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GM SEEKS MORE E85 STATIONS
General Motor's growing output of vehicles capable of running on
ethanol-gasoline blends will not help cut greenhouse gas emissions or US
dependence on foreign oil until the small network of stations dispensing
higher-blends of ethanol is greatly expanded, GM vice chairman Tom Stevens
said in a February 16 speech at the Renewable Fuels Association conference.
Half of GM's vehicle line-up will be able to run on E85 by the 2012 model
year, said Stevens. GM has produced 4 million of the 7.5 million flex-fuel
vehicles that are already on the road in the US.
"Today there's 2,200 (E85 fuel stations) that are out there but that's
not enough," said Stevens. We need 12,000 or more ethanol stations
"to have ethanol fuel available for every one of our customers within about
2 miles of where they live," Stevens said.
PEI MEMBER BRIEFS
OMNTEC Mfg., Inc., Ronkonkoma, New York, has appointed Kurt Gibson as
eastern regional sales manager. He will be based in Atlanta, Georgia.
PumpTex Inc., Beaumont, Texas, has appointed Jody Kirk to be responsible
for sales in the central Texas area, which includes San Antonio and Austin.
The company also appointed Randy Chamberlain to lead a new division that
focuses on the installation and removal of aboveground and underground
fueling systems.
Terra Industries has agreed to be acquired by Yara International ASA in a deal that is worth around $4.1 billion.
Meanwhile, CF Industries Holdings Inc. said March 5 that it has
begun an unsolicited $4.8 billion bid for Terra.
BRIEFLY NOTED
"EPA hinted strongly that it would approve the 50% increase in the
amount of ethanol to be blended into the fuel supply from 10% to 15% when it
released its RFS2 proposal. Almost 100 pages are devoted to the
infrastructure that would be needed to make such a change work. But the
document repeatedly uses the term 'partial waiver,' indicating that the
agency is contemplating lifting the limit only for cars built after 2001."―Kiplinger's
Biofuels Market Alert, February 17, 2010.
The latest payment data show that 49.2 percent of fuel payments are
on plastic, and debit payments (14.7 percent) now exceed payments on oil
company proprietary cards (10.3 percent).―Lundberg
Letter, January 26, 2010.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking public
comment on a proposed rule that would restore a musculoskeletal injury
column on the form used by employers to record worker injuries and illnesses
(75 FR 4728). The rulemaking, which would amend the agency's recordkeeping
regulation (29 CFR 1904), is only intended to improve data gathering and
would not require employers to implement ergonomic measures in the
workplace, the agency said.
(EPA) "foresees a major buildup in E85 facilities. Overall, the EPA
estimates it will take $3 billion to upgrade the E85 facilities enough to
meet the requirements of the RFS2."―Kiplinger's Biofuels
Market Alert, February 17, 2010.
PETROLEUM MARKETING NOTES
Shell International Petroleum Company Limited and Cosan S.A.
February 1 announced they have signed a non-binding memorandum of
understanding, with the intention to form a $12 billion joint venture
in Brazil for the production of ethanol, sugar and power, and the supply,
distribution and retail of transportation fuels. Shell has around 2,740
branded sites in Brazil, while Cosan has a distribution network of more than
1,700 service stations.
Southern Counties Oil Co., a California Limited Partnership (SC
Fuels), announced February 10 the successful completion of its acquisition
of United Fuel & Energy Corporation (United Fuel) through a merger of
United Fuel with and into Goldstream, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary
of SC Fuels. SC Fuels delivers commercial fuels in 10 western states and has
a network of 185,000 commercial cardlocks, truckstops and retail stations
nationwide. United Fuels is comprised of more than 115 unattended fueling
sites, bulk plants and offices in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
7-Eleven Inc., Dallas, Texas, has contracted to purchase 16
convenience stores from MHC Convenience LLC, parent company of the
chain of 20 Mother Hubbard's Cupboard stores in Illinois and Iowa.―Quad-Cities
Online, January 27, 2010.
Capitol Petroleum Group LLC, Springfield, Virginia, has purchased 29
locations in northern Virginia from ExxonMobil.
DEATHS
Vernon R. McCoy, a manufacturers representative headquartered in Tulsa,
died February 2. He was 92. He began his career in the oil industry in 1952
as a design and construction engineer for Mid Continent Petroleum/Sunray
D-X/Sun Oil Company. He retired from Sun in 1972 and owned an independent
rep agency until his retirement in 1984. He is predeceased by his wife of 67
years, Nathalee. Vern is survived by five children, of which the oldest,
Steve, is employed by Adams Tank & Lift, Albany, Georgia; twelve
grandchildren; and eight great-granddaughters.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Arizona equipment distributor. A & H Contracting, Inc., 1575 East 18th
Avenue, Apache Junction, Arizona 85119, has applied for distributor division
membership. Catherine Acton is president of the firm, which was established
in 1998. The company represents BakerInd, Bennett, BMTTank, CntmtSoltn, ClayBailey, Franklin, FuelForce, FuelMaster, HuskyCorp and
Pneumrcatr. The company sells, installs and services all types of
petroleum and vehicle service equipment. Sponsored for PEI membership by Bob
Chase, Bennett, Spring Lake, MI.
www.aandhcontracting.com
Nicaragua distributor. Equipos & Accesorios
S.A., Rotonda Cristo Ray, 150 vrs. Arriba, Edif. Ramac Apt. 2010,
Managua, Nicaragua, has applied for distributor division membership. Mario H.
Vallejo F. is the primary contact for the company, which was established in
1962. The company sells equipment and parts, and offers service. Equipos &
Accesorios represents Catlow, Davis, EmcoWheatn, Gilbarco, Natl-Spncr, OPW-FC
and RedJacket. Sponsored for PEI membership by Lucy Sackett, Gilbarco,
Greensboro, NC.
Fuel oil system manufacturer. ISP Fuel Systems, 1035 Old Georges Road,
North Brunswick, New Jersey 08902, has applied for manufacturer division
membership. Marc Wiederhorn is vice president of the firm, which was
established in 1995. The company manufactures and provides fuel oil systems
for data centers, hospitals and financial institutions. The systems are sold
through distributors. Sponsored for PEI membership by Georges Boyazis, IPP,
St. Augustine, FL. www.ispfuelsystems.com
Fluid transfer equipment manufacturer. Intradin (Shanghai) Machinery
Co., Ltd., 118 Duhui Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, China 201109, has
applied for affiliate division membership. Fendi Fang is a sales
representative for the company, which was established in 2008. The company
manufactures fluid transfer equipment with a variety of solutions of both
industrial and professional fueling applications. Sponsored for PEI
membership by Thomas McClain, HenrichEqp, West Babylon, NY.
www.fuelworks.com.cn
Texas import/export firm. Gallium Global Procurement LLC, 2800 Post
Oak Boulevard, Suite 5320, Houston, Texas 77056, has applied for affiliate
division membership. Anthony Childers is international business manager for
the firm, which was established in 2008. Sponsored for PEI membership by
Oscar Ramirez, BolivarFL, Miramar, FL.
www.grupogallium.com
California installation and upgrade contractor. ENCON Technologies,
12145 Mora Drive, #7, Santa Fe Springs, California 90670, has applied for
service and construction division membership. Joseph Amaya is director of
marketing for the firm, which was established in 1994. The company installs
and removes tanks, piping sumps, generators, leak detection equipment,
cardlock systems and other equipment. Sponsored for PEI membership by
Griffin Williamson, TotalPro, Rialto, CA.
www.encontech.net
Connecticut contractor. John R. Morgan, Inc., P. O. Box 39, North
Franklin, Connecticut 06254, has applied for service and construction
division membership. John R. Morgan, Jr., is president of the firm, which
was established in 1992. The firm is involved in electronic board repair,
onsite service, and tank installation and removal. Sponsored for PEI
membership by Thomas J. Dion, WildcoPtr, Bloomfield, CT.
North Carolina installation company. Tidewater Fuel Distribution
Services, 511 Myna Court, Jacksonville, North Carolina 28540, has applied
for service and construction division membership. Dale Harris is owner of
the firm, which was established in 2007. The company installs aboveground
and underground storage systems, oil/water separators, waste oil tanks and
lube systems. Sponsored for PEI membership by Butch O'Briant, PtrEqSerNC,
Wilson, NC.
ADMITTED TO PEI
- Growth Energy, Omaha, NE (aff)
- Priority Sales Associates, Inc., Longwood, FL (aff)
- Core Electric Limited, Spruce Grove, AB, Canada (S&C)
- D.R. Mozeley Inc., Charlotte, NC (S&C)
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