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Dear PEI Member:
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has just published
four specifications on biodiesel.
The ASTM specifications define biodiesel as a "fuel comprised of mono-alkyl
esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal
fats, designated B100." Those fats can come from a variety of sources and
still meet the standards. "The ASTM standards set the specifications on a
performance basis for a diesel engine, not on a feedstock that you begin
with or the process that you use," says Steve Howell, chair of the ASTM biodiesel task force.
Three of the standards were revised; one standard is completely new. The new and
revised ASTM standards include the following:
- ASTM D7467-08, Specification for
Diesel Fuel Oil, Biodiesel Blend (B6 to 20),
is the new specification that
covers finished fuel blends of between 6 (B6) and 20 (B20) percent biodiesel for on- and off-road diesel engine use.
- ASTM D975-08a, Specification for
Diesel Fuel Oils, used for on- and off-road diesel applications, was
revised to include an allowance for up to 5 percent biodiesel.
- ASTM D396-08(b), Specification for
Fuel Oils, used for home heating and boiler applications, was revised to
include an allowance for up to 5 percent biodiesel.
- ASTM D6751-08, Specification for Biodiesel Fuel Blend Stock (B100) for Middle Distillate Fuels,
used to
control pure biodiesel (B100) quality prior to blending with conventional
diesel-type fuels, was revised to include a requirement that controls
minor compounds using a new cold soak filterability test. The U.S. EPA
requires that all biodiesel intended for use as a fuel meet D6751.
Now that ASTM has a specification for
biodiesel blends between 6 and 20 percent biodiesel, it may be that
standards for equipment that transport, store, meter, and dispense those
products will be written along those same lines. In other words, we
wouldn't be surprised if Underwriters Laboratories began listing equipment
for use with B100 (ASTM D6751-08 fuel) and with blends of up to 20 percent biodiesel (ASTM D7467-08 fuel). We don't have any inside information on
the subject; let's just call it a hunch. |
ASTM Biodiesel
Specifications
Retail Margins
Regulatory Briefs
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RETAIL GASOLINE MARGINS PUT SMILE ON MARKETERS' FACES
PEI members continue to report that their retail customers are benefiting
from relatively high gasoline margins. Gross margins of 30 cents to 40 cents
a gallon are commonly reported. One equipment distributor's customer
told him last week that he had three straight days of margins in the
mid-80-cents range. The national
press confirms what we have been hearing now for the last several months.
The October 27 issue of the Oil Express reported that "gasoline
retailers in many parts of the country are seeing a profit rebound unlike
any they have seen in the last 25 years." And the CSP Daily News on
October 24 explained that "retailers are seeing some of the best gasoline
margins since post Hurricane Katrina."
For much of this year, retailers found it
difficult to make a penny. Now they can make some money, because demand is up a
little, and the cost of product and credit card fees are lower. Nobody
expects these margins to last, but it's good news for marketers and
PEI members serving the retail side of the industry.
REGULATORY BRIEFS
California. The California Air
Resources Board (CARB) and the California Air Pollution Control Officer's
Association agreed to conduct an 18-month in-use, in-station diagnostic (ISD)
field study on the first ISD system certified by CARB. The Healy Phase II
enhanced vapor recovery system, including Veeder-Root ISD, was the first
system certified. The Draft In-Station Diagnostic Evaluation Field Study
Report is available for comment through December 1, 2008, at
www.arb.ca.gov/vapor.
Florida. A direct
final rule that would have approved revisions to the Florida SIP concerning
the removal of Stage II vapor control requirements for new and upgraded
dispensing facilities in the southeast Florida area (Broward, Dade and Palm
Beach Counties), and to phase out Stage II requirements for existing
facilities in those counties, has been withdrawn due to the receipt of
adverse comments. The rule also would have approved the SIP revision that
requires new and upgraded gasoline dispensing facilities and new bulk
gasoline plants statewide to use Stage I vapor control systems and to phase
in Stage I vapor control requirements statewide for existing gasoline
dispensing facilities.
Wisconsin. The
state has updated and revised its tank closure guidance handbook. The
publication specifies technical procedures and prescribes a report form
that are acceptable to the Commerce Department for complying with assessment
and release reporting requirements in chapter Comm 10 and chapter NR 706.
PEI MEMBER NOTES
Ameron
International, Houston, Texas, has named Eastern States Associates,
headquartered in Palmer, Massachusetts, as its Manufacturer's Representative
of the Year for the second straight year.
Franklin Fueling Systems, Madison, Wisconsin, announced that
Spence Wike has joined its organization as regional sales manager,
Southeast. Wike, formerly Dresser Wayne's global account manager for Exxon
Mobil, is responsible for all FFS sales in the southeastern U.S.
OPW Fueling Containment Systems, Smithfield, North Carolina, has
named Jonathan Stong its global accounts manager. Stong will be based in
Smithfield.
NUPI SpA and GECO SYSTEM SpA have merged to form NUPIGECO
SpA. Luigi Genoni, who founded the two companies over 30 years ago, was
appointed president; Marco Genoni was appointed CEO. NUPIGECO's headquarters
will be located in Busto Arsizio, Italy. PETROLEUM
MARKETING FACILITIES SOLD
Chevron has sold its
marketing businesses in Kenya and Uganda that are currently owned by
Chevron Africa Holdings to France's Total. The assets include 165
Caltex-branded service stations, one terminal, seven fuel depots, six
aviation facilities, one lubricants blending plant, and a commercial and
industrial fuels business.
The European Union has given Portugal's Galp the go-ahead to
take over Exxon Mobil's retail and supply businesses in Spain and
Portugal. The deal gives Galp Exxon's retail network of 130 service stations
in the Iberian Peninsula, as well as its LPG and aviation fuels businesses and
most of its lubricants.
Titan Global Holdings Inc., Richardson, Texas, has purchased all of
the stock of Crescent Fuels Inc., Independence, Kansas. Crescent,
through subsidiaries, owns 24 retail locations in 5 states (Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas,
Missouri and Louisiana) and distributes petroleum in 6 states.
Atlas Oil Co., Taylor, Michigan, has reached agreement with BP
Products North America Inc. to purchase and supply 57 BP locations in
the southeastern Chicago suburbs.
Luke Oil Co., Hobart, Indiana, has completed the purchase of 12 Shell
locations in Lake County, Indiana, from RM Petroleum Inc. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Colombia distributor. Equi Comb, Calle 15A No.10A-20, Cartago, Valle de
Cauca,
Colombia, has applied for distributor division membership. Jose Alonso Mosquesa Ayala is president of the firm, which was established in 2005. The
company provides equipment and accessories for service stations in Colombia
and represents AileOilEqp, BetaLight, EmcoWheatn, Flex-Ing, Harco and
Seraphin. The company was sponsored for PEI membership by David Fiala,
SalesForce, Maitland, FL. ADMITTED TO PEI
- Petroleum Solutions, Inc., Springfield, MA (dis)
- Superior Petroleum Equipment, LLC, Grove City, OH (dis)
- Franklin Equipment Services Corp., College Point, NY (dis)
- Securant Inc., Clearwater, FL (mfr)
- TDE Construction & Consulting Services, Inc., Rancho Cucamonga, CA
(S&C)
- R. Fuessel Pump & Tank, Inc., Trenton, NJ (S&C)
- Madison Industries, Los Angeles, CA (aff)
- Tank Management Services Inc., Topeka, KS (aff)
- Capital Partners, LLC, Sioux Falls, SD (aff)
- Total Projex Corporation, Rialto, CA (aff)
MEMBERSHIP TRANSFER APPROVED
- Evans Pump Company, Inc., Denton, Texas, from the Service &
Construction Division to the Distributor Division
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