aja8888
Top Post Dawg
I work in the oil & gas/fuels business, now for 30 years. I'll repeat what I have posted here about a dozen times which almost no one reads, or cares to believe:Piplelines do not require fuel to meet lubricity standards to be transported (cetane of the fuel must be certified to meet the ASTM standards before it enters the pipeline). The lubricity of the "raw" pipeline fuel is likely in the 650+ micron wear scar range. Thus, it appears we must "trust" the distribution terminal to add the proper amount of lubricity enhancing agent to get the wear scar of "raw" fuel down to 520 microns or better before the fuel is loaded on the truck.
Again what good is a standard if there is not independent testing of the fuel to check compliance with such a critical standard as lubricity at the retail level. Another reason for us CR TDI owners (besides the FIEM position statement on lubricity) to enhance the lubricity of the fuel we buy.
Pipelines transport fuel, that's all. Pipeline interface material (transmix: i.e. gasoline/D2 interface) is taken out of the line for reprocessing. Incoming pipeline fuel to the terminal is tested on-site in a lab.
Refineries make fuel to a spec. (that's all, unless they make chemicals also).
Terminals have computer controlled lubricity additive equipment to blend in third party lubricity additive formulation at the loading rack. Many fuel distributors have to have fuels tested for meeting specs. It varies by state and some majors do their own retail product testing as per their QA/QC procedures.
Independent tanker truck drivers cause the most issues with cross contamination as their trucks are not checked (compartments) for cleanliness or residual fuels. They can pick up RUG, PUG, and D2 in the same tanker.
Retail stations make mistakes with USTs by not watching tanker truck drivers more closely.
Last edited: