting at APEA Live 2013

Increases in use of Hybrid and Electric technology The use of alternative fuels is increasing and will continue to do so in the coming years. Whilst there are still significant advances required in technology and energy containment to make electric vehicles a mainstream vehicle choice for all car consumers (and even more developments to move meaningfully into the LGV or HGV market), the market will continue to grow in a niche fashion. Charging costs and taxation will increasingly become the subject of government debate in this area which may slow progress further, but nevertheless all developments in this area are likely to take trade away from the traditional forecourts. But for all of these negatives, there are still plenty of causes for optimism: Fuel Duty Escalator scrapped Moves in the last two budgets to delay fuel duty escalators have provided a welcome relief to consumers, and with duty changes now deferred until beyond the next election, there is a reasonable chance that fuel prices will stabilise at or around their current levels encouraging consumers to increase their driving levels back towards the levels last seen prior to the 2007 crash. Moves to reduce the cost of motoring Additional legislation from the coalition to be seen to be on the side of the “hard pressed” motorist

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was also announced in 2013. Greater transparency on motorway pricing and freezing MOT costs were two measures announced, and whilst these may not have a major impact, the more eye catching clamp down on false insurance claims – and by association reduction in high insurance premiums – may well have lasting impacts on encouraging more people back into car travel as a primary form of transport. New technologies and changes in consumer behaviour creating reasons to come to the forecourt. Parcel lockers, click and collect and digital marketing are playing a bigger part in the lives of increasingly time starved customers. And each of these is playing a part in driving traffic into the forecourt space. The convenience of our locations and the availability of key proposition attributes such as free parking make forecourts a natural location to benefit from these changes in consumer behaviour.

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The growth of convenience Changing lifestyles mean that consumers are increasingly enjoying the benefits of convenience stores as a viable and acceptable alternative to the traditional weekly shop. Credibility of the convenience store chain offers and experience (supported it should be said in part by Hypermarkets also entering the convenience sector in a meaningful way) is growing massively and the market as a whole continues to develop at around 5% per annum (Source IGD). This trend plays well into the forecourt space with retail partnering (Esso/Tesco, BP/M&S, Shell/Costa etc.) playing a critical role in turning forecourts into a genuine one-stop solution for all consumers time of day missions. Plenty of reasons to feel good then….there are plenty of miles still left on the forecourt clock. So how should contractors and suppliers specialising in the forecourt sector play into these evolving trends? Viewing this from the retailer’s perspective, I would suggest a number of areas to reflect on and think how they may apply to your company. 42

Infrastructure Projects The 1970’s and 80’s were a golden age of infrastructure investment into the forecourt sector. Although many stations have undergone significant investment since then, there are still a large number of forecourts where, particularly, underground tank installations have not been updated since that period. Working with retailers to understand their issues and defining a suite of options for how your company can help to modernise the forecourt is a significant opportunity. Tank re-lining as an alternative to tank replacement is a good example of staying on the side of the retailer in tough economic times where investments may be being made against a backdrop of the retailer just struggling to keep their head above water. Legislation Changes Requirements for above ground tanks from some local authorities and changes in taxation – such as that just announced for CNG and LNG fuels – create opportunities for retailers that they had not previously been considering. Obsolescence The changing nature of the consumer experience of retail offers is such that many technologies and features of a forecourt offer more quickly move to obsolescence than has ever been the case in the past. For example, the average life cycle of fuel pumps is probably half of what it was ten years ago, and similarly EPOS systems are also being swapped out or redeveloped much more frequently than in the past decade. Risk reduction With fines and penalties at all-time record levels, and more fundamentally the risk to brand equity, and ultimately the long-term survival of businesses at stake, the focus on risk reduction will increase. Developing solutions for retailers which help them understand and balance their spending on risk, with the level of risk reduction achieved is a key differentiator for suppliers. Life time cost management As ever, there will always be retailers who focus more on short

term cost versus full life cycle costs of installation, maintenance and decommissioning. Creating compelling case stories of why the cheapest upfront cost is not necessarily the route to the best overall life time solution is a must for suppliers and contractors. Added value solutions (long-term warranties as an example) can also create a shift in mind set in this space. Innovation Innovation and creating technological disruptions is a must for the industry. It is this space which generally creates the step change in cost efficiency or performance improvement and although it is expensive to consider the need for a proper R&D function if this is not your company’s core activity set, finding ways to leverage innovation to retailers is still a must and a key source of differentiation. Partnering And it can be through the mechanism of partnering that this innovation can be achieved. Looking for partners who share similar or complimentary market spaces to those which you occupy, can provide significant breadth to your offer (more of a one-stop solution) and sources of differentiation for you and your partner’s businesses. As the forecourt market becomes increasingly consolidated into the hands of a smaller number of large players, the need to offer flexible tailored offers to your clients is paramount to long term success and business partnering relationships. Analysing these opportunities and evaluating how they can work for your company will be critical to your continued business survival, but should enable you and your business to answer the key questions that are on the minds of retailers today: How can we make this more effective to enhance the customer experience? How can efficiently?

this

How do we make sure this is future proofed and durable?

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And most importantly, recognise this is about changing your business models and practices to adapt to the changing circumstances of the market in which we all operate. Do not cut corners or compromise safety! Retailers do not want to be associated with companies that cut costs by trying to work harder rather than smarter.

So, whilst there remain fundamental challenges to operating in the forecourt sector, the bottom line is that there is a healthy vibrant market which will continue to evolve, adapt and change to meet the changing needs of its customer base for many years to come.

How we all play our part in that to maximise our collective business success can perhaps be best summed up by one of the men who made this industry possible, Henry Ford who said, “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, but working together is success”.

Modular Filling Station Construction Modular buildings have been around for a long time now and there have been many applications, particularly in the retail sector and from our prospective on service stations. Traditional buildings are a thing of the past when considering how best to redevelop a site. The progression from traditional buildings to full modular buildings has evolved over a number of years starting with steel frame buildings with brickwork/blockwork skins progressing to buildings clad with composite panels, onto modular system delivered to site in fully kitted out modules. Jonathan Houlston of The Catfoss Group, one of Artelia’s building suppliers, wrote a good article in the December edition of The Bulletin setting out some of the reasons behind the choice of the modular building at Shell Grimsby. This was the first in a new generation of modular buildings used on Shell sites in the UK. The part installed Grimsby building is shown below.

There are a number of drivers pushing the change to modular buildings; cost, site closure time due to construction; build quality; and transferability. Clearly if the asset doesn’t work in one location it can be simply picked up and moved to a new location. Artelia, along with our suppliers, began a review at the beginning of 2012 to see how best we could improve our construction times by making as much of the project as we could away from the site and transporting the parts in a semi complete state. Our first review looked at a number of issues including the tank top fittings, canopy, pipework, under pump sumps, electrical systems and forecourts as well as the installation of a modular building. Our first challenge came with the underground storage tanks. At Shell Grimsby we used the Cookson and Zinn “Petro Fast” system which worked really well but unfortunately is not suitable in every situation. So

Petro Fast Tank being installed

we have developed another system whereby we install and fit out the tank chamber at the tank manufacturer’s factory. Again this is not something that is new, however by bringing together a number of these initiatives we are reducing the site construction time together with construction worker’s exposure to risks during the construction process. Typical tank chamber fitted in the tank suppliers works. Note pipework and electrical fittings have not yet been installed. The tank manhole

Tanks with Chamber fitted being delivered to site

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By Peter Prescott Senior Design Manager, Artelia International

chambers are fitted together with all of the tank internals and then vacuum tested to ensure that everything fitted to the tank lid and the chamber itself are air tight. The pipework and electrical seals are then fitted with stub pipes to take everything through the chamber walls. Everything is then re-tested on site once the system has been fully installed. As with the storage tank manholes we now fabricate under pump sumps at our pipe work installer’s premises. This has benefits to both the pipework installer and Artelia. The pipework installer can fit out the equipment at his leisure and it arrives on site fully installed.

ARTICLES Sump unit fully installed on sitey

We have now reduced the onsite pipework installation to just connecting up the various elements on the system. We are trying to achieve the same with the electrical system by prefabricating as much of the system off site as possible. The electrical connections are factory fitted and the chambers are put together in our pipe installer’s workshop. This clearly reduces the installation time on site as again it’s just connecting up each end of the system. One of the most innovative solutions we came up with to reduce the site exposure hours was the modular canopy. Working with our suppliers Global MSI we were able to come up with a new conceptual design to reduce the installation time on site. We installed the new style canopy at Shell 44

Grimsby in a single day albeit on prepared columns and spine beams. Until Shell Grimsby we had been building the canopy deck structures at ground level and then lifting them onto the canopy columns. This process used to take around a week to put First section of canopy in place together and install. There are also lots of prevented other work being carried variations on canopies: size, shape, out on the forecourt at the same links, no links etc. We are testing a number of various shapes of canopy at the moment and so far they are all working well. Another major change we made, and more importantly hope to roll out going forward, is in the forecourt design. Clearly the forecourt around the fuelling area now has to be liquid tight. We can no longer use block paving or other similar products that need continual maintenance and are prone to allowing ground contamination. To comply with current regulations and to protect both the site owner and the site operator together with the environment it’s essential that nothing spilt onto a forecourt can penetrate into the ground. The method used to give maximum time. protection has to be both The new process reduces the time impervious and cost effective. Up on site to a couple of days with only until now this has been a concrete one day’s disruption to the forecourt surface which is both cost effective construction. The modular canopy is and impenetrable. However that transported to site complete: roof takes a long time to lay and to cure. and underlining in place together With our colleagues in Artelia with light fittings and signs. Once the canopy sections are in place the joints are sealed and the underlining is completed. The electrics and CCTV are connected and the canopy is then complete. It’s not perfect yet, but with Global-MSI’s help we are making improvements with every canopy we Second Module being placed

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International we have looked, and are still looking, at a variety of options both in the UK and throughout Europe. We have tried a number of options to replace the standard concrete forecourt. Clearly some have worked better than others. Our aim is to construct the entire forecourt off site and deliver and install it in sections. However at Shell Grimsby we tested a system of imported surfacing materials called Hardcrete. This material is used extensively in industry and at sites such as bus stations. As far as we know we are the first to use this material on the main forecourt of a UK filling station. PCC Sections being laid

ARTICLES Typical Hardcrete Surfacing

But as we are on a learning curve we have also tried installing part of a forecourt using precast concrete units. Again this is not something new (it has been happening is Denmark for a number of years) and a few months ago we installed a complete forecourt using precast units in Norway. The use of pre-cast units is fairly straight forward. However, the bed that the units sit on has to be perfect (well almost). There is little tolerance when laying concrete slabs on the ground as trip hazards have to be avoided. In fairness we have neither had the opportunity or the time to trial PCC slabs on an entire forecourt but it will come within the next few months. However the trial we carried out on the run off from the forecourt at Grimsby was a success. We laid the entire area in little over 46

half a day. But as with any new system there were a number of issues we had to get over and of course once you’ve done it once

you learn by you mistakes. We are now actively looking for another project so we can carry out a more extensive trial. Given all of the modularisation we used on the Grimsby site we managed to reduce the overall construction time by a number of weeks. Clearly a considerable time saving over a standard build time. Unfortunately at the moment there are still a number of commercial challenges so we are working with all of our suppliers and contractors to reduce the cost by improving the design and, where possible, changing the materials to reduce the cost without compromising the design concept. Clearly we want to take this type of construction forward and fully develop the modular service station.

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Finished area of PCC

Interview with Bob Renkes, PEI, USA By Brian Baker

Hi Bob, good to see you again this year. I’ve been meaning to interview you for the APEA’s Bulletin journal for some time now. Perhaps I had better start by asking you how you became involved in the oil industry in the first place so a summary of your career to date would be most helpful. I guess it is quite an interesting one? No, quite the contrary, it’s very mundane and boring. After law school I moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to work for a mini-refrigerator leasing company. I needed more money than what I was currently making there to buy a used car so I answered an advertisement in the newspaper for the position of PEI’s administrative director. The man that hired me was a lawyer who didn’t like practicing law, and he hired a young attorney who also didn’t like practicing law—me. Until that time I had absolutely no involvement in the oil industry. So when did you become involved in the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI)? I was hired as PEI’s administrative director in 1978 and became PEI’s executive vice president in 1987—a position I have held ever since. When was the PEI first set up and what are its aims? PEI was originally founded as the National Association of Oil Equipment Jobbers in 1951. We became the Petroleum Equipment Institute in 1966. PEI’s mission is to be the leading authority and source of information for the fuel and fluid handling equipment industries. As

an association, we are committed to promoting the value of distributor services and improving the business relationships and practices of its members. You produce a journal for the PEI. How often is it published and who can subscribe to it to get a copy? The PEI Journal is published quarterly. For your readers, the PEI Journal is available online at www.peijournal.org. The interactive format includes links to all website addresses in the printed version, so readers can instantly check the sources in the magazine. All back issues also are archived for easy access and searchability. I know you have seen copies of the APEA’s Bulletin Journal we produce once every three months. Honestly, what do you think of it and how does it compare to your members journal? I read the Bulletin from cover to cover. I can’t imagine not doing so. It’s the top publication in the UK for our industry and that’s a distinction that we hope to share with the PEI Journal here in the United States. Having been over to the UK, what do you think are the main differences between your market and ours? We have submersible pumps and fibreglass tanks; you don’t. We sell 90% of all of our petrol through convenience stores; you are catching up. And finally, the price of petrol here in Tulsa at year’s end was about 1.7 pounds/gallon. In other words, you don’t have to take out a bank loan to fill your vehicle in the U.S. I fully understand that the UK is tiny compared to the vastness of the States but in your case you are have to deal with cold climates in the North and hot climates in the south. How much does that play a part in

Bob Renkes presenting at APEA Live 2011

the supply of petroleum equipment across all the States? Not really that much, Brian. Of course, the construction season for building new fuelling facilities—or rehabbing existing ones—is slowed when the ground is frozen, as is the case in our northern tier of states from December through March. Although not a motor fuel, the extreme temperatures do affect the rate of degradation of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) quality, especially in high temperatures. When we spoke, I mentioned that I was aware of lightning strikes hitting gas stations with spectacular results, one of the more recent in Illinois. How much of that is a problem in the USA and does this particular problem extend to all over the States or is it confined to specific areas? Lightning is nature’s greatest manifestation of static electricity. Both direct strike lightning and indirect lightning currents can and do occur, but fortunately not very frequently. Nature has a way of preventing most lightning-caused electrical discharge damage, since cloud formation is often accompanied by high humidity. While high humidity does not prevent the generation of static electricity, it does help bond earth surface bodies to the ground and dissipates the electrical charge. Metallic structures that are in direct contact with the ground or bonded to the ground—through underground piping, for instance— are sufficiently well-grounded to

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Robert (Bob) N Renkes is the Executive Vice President of the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI) in the USA and like me, is Editor of PEI’s TulsaLetter and publisher of the PEI Journal, so we both have a lot in common. Not only did Bob do a presentation at APEA Live in 2011, he came over to APEA Live earlier in November 2013 and I was able to speak to him during his brief visit.

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provide safe dissipation of lightning strikes.

are represented by the Automotive Lift Institute.

Can you advise us what other organisations influence the US market and what are their roles? (STI, API EPA etc). On the government side, the U.S. EPA regulates underground storage tank systems, some aspects of large aboveground tanks and vapour recovery. We have two fire codes written by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and International Code Council (ICC) that control flammable and combustible and flammable liquids in general and refuelling facilities in particular. The petroleum marketing groups are represented by the American Petroleum Institute (major oil), the Petroleum Marketers Association of America (oil jobbers), the National Association of Convenience Stores (convenience stores), the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (independents), and the National Association of Truck Stop Operators (truck stops). Each lobbies Congress on their own but can combine forces if the issue warrants. API is the only association besides PEI that writes recommended practices appropriate for petrol marketing operations, but they have not been so aggressive in developing them recently since the majors have all but left petroleum marketing to their dealers and jobbers. PEI represents the equipment side of the industry but tanks and piping are also represented by the Steel Tank Institute and Fiberglass Tank and Pipe Institute. Automotive lifts

The USA never signed up to some of the International Agreements on Climate Controls yet there are a lot of initiatives to protect the ozone layer. Can you tell us what some of these are starting with car in-board canisters for pollution control? Onboard Refuelling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) was required by federal law in the 1990s. ORVR began with certain 1998 model year gasoline-powered light-duty motor vehicles with full phase-in by model year 2006 for other classes of gasoline-powered motor vehicles. The decision by Congress to require new motor vehicles to be equipped at some point with ORVR was also a decision that ultimately Stage II vapour recovery would no longer be needed or required at gasoline service stations. As increasing numbers of ORVR-equipped motor vehicles replace the ageing fleet of motor vehicles without ORVR, the mass of displaced gasoline vapours available for capture by Stage II continues to diminish. Today, ORVR by itself has achieved emission benefits that are the same as or better than the benefits achieved by Stage II and the decommissioning of Stage II vapour recovery has begun. What is fast becoming the newest alternative fuel in the USA? Clearly compressed natural gas (CNG). The U.S. has over a 100 year supply and it currently sells for less than half of the price of petrol. I have been to the States before

Service Free Fire Extinguishers

By Harry Dewick-Eisele, MD Safelincs Portable fire extinguishers in refineries and forecourts are exposed to weather and extreme temperatures and sometimes face a corrosive atmosphere on top of heavy handling. Traditional fire extinguishers, made from painted steel with an inner protective lining can corrode, often 48

get dented, burst if the contents freeze and can experience detachment of the inner protective lining. All of these issues will lead to the extinguisher being condemned at the annual extinguisher service. This leaves the owners with replacement costs on top of the annual servicing charges, refilling

and had the great pleasure of going out with tank inspectors of Orange County, Florida where EVERY tank that has a capacity of 550 gallons or more is regulated in some way. Is this the approach of ALL States or are there differences from State to State? Each state is different in what and how they regulate petroleum marketing equipment and operations. I guess that dynamic is what helps PEI stay pertinent to our members as we keep tabs on all the states’ regulations. Enough of work! What do you do to relax when not batting for the PEI? I run marathons. I have completed marathons in 46 of our 50 states. My goal is to run a marathon in all 50 states before I ease back. OK nearly there. If you had a choice to change anything in our industry, what would it be? Let me turn that question around. If there is one thing I would not change in our industry is the people who work in and around it. You know as well as I that it’s the people you serve—write for—and we are blessed to be associated with so many fine people who make our jobs easier and more enjoyable. Agree? Bob, great to see you and hope it is not too long before we meet again. (Editor’s note; Following recent discussions between the APEA and PEI, it is intended to work closer together in the exchange of information. Ed)

charges every five years and the problem of supervising external subcontractors onsite. In larger refineries and production facilities the cost for safety instructions and supervision of every sub-contract engineer can be significant. During the annual service, traditional, stored pressure extinguishers are visually inspected from the outside and the pressure of the extinguisher is checked. Every five years, the extinguishers are opened, emptied and the inside is inspected for rust or lining

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detachment (showing as bubbles). The chemicals within the extinguishers are usually not re-used due to the fear of contamination from rust or the impact of moisture. In short, most of the inspection activities are linked to the fact that the extinguishers are made of steel, can corrode and can be dented. A UK based manufacturer of portable fire extinguishers has finally come up with a solution which addresses all these issues. Britannia’s P50 fire extinguishers are made from composites and brass. The extinguishers have an inner 3-layered PA cylinder that contains the chemicals and does not corrode or interact in any way

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The photos above and left are of a P50 extinguisher that was run over by a van at an east coast refinery

After being run over this extinguisher was still fully pressurised

with the chemicals. This cylinder is tightly wrapped in aramid fibre (Kevlar is the best known aramid), a fibre that is stronger than steel (per weight) and which takes up the pressure from the extinguisher. The extinguisher core is then contained and protected against UV light by a red plastic mantle. The head and valves are made from brass and stainless steel. The extinguishers are almost indestructible – even the most serious knocks will not damage

the P50 extinguishers. To test their resilience at the production plant, every 500th extinguisher is destruction tested: The extinguishers are pressurised 12000 times between zero and 25 bar. After this demanding test they are crushed flat by a metal blade and re-pressurised to over 55 bar without being allowed to burst or leak! In the tests P50 extinguishers actually only burst at around 85 bar! These extinguishers cannot

corrode and have a far superior pressure resistance than steel extinguishers. As the chemicals are not reacting with the cylinder, there is no need to refill the extinguisher after five years. The manufacturers of the chemicals have certified that the chemicals used in the P50 extinguishers will not require refilling for at least ten years. After the ten years, Safelincs, the main distribution partner of Britannia, offers an exchange service. The returned units

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Also, the P50 extinguishers have are re-filled and can then be used other outdoor locations. It was in for a further ten years! one of the refineries that the substantially higher ratings than As corrosion, lining detachment extinguisher shown above was traditional extinguishers, so that and dents will never be a problem photographed after it had been run fewer extinguishers are required, for the P50 extinguishers the only over by a van – it was still fully offering even further savings: The P50s have more than double inspection requirement left is the pressurised! verification of the internal pressure the A rating, allowing drastic to detect any potential leakage. To Cost benefits: reduction of numbers in offices and give extra peace of mind Britannia These composite extinguishers work places. has fitted two German-made cost in the region of £100-£150, The P50 foam is also suitable for pressure gauges to each depending on order volume, use on electrical equipment, extinguisher. Normal extinguishers including site survey, installation, allowing the replacement of the only have one pressure gauge. training and certification. They save CO2 extinguishers found in many The requirement to regularly the customer the costs of the annual locations. Traditional foam check pressure gauges applies both service extinguishers often do not have that and the five-yearly to traditional extinguishers and the refills/replacement. Due to the capability! P50. The general recommendation is refurbishment after ten years (at To help our customers with the that extinguisher gauges should be around half the price of a new P50) cost of the introduction of the P50 viewed in passing about once a extinguishers, we offer additional the lifespan of the extinguisher is month by end users to ensure that options: twenty years. they are still showing the indicator A simple and conservative needle in the green area of the - Phased introduction: We replace calculation, comparing it with gauge. extinguishers as they become due Safelincs’ own and very competitive The real difference to traditional for replacement, rather than standard extinguisher range, steel extinguishers is the exchanging them all in one go identifies the savings. We have only replacement of the annual service considered a ten year period, by an external engineer with a - Payments spread over a number although the savings over 20 years simple annual visual inspection by of years the end users or their Traditional 6kg powder P50 Composite representatives. This inspection is (steel) boiled down to a very swift visual Actions Cost Qty Cost Qty inspection of gauges and the Product cost £32.99 1 £145.00 1 extinguisher outer body to check for any visual damage from the outside. Installation + commission £9.99 1 0 This inspection is then recorded on the back of the extinguisher and in Annual Service £7.99 8 0 the company’s fire safety logbook. This visual inspection requires no skill Call-out (averaged over £5.00 11 or tools. Nevertheless, when 5 extinguishers) Safelincs installs the extinguishers at 5 yearly refill £39.98 1 0 the customer, they train site staff in the visual inspection process and will Disposal £3.57 1 0 certify their training to confirm that Total 10 year costs £205.45 £145.00 the staff is competent to visually inspect the extinguishers. As a backup there is also a video on the Model 6kg Powder 6l foam Safelincs website that runs through 13A the process. 21A 144B TG The P50 extinguishers are kite 144B (not suitable for PowerX marked and LPCB approved. They C electrical) are also CE marked and marine approved. All major insurance 43A 27A companies accept the reduced 183B 183B P50 Composite servicing regime, as long as C Electrical evidence of the regular visual inspection is kept in the standard fire We will, of course, also remove safety log books in the same way as are of course much larger: your old extinguishers free of charge As mentioned above, the real for any other extinguisher types. and dispose of them responsibly. Britannia offers a ten year savings are higher when a 20 year If you wish to find out how much is considered. Larger guarantee for all P50 extinguishers, period the P50 can save for you, please customers are also achieving much offering complete peace of mind. contact Safelincs on 0800 612 6537 P50 extinguishers are installed in better purchase prices in the first or email service@safelincs.co.uk. refineries, petrol stations and many place. 52 APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Hydrogen Pumps on the Forecourts The Five Year Plan

By D Hurren (Chair TSC9 BCGA/Air Liquide); N Hart (Secretary TSC9 BCGA/ ITM Power); J Lake (Technical Manager BCGA) ; D Thornton (CEO BCGA)

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Summary This paper is a summary of a presentation given at the APEA annual conference on 8th November 2013 in Coventry. The paper outlines what the future may hold for hydrogen powered vehicles in UK, how that can benefit the environment and economy, and why it will be increasingly relevant to forecourt operators. It also outlines how a typical installation may look, and the steps the British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA) have taken to establish a first frame Code of Practice for Hydrogen Filling Stations (HRS) that can be used in conjunction with The Blue Book to cover future Refuelling investment opportunities. Introduction The UK has a legally binding carbon reduction target of 80% by 2050, with transport expected to be required to decarbonise by up to 90%. The car is an integral part of personal mobility that is not foreseen to be replaced. Technologies that will be able to deliver the required carbon savings with minimal impact to the driver in terms of functionality or convenience will be a key part of the product mix. For this reason hydrogen energy and Refuelling is seen as a key part of forecourt infrastructure in years to come. Using hydrogen gas as an energy vector for providing electric power, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) produce no harmful tailpipe emissions when being driven – only water vapour. The system they use is durable and compact and provides a consistent driving character regardless of the environment or climate, so consumers experience no major compromises in terms of practicality and performance compared to conventional petrol and diesel-powered vehicles. 54

Several of the world’s leading car manufacturers have been d e v e l o p i n g hydrogen fuel cell concept vehicles during the past 20 years and have matured the technology to the point where the first production models will be coming to market within the next few years. Their priority will be to introduce vehicles in markets where a strategy is in place to support their use with an appropriate infrastructure for hydrogen fuel supply, distribution and sale. There is an ambition between Government and key equipment and hydrogen gas providers that the UK could be one of those lead markets, however to achieve that requires an infrastructure for Refuelling by 2020. With this in mind an initiative called UK H2Mobility has been established and is about to produce its second stage report. This aligns with the EU Draft Directive establishing an intention to require member states to ensure that filling infrastructure is laid down for low carbon option fuels, alongside the establishment of the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). This is a team working across government to support the early market for ultralow emission vehicles (ULEV) and providing over £900 million to position the UK at the global forefront of ULEV development, manufacture and use. UK H2Mobility is a collaborative project evaluating the potential for hydrogen FCEVs to provide environmental and economic benefits to the UK. The project brings together industrial participants from

Signatories to first phase of ukH2m agreement

the fuel cell technology, energy utility, industry gases, fuel retail and global car manufacturing sectors together with a European publicprivate partnership, three UK Government Departments, the Devolved Administrations and the Greater London Assembly to develop a business case and strategic plan for the commercial roll-out of the technology from 2015. Experience in the UK of installing hydrogen Refuelling stations on stand-alone sites has shown that there is an absence of consistent guiding documentation for installers, planners, HSE and Fire Authorities. Whilst preliminary guidance has been published by ISO in the form of a Draft for Development Technical Specification (DD ISO/TS 20100:2008), work on an ISO standard has been delayed and although there is new impetus at European and International level, no documentation is due in 2014, although a document in the form of a Technical Report is anticipated during 2014. Against this background the BCGA has developed a code of practice (CP41 - The design construction, maintenance and operation of filling stations dispensing gaseous fuels) for use on stand alone facilities

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BCGA For those unfamiliar with the BCGA, it is a not-for-profit Trade Association that has been working under that name since 1971, representing the interests of 76 member companies including: • manufacturers and suppliers of bulk liquid and cylinder gases • manufacturers of cylinders, vessels and tanks for their storage and distribution • manufacturers of equipment for controlling the application and use of gases • installers of distribution pipework and systems • providers of specialist safety, health, quality, inspection and training services BCGA's mission is to ensure safety in the use, storage, transportation and handling of industrial gases, which is done in part through their many respected publications. This is achieved through member expertise on safe handling of industrial gases and associated systems and via dialogue with relevant Government Departments and Agencies, Standards Organisations and other Trade Associations. For further information on the BCGA, including access to their publications, visit their website: www.bcga.co.uk. The Five Year Vision From 2015 to 2020, a significant momentum on deployment of hydrogen powered vehicles and associated infrastructure is anticipated. FCEVs produce zero CO2 when

they are being driven. However, the calculation of the overall carbon footprint of FCEVs also needs to take into account any CO2 emitted during production of the hydrogen fuel. When produced using renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar or biomass, hydrogen has the potential to be a truly zerocarbon transport fuel. Even when the hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels, FCEVs can significantly reduce the overall amount of greenhouse gases and pollutants generated, compared with those emitted by conventionally-powered vehicles. What is anticipated is that during a 10 year period that the fuel for FCEV’s will progressively decarbonise to a level equivalent to the best offered electric vehicles, but with a solution that offers the same sort of range and performance as current fossil fuel powered cars. To support the introduction of hydrogen as a transport fuel the cooperation between government and industry is vital in developing and implementing a strategy that will help to decarbonise road transport, create economic growth, diversify energy supply and improve local environments. The UK H2Mobility partnership has drawn up a roadmap detailing how the UK can build a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure to support the introduction of FCEVs. Its development strategy is due to be completed by the end of 2013, with implementation from 2014. The first report is published and the next stage report is anticipated during Q2 2014. Consumers require both local availability and national coverage, and the quantitative survey showed them to be significantly more receptive to FCEVs if they have access to more than one Hydrogen Refuelling Station (HRS) locally. Detailed spatial modelling identified those locations that deliver the greatest customer benefit. It showed that a roll-out targeting particular areas of population concentration and the national trunk routes is the most efficient early strategy. Initially the focus will be to build an infrastructure serving metropolitan areas and the major routes which link them from 2015, progressing to

nationwide coverage by 2030. The analysis and network modelling undertaken within the project indicated that 65 stations across the UK could provide sufficient initial coverage to start the market, covering major population centres (with more than one HRS) and connecting roads. Further development will see potentially 329 stations by 2025 and 1150 stations by 2030. This is expected to mean that around 1 in 7 forecourts will have hydrogen Refuelling facilities in place by 2030, with an investment of over £400M in the associated systems. FCEVs will be introduced in suitable markets from 2015, with Germany, Scandinavia, Japan and California all preparing for the start of FCEV sales. The UK H2Mobility members recognise the importance of prompt action to ensure the potential economic and carbon benefits of hydrogen transport are realised within the UK. In the more advanced equivalent German initiative, the building up of a Refuelling station network for fuel cell electric vehicles is taking on a concrete form. The current partners in the H2 Mobility initiative (Air Liquide, Daimler, Linde, OMV, Shell, and Total) are working on implementing a business model to develop a nationwide hydrogen Refuelling station network in Germany. Under the plan, the current network of 15 filling stations in Germany’s public hydrogen infrastructure will be expanded by 2023 to about 400 H2 filling stations. As a first step, the partners intend to deploy 100 hydrogen stations in Germany over the next 4 years. This would ensure a need-related supply for fuel cell powered electric vehicles to be introduced into the market in the next years, the partners said. In California, Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 8 into law in September 2013, extending the programs that accelerate the turnover of older vehicles and equipment and invest in the development and deployment of advanced technologies that are necessary to achieve California’s air quality, climate, and energy goals until January 1, 2024. The bill includes a provision to fund at least 100 hydrogen stations with a

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and also for application to installations on existing forecourt operations. This code of practice signposts the reader to existing relevant ISO and other internationally available documents, and to the specific regulatory requirements within the UK that would be applicable to HRS, to augment the guidance contained in the existing DD ISO/TS 20100.

commitment of up to $20 million a year from the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program. Globally key markets are beginning to take the steps needed to put in place the forecourt facilities that will attract the OEM’s to place vehicles in those markets on a commercial scale. At the present time UK is well positioned to be one of those leading markets. As well as diversifying the fuel mix, it will also bring support to the UK’s related hydrogen economy with a number of companies already growing and looking to invest further in jobs and growth within the UK.

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Layout of a Hydrogen Refuelling Station Hydrogen refuelling stations have several options. Some stations make their fuel onsite, others have it delivered as a liquid and others have hydrogen delivered as a gas. Each type of station needs equipment for storing, compressing and dispensing hydrogen. At a liquid storage station, hydrogen is produced elsewhere and cooled to become a liquid. The supply road tanker transfers the fuel to the retail site and fills the storage tank. To be a liquid, hydrogen must be at a cryogenic temperature. The storage tank is like a giant thermos; it does not require electricity. As needed throughout the day, a valve on the liquid tank opens and the hydrogen flows into a small heat exchanger. The now-gaseous hydrogen flows into a compressor when it is compressed and passes into storage cylinders. The compressed gaseous hydrogen is ready for dispensing into a vehicle. Hydrogen can be stored in the cylinders indefinitely without losing energy content. Typically vehicles can operate with storage tanks that operate at either 350 bar or 700 bar. When a customer turns on the hydrogen dispenser, the fuel flows from the storage tank through pipes that can be above or below ground. If the driver is dispensing fuel at 350 bar, the fuel goes directly into the vehicle. If the driver is dispensing fuel at 700, the hydrogen first goes into another small compressor where the fuel is pre-cooled and compressed even more before dispensing. The 56

Expect to see hydrogen dispensers being installed on UK forecourts between 2015 and 2020

Refuelling will be similar in time and experience to conventional fuels

hoses and nozzles are different for the two pressure levels. Other stations offer hydrogen that is delivered as a gas. The hydrogen is compressed and packed into cylinders at the point of production. A truck brings a trailer loaded with tubes to the station and leaves the tubes or the whole trailer in a designated area. The driver connects a feed on the first tube to the pipes that are connected to the dispenser. Although a gaseous station requires significantly less equipment, it cannot store as much fuel and the tube-trailer location must be integrated into the site design. The third option is to make hydrogen at the station. One option may be small reformers that use natural gas or biogas to make hydrogen onsite. Currently the more common form of generation is using

electrolysers to make hydrogen from water and electricity. Electrolysers look not dissimilar to other packaged industrial equipment in pre-packaged box, and are attached to the water line. The equipment to produce, compress and store the hydrogen can be on the forecourt or on the canopy. Power for electrolysers may come from the grid but also can come directly from wind farms or other low carbon sources of energy. BCGA CP41 - The design construction, maintenance and operation of filling stations dispensing gaseous fuels, is a sign post document that covers all of the elements of gaseous Refuelling stations using hydrogen, and links to the relevant documents covering the storage and dispensing of other alternative gaseous fuels: Compressed or Liquefied Natural

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Gas (CNG/LNG). This code of practice from the BCGA is due for publication in January 2014 and is designed to assist all of those designing and planning such installations in the UK. This code comes from a range of experts with experience of operating industrial hydrogen facilities in a safe and responsible manner for over 40 years.

vehicles, and with a clear pathway to zero carbon by 2050. The development of a detailed roll-out strategy is an essential next step to establishing a network of hydrogen Refuelling stations which can contribute to:

Conclusion The UK H2Mobility initial report shows that by 2030 the total CO2 emissions associated with a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) can be 75% less than those for equivalent diesel

• Diversifying energy supply

• Decarbonising road transport • Creating new opportunities

economic

During a five year period to 2020 it is anticipated that a core network of Refuelling stations will be developed from which a full national

infrastructure can grow by 2030, by which time 1 in 7 forecourts could have hydrogen fuelling facilities on them. The recently developed Code of Practice, CP41 from the BCGA, is seen as one key element in facilitating the safe deployment of this national infrastructure. For existing forecourt operations, alternative fuels might be seen as a competitive challenge, but they can also be seen as a commercial opportunity which will form a vital part of the evolution of a world leading infrastructure across the UK, which can contribute to the decarbonisation of the UK economy.

Ask The Experts

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As LPG is stored as a liquid but dispensed as a gas, what apparatus can measure how much is dispensed by measurement? In fact for automotive use the LPG is stored and dispensed as a liquefied gas, it is only converted to a gas in the car. The majority of dispensers have a similar method of measurement as for other fuel pumps but because the LPG needs to be kept under pressure the system needs to be suitable for a pressure no less than 25 bar. If the pressure drops readily it forms bubbles of vapour so the dispenser design needs to separate any bubbles from the liquid. In addition the dispensed flowrate needs to be

matched to that of the system. LPG dispensing is one of the few systems where the flowrate and therefore accuracy can be influenced by the design of the vehicle refuelling system. Liquid LPG has a higher rate of thermal expansion than water or many other hydrocarbons so more dispensing systems now indicate the volume dispensed corrected to a standard temperature; normally 15ºC. The chart shows a typical cycle of pressure and flowrate whilst filling a vehicle. Checking the dispenser to confirm accurate measure requires the LPG to be circulated back to the storage vessel with an accurate meter in

The following is a copy of a recording flow vs pressure at meter outlet

series with the fixed dispenser that is being checked. Information on testing meters is given in UKLPG Code of Practice 19; Part 1 relates to forecourt dispensing systems. Using suitable instrumentation with a recording facility our Company not only checks the accuracy of the dispenser but at the same time can assess the performance of the installation. I have taken over a new area as a petroleum officer and know that LPG Installations are covered by DSEAR on retail petrol stations. Can you tell me why some vessel installations are above ground, partially buried and fully below-ground? What factors determine what sort of installations is required? Information on the location of LPG vessels and associated equipment in relation to boundaries, other features and fixed potential sources of ignition is given in the UKLPG Codes of Practice; these are usually called “separation distances”. Primarily the position depends on the vessel size and the objective is to minimise the effect of external incidents, especially fires, on the LPG installation. By partially burying (mounding) or putting a vessel below ground reduces the potential for incidents to affect the vessel and the “separation distance” can therefore be reduced for similar sized vessels. Also, putting vessels

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Minimum separation distance, in metres, from buildings,

in a group

boundary, property line or fixed potential sources of ignition

Nominal LPG

Typical Water

Capacity

(Tonnes)

(Litres)

Above ground.

Below ground or mounded.

Distance to vessel surface.

Distance to valve assembly

Normal

With radiation wall

0,05 to 0.25

150 to 500

2.5

0.3

>0.25 to 1.1

>500 to 2 500

1.5

7.5

>1.1 to 4

>4 to 60

>2 500 to 9 000 >4 to 60 >9000 to

Normal

With dispersion wall.

1.5

7.5

135,000

underground results in more of the forecourt being available - the down side being the increased capital and maintenance costs. For this reason and practical operation of small underground vessels there are few underground liquid off-take vessels with a capacity below 7 tonnes. The table shows an approximate comparison but for more details see Code of Practice 1 parts 1 and 4. Capacity of any single vessel in a group Minimum separation distance, in metres, from buildings, boundary, property line or fixed potential sources of ignition. Richard Wigfull John Wigfull & Co Ltd Can you provide clarification on how often and when routine servicing and training is given to staff on Petroleum Licensed Forecourts and what if any would constitute a serious enough breach to instigate formal proceedings? Staff on petrol filling stations are required under regulation 9 of DSEAR to be trained at least in the significant findings of the risk assessment carried out on the premises and its provision is also a fundamental part of the Health and Safety at work act 1974. The operation of a petrol filling station is in itself a hazardous situation and the potential for fire or explosion is extremely high. Staff training levels vary within our industry - some are very good indeed whereas others do tend to leave a little bit to be desired. Inspectors can satisfy themselves that the site staff are competent in their positions in one of two ways: the first, obviously, is to look at the training records that would form part of the site register -

there should be evidence of testing being carried out as opposed to a list saying that X, Y and Z have been trained. Also inspectors can ask the staff on duty simple questions regarding the site operation, obviously not too technical, for instance “how do you isolate a particular dispenser in the case of emergency?” or “what is the minimum age for a person to buy petrol?” and record their answers. As with most health and safety training I would expect to see refresher training given at 3 yearly intervals. I am obviously quite happy if this is less as I think that you can never receive too much training! A breach of the regulations would occur if the inspector believes that little or no formal training has been given; this can range from advice only in the form of a letter, if the training is there but not seemingly enough, an improvement notice if the site staff have little training and finally prosecution in extreme cases where staff failure has contributed to the escalation of an incident, although during my 30 years as an inspector I have never had reason for this type of action. Finally, on the subject of training, remember it is not only the site staff that require to be trained and competent, H & S inspectors are also required by Law to be competent and qualified!! Brian Humm Head of Petroleum London Fire Brigade Two breaches in different legislation for one premises i.e. PHA, DSEAR, PCA etc, would they go on the one improvement notice or 2 separate notices? There has been a lot of discussion about this issue as well as legal

opinion from prominent barristers in the field of health and safety. Companies would prefer one notice rather than two (or none at all!) as they have to declare them on their annual reports. An Appeal to an Employment Tribunal was made when an Enforcement officer served separate improvement notices under Regulations 3, 4 and 5 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. These Regulations deal with the requirement to carry out a risk assessment, the requirement to implement protective and preventative measures, and the requirement to have an effective management system in place to implement and monitor the measures respectively. There were two polar views from barristers. The first said that there are three Regulations and therefore the failure to comply with each of them constitutes a separate offence so it is valid to serve three separate notices. The second said that, because the notices all referred to the same related matter, they were all part of the same matter and therefore the three Regulations should have been cited on the same notice. This has not been resolved in the Appeal Court, so there is no precedent. So where does this leave the Enforcement Officer? Your Authority’s Enforcement Policy in respect of serving notices should address this issue. I believe that the following principles are those which most health and safety enforcers adopt: • The most appropriate Act and/or Regulation must always be cited • The Health and Safety at Work etc Act (HSWA) should always be cited on your prohibition and improvement notices as all of the requirements contained in the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928, DSEAR and the other Regulations made under HSWA are enforced using the powers in the Act • Matters which are closely associated and/or fall within the same Regulation should always go on the same notice. E.g. if you needed to serve an improvement

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Capacity of any single vessel

notice in respect of a blocked ACO gulley, empty sand buckets and a failure to maintain a tannoy system – all of these matters would be cited against DSEAR Regulation 6(7) as they are all conditions necessary for ensuring the reduction of risk • Matters which are not related but which come under the same Regulation (though a different sub-section) should go onto separate notices e.g. a requirement to provide a hazardous area plan (DSEAR Regulation 7(1)) would be on a different notice to the requirement to provide clothing that does not give rise to an electrostatic charge (DSEAR Regulation 7(5)).

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• Two or more closely related matters can be included on one notice with both Regulations cited. I often do this when dealing with manual handling issues where the requirement to carry out the risk assessment and to provide handling equipment and training are very closely linked; I cite two Regulations on one notice. • Dealing with a disused site under the Public Health Act 1961Section 73 must use the proper form of notice for the purpose. Not every breach of legislation you find needs to be included on notices. You can choose to serve notices on the more significant matters, but include the other breaches in a Mandatory Schedule attached to a covering letter. Who is responsible for illegal storage of petroleum in premises other than forecourts i.e. domestic dwellings or other buildings? If an occupier is storing more than 15 litres without a license, a business does not have Approved Arrangements for up to 100 litres, or a domestic occupier more than the 2 x 9 litre approved plastic containers plus 2 x 9 litre approved metal containers then the petroleum officer and/or any officer Authorised under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 could deal with the issue. In reality, EHOs do not have the necessary knowledge and training, so would always ask that the Petroleum Officer (PO) deal with the issue. 60

If the premises are a workplace, the PO has a right of entry on production of his/her warrant. A warrant must be applied for under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 Section 18 and must be obtained from a Magistrate to enter domestic premises. The excess fuel can be removed under Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Section 25 so as to render the situation safe. Costs can only be recovered if the occupier is prosecuted. It is important to ensure that you have a procedure in place to deal with such an occurrence as it can take several days to organise entry, safe removal and storage even when you are prepared. Kim Bennett Senior Environmental Health Officer, Milton Keynes Council I am designing a drainage system for a petrol station and am having trouble understanding the requirements for the road tanker delivery area. How do I ensure that the drainage design takes account of the large spill of 1000 litres per minute for each delivery hose? (13.4.3 Blue Book) Petrol filling station drainage is built around the principle of collection and containment of spilt fuel on site. The drainage design should ensure that any fuel from a gradual spillage usually resulting from dispensing or small spills during delivery are collected in the drainage system and diverted in the drainage system to the oil/water separator to be kept on site. A larger spill during delivery is fortunately rare – but this has been known to occur and the drainage design should ensure that if such a spill does occur the drainage channel should be capable of holding the residue until such a time that the fuel can be diverted safely to the separator. This means that fuel does not flow off site causing a fire or environmental hazard.

Drainage channel

Drainage designers commonly use channel grating on forecourts around the site and gratings should be of sufficient size to allow spillage to be intercepted and not “run over” the channel. 300 mm is a good size but much will depend upon the gradient around the grating. Also very important but not often understood is the flow rate from the underground drainage pipes from the channel grating where all outlets must be trapped. A good design will have a number of outlets from channel gratings to cope with the flow rates shown below. You will see that the fall and size of the pipe is important to the flow rate. Pipe Diameter

Fall

Flow Rate

100mm