I was wondering about this too. So it’s between the pipe and the tractor-tanker? Do you (or anybody else) have any idea how large the staging tanks are? It seems like it would be difficult to get a consistent mix with that method.
A friend of mine once said Fleet Farm gas is the worst mile per gallon you can get. So for about 6 months I kept a detailed account of when I filled up, how far I went and how much I put in the tank, all with 87 octaine (I’m like that when it comes to proving my friends wrong). Turnsout he was right. Fleet Farm gas sucks, Shell is good and I think BP is the best. An argument can be made that the highway/street ratio of milage varied, but for 6 months I lived the same life style, so…not by much.
Just how much difference did you find? Was it statistically significant or too minor to put much trust in?
Earlier responders were correct - the distribution point. The gas is refined at the (duh) refinery, then either moved by tanker trucks or refinery-owned pipeline (if it’s close enough) to the pipeline transportation company. It’s likely to be temporarily stored in the pipeline company’s tanks until its time to be pumped into the pipeline. After being pumped to its destination, it is again probably stored in pipeline company tanks at the destination and held until pickup by the shipper. They presumably unload the gas from the pipeline company’s tanks into tanker trucks (or their own pipeline) and move the gas to their own tanks at their distribution point.
Presumably, this is where any additives get, well, added.
J.
Just to continue the transportation sequence – because, since I don’t work in the industry, what may be obvious to you is not to me: From the distribution point, where the gas is “branded” with additives, it moves by tanker truck to individual gas stations, where it is stored in (usually underground?) tanks until pumped into consumer cars. Is that right?
Are you sure ethanol is added for emissions reduction? My understanding, which may be wrong, is that ethanol is primarily added to increase the octane rating and secondarily to decrease the fossil component. I think I remember reading that ethanol actually makes emissions worse, which is why high-density areas (like LA) were reluctant to switch to ethanol additives.
Anyone know more?
And continuing with the ethanol - I noticed that my gas mileage dropped significantly (by roughly 25%) when all the stations here began selling gasoline with the 10% ethanol. I had the dealership check to see if I developed some kind of mechanical problem, but they said the Sorento is running as well as it always has.
Does the addition of ethonal degrade engine performance? Because I’ve been tracking it for a year now, and when I can get gas out of this area that doesn’t have the ethanol added, my gas mileage is back where it used to be. And if it is responsible for a 25% decrease in performance, how is the 10% of gas saved economically defensible?
I lost the data and I hadn’t taken Stats at that point to bust out regression on it, pitty. Just looking at the data as a laymen at that time I was convinced. Though, Fleet Farm’s gas is cheaper than BP’s…so no, I don’t have concrete evidence one is a better deal.
Pipeline pigs, that is.
I worked in Bakersfield around oil all my young life. Additives used to be added right in the tanker truck. I don’t know about now, though.
About Techron, I had a '77 VW Rabbit and had persistant problems with the fuel injection. My mechanic repaired the system a couple times, then told me I should either use Chevron or add Techron (from the parts store) to the gas I put in the car. Problem solved.
Disclaimer: I work for Chevron at their research center in Richmond, CA.
Peace,
mangeorge
I used to fill up at Esso only (for the points).
I use 91 octane only because my truck is chipped (tuned for 91 octane)
To make a long story short, I filled up only at Esso and I would get about 450 kilometres from a tank (95 litres) - I did this for 4 years.
A year ago I switched to Shell Gold, and I’ve been getting 510 kilometres from a tank. Granted, I don’t get points for free car washes anymore, but that’s quite a few extra kilometres I get from a tank, so there must be some difference.
I’ve experimented with different stations trying to get extra horsepower from my truck, and I’ve found that ethanol sucks shit.
Seems to me the ethanol kind of waters down the gas and you get shittier mileage from it. This is based solely on observation and have absolutely no scientific data to back it up, LOL.
Now when I was running my truck through the 1/4 mile, I did get better times with 91 octane (without ethanol) as opposed to Sunoco’s 94 octane with 10% ethanol blend. Like I said, I can’t prove squat, but I honestly believe ethanol robs performance.
Gus
You don’t need to prove it. Ethanol does rob performance in an engine not custom-tailored to take advantage of it.
To get the same power output from ethanol as you were getting from gasoline, you’d need to fiddle with the timing and perhaps set up higher-flow injectors. It’s quite possible to make your gas horsepower number on ethanol, but you’re unlikely to see it happen on a stock engine.