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Dear PEI Member:

“I just put diesel fuel in my gasoline-powered car. Isn’t there some sort of law that requires service station owners to put certain nozzles on their hoses that will keep me from doing such a stupid thing?”

We are asked that question by motorists at least once a month. The answer used to be that there are no rules, laws or recommended practices that require a certain nozzle for diesel. Today, however, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has changed that.

Fire codes typically don’t deal with nozzle spout sizes because there are no fire issues associated with vehicle misfueling. Similarly, weights and measure officials had no reason to tackle the problem because it is not a weights and measures issue. Their rules assure that motorists will get the quantity of product they pay for. They reason that it’s not their duty to ensure that motorists are prohibited from sticking a clearly-marked diesel nozzle in their gasoline-powered vehicle. EPA worried about putting leaded fuel in unleaded vehicles back in 1972 and mandated certain nozzle spout sizes to prohibit that practice, but it’s clear that EPA’s rule does not relate to diesel fueling.

Now SAE has stepped forward and issued a recommended practice, Dispenser Nozzle Spouts for Liquid Fuels Intended for Use with Spark Ignition and Compression Ignition Engines (J285), which supersedes a former recommended practice issued on the same subject in 1989. The document recommends that nozzle spouts be between 0.807 to 0.840 inches in diameter when used with spark ignition fuels (gasoline) and larger (0.929 to 0.937 inches in diameter) when used with compression ignition fuel (diesel) for passenger cars and light-duty trucks. SAE recommends diesel nozzle spouts for heavy-duty trucks and off-road heavy equipment be 1.122 to 1.250 inches in diameter.

SAE has issued this recommended practice because of the damage that can occur to the engine and/or its emission control systems if a vehicle is misfueled. The diameter difference between nozzle spouts establishes a basis on which a vehicle’s fuel filler inlet can be designed to help prevent the introduction of fuel that is not compatible with its engine. The need to differentiate diesel spout diameters should help eliminate fuel spit-back and spills caused when refueling passenger cars and light-duty trucks with large diameter/high flow nozzles.

SAE Nozzle RP

RP600 Out For Comment

STI Reduces Warranty

EPA Extends SPCC Deadline

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The recommended practice is available through SAE at http://www.sae.org.

COMMENTS REQUESTED: OVERFILL PREVENTION FOR SHOP-FABRICATED ASTS
A draft of PEI’s Recommended Practices for Overfill Prevention for Shop-Fabricated Aboveground Tanks (PEI RP600-07) was mailed to all PEI members in North America May 18. Written comments offering changes to the document must be returned to PEI by July 6, 2007, for consideration by the committee. The draft document and comment form are also available for viewing and/or downloading at www.pei.org/RP600.

The recommended practices described in the document are limited to the installation, operation, inspection, maintenance, and testing of overfill-prevention equipment used on shop-fabricated, stationary, and atmospheric aboveground tanks intended for the storage or supply of liquid petroleum products and alternative fuels. The document may be applied to tanks used for bulk plants, motor fuels dispensing, emergency-generator systems, residential and commercial heating-oil supply systems, and used-oil storage systems.

LIMITED WARRANTY REQUIREMENTS FOR STI-LABELED USTS REDUCED
The board of directors for the Steel Tank Institute/Steel Plate Fabricators Association (STI/SPFA) has changed the limited warranty requirements of all STI-labeled underground storage tanks. Effective with underground storage tanks shipped after July 1, 2007, the length of the warranty will be 10 years. “The need for 30-year warranty duration on STI-labeled underground storage tanks has diminished as the storage tank market has changed,” said Wayne Geyer, executive vice president of STI/SPFA.

PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS
OPW Fueling Components, Cincinnati, Ohio, has named Aldo Sucaldito product manager of its OPW Environmental Systems business unit. Sucaldito formerly worked for Gilbarco and most recently with Flow Systems Inc., a PEI distributor member in the Philippines.
Containment Solutions Inc., (CSI) Conroe, Texas, has recently added McIndoo Associates to its manufacturer representative network, promoting all of its fiberglass and steel products in New Jersey, New York City and Long Island. CSI has also hired Jay Wiedel as a direct employee responsible for marketing the company’s products in the Mid Atlantic region.
Gilbarco Veeder-Root, Greensboro, North Carolina, has named Gregory H. Beason president of Gilbarco North America. He also has responsibility for Gilbarco’s Global Marketing activities. 
Husky Corporation, Pacific, Missouri, has appointed Red Leonard Associates, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, to represent the company in the Greater Chicago area.
Franklin Fueling Systems, Madison, Wisconsin, announced the following sales people have recently joined its domestic sales team: Matt Smith of Parker, Colorado, is now the territory manager for the Rocky Mountain Region; Tim Curns of Aloha, Oregon, is territory manager for the Pacific Northwest; Ken Stephens of Grass Valley, California, is territory manager for Northern California; and John Adrian, Long Beach, California, is the new western regional sales manager.

EPA EXTENDS SPCC DEADLINE FOR BULK PLANTS, AGAIN
The U.S. EPA has extended the deadline by which owners of bulk plants, portable skid tanks and other mobile storage facilities must revise and implement their Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans. EPA’s new rule extends the SPCC deadline for revising and implementing SPCC plans from October 1, 2007, to July 1, 2009. This is the fifth time that EPA has extended the SPCC deadline since the rule became effective in 2002. No further extensions related to petroleum storage facilities are expected.

 NORTH AMERICAN PETROLEUM MARKETING NOTES

Valero Energy Corp., San Antonio, Texas, is eliminating more than 100 positions in its retail division by offering a voluntary early retirement to all eligible employees over the next few months.
EZ Energy Ltd., Ramat Gan, Israel, has purchased another 13 gasoline stations and convenience stores. EZ Energy declines to identify the sellers or provide any details on the store locations or branding.

 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Saudi Arabia distributor. Mohammed Saad Aldrees & Sons Co. Ltd., P. O. Box 50178, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 11523, has applied for distributor division membership. Fahd H. Aldrees is chief operating officer for the firm, which was established in 1978. The company represents Aile, LqdCntrols, RedJacket and Wayne. Installation, service and equipment repair are provided. Nominated for PEI membership by Friendship Ge, Aile, Shanghai, China.
Refueling system design and fabrication firm. Millennium Systems International, LLC, P. O. Box 229, Westminster, Maryland 21158, has applied for affiliate division membership. Gordon Johnson is president of the firm, which was established in 1999. The company designs and fabricates refueling systems for truck loading, unloading and direct-to-plane refueling. Nominated for PEI membership by Earl F. Greer, ServiceWld, Louisville, KY.

ADMITTED TO PEI

• Dup’s Inc., Houston, TX (dis)
• Ultrapure Division of Clinton Power, Northbrook, IL (mfr)
• Instrument Research Associates Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore, India (mfr)
• Pattison Sign Group, Pointe-Claire, PQ (aff)
• Xiamen Jolac Petrochemical Equipment Co., Ltd., Xiamen, China (mfr)
• Cherokee Enterprises, Inc., Miami Lakes, FL (aff)
• Northern Indiana Mechanical, Gary, IN (aff)
• Blue Lightning Enterprise L.L.C., Olive Branch, MS (aff)

©2007
Petroleum Equipment Institute
P. O. Box 2380
Tulsa, OK 74101-2380

The TulsaLetter (ISSN 0193-9467) is published two or three times each month by the Petroleum Equipment Institute. Robert N. Renkes, Executive Vice President, Editor. Opinions expressed are the opinions of the Editor. Basic circulation confined to PEI members.