HJ,
You have talked often about fuel quality, and especially supermarket grades.
Can you tell me whether when I see an Esso lorry pulling up at Asda's filling stations, and Texaco at Morrison's supermarket filling stations, are they delivering the same grade of fuel as that delivered to their own filling stations, or do the supermarkets buy an inferior grade?
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You think the supermarkets have their own refineries? No, its the same stuff. I recall being behind an Esso tanker that pulled out of our local Safeway; I was stuck behind it until it pulled onto an Esso forecourt about 1-1/2 miles down the road....
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I'm led to believe that they may have different additives put in at delivery time though. I've never seen it done so can't say for sure.
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Tankers have several different compartments don't they - it's not just one big tank?
So it might be a different blend being delivered to each station?
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Correct Marlot, additives are added to the petrol at the very end of the refining process. This means there can be a variation in additives used.
As for specific tankers delivering to supermarkets, this is not really much clue as to "whose" petrol it is. I believe they are nearly all contractors for transport companies and not owned by the oil companies.
Also, they have different compartments so could go from supermarket to branded station with 2 differing products.
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PR: yes, the drivers are often nominally self-employed. They can " lease" or buy the tanker and livery on finance. No doubt the refinery people hope this gets them off the hook re some inconvenient matters such as employment law:) At the same time lending an air of respectability to the "small business" driving the delivery tanker.
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Aprilia - maybe he was filling up, not unloading :-)
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The following old post says exactly what my ertswhile neighbour, who also drove tankers out of Buncefield, told me 3 or so years ago.
The difference is in the additives, not the base fuel. All the fuel goes into the depot via pipeline, and leaves in road tankers. All grades go down the same pipes (though not at the same time presumably...), and the additives are put in when the tanker is loaded.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=67...5
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These additives are truly wonderful. They give so much extra MPG, clean both the engine, and exhaust and probably somehow make the tyres last a couple of thousand miles more - with much better grip.
Given that the magic ingredients reduce petrol consumption, they are in effect robbing the Chancellor of enormous amounts of tax revenue. I wonder if he has caught on yet and should those of us who use Supermarket fuel tell him?
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I still stick with Optimax, but;
If it is a question of 'additives' being added to the tanker at the point of delivery, has no one thought of putting these additives in small bottles and selling them to us in Halfords?
Before you nick the idea, I thought of it first!
Mat35.
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Millers, Redex amongst many others sell additives in bottles. I use the millers petrol and diesel additives every fill up.
Remember most branded fuel only has a keep clean dose of additive.
Be careful of using too much additive in an old vehicle as it will clean gunge very effectively from fuel tanks, lines etc.
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>>All grades go down the same pipes(though not at the same time presumably...),
Funnily enough they do. Different products are sent down the same pipe in batches, and just diverted into the right tanks at the right time.
www.linewatch.co.uk/network.htm gives details about the pipelines all over the UK.
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If I recall correctly from my days dealing with pipelines, there is a radioactive (or similar) "tracer" sent down between the batches which the valve gear can recognise and automatically switch to different tanks. This was about 30 years ago and was regarded as cutting-edge stuff then; probably still is - just like Concorde is/was.
Terry
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i dont know about bpultimate or other brands, but optimax say that "Shell Optimax is manufactured exclusively at the Shell refinery at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire".
this topic very popular here. use search button to find hundreds of previous posts.
scottish proverb
yous pay yous mooney and yous take yous choice.
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Thanks for the link. I knew there was a pipeline from the Kent coast refineries to Heathrow supplying aviation fuel (there would be a traffic jam of tankers feeding 747's otherwise), but I didn't know there was such an extensive network around the UK.
Perhaps we should install our own local taps like they do in Nigeria?
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Perhaps we should install our own local taps like they do in Nigeria?
They also have the habit of smoking while doing so, though. I'm not sure that, taking all factors into consideration, this results in a positive contribution to their standard of living...
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The oil companies sold off all their fleets in the early '80s. This was reported as the oil companies concentrating on their core business but the real reason was that the increasingly militant T&G union had grasped the notion that it could cripple the country merely by pulling out the tanker drivers.
I though the operations were sub-contracted to a few major hauliers, the oil companies would never contemplate dealing with individuals, they simply could not handle the admin. The drivers may be self-employed but they will be working for the hauliers not the oil companies.
During the recent fuel protests Blair called in the MD's of all the UK oil companies and was amazed to find that they had little control over the tankers.
Another thought is that it will minimize the oil company's liability in the case of an acccident, although this is doubtful, after all the Exxon Valdez was not owned by Exxon.
I am glad that others have noticed the benefits of branded petrol, as well as those stated above I find it gives me fresh breath and a glossy coat. Damn thats one of my new years resolutions broken...
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Here in Oz we're starting to see supermarket chains linking up with the major fuel companies to provide discounts ie spend $30 at Coles and you can get fuels discounts at Shell stations incl Optimax.
Is it the same in the UK or are supermarket fuel stations independent from the major companies?
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Arty,
Some of the major Supermarkets give you a coupon that gives a discount off each litre from their fuel station for a one off tankfull. The amount of discount is dependant on how much you spend in the store.
Safeways currently give up to 20p a litre(approx 25% off) if you spend a lot - I think £100. So if you have a 50 litre tank you can save £10.
I have not seen a scheme as you describe for the branded stations.
C
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