TLC Logistics Management

Tips on Pumping Gas

With the price of gasoline once again going up as we enter the Holiday Season, here's a few good tips for you to remember; every bit helps as we try to monitor our gasoline consumption. The writer is a 31 year veteran of the petroleum industry and he shares some of his expertise. The content has been edited.

"I don't know what you are paying for gasoline but I'm sure that you are quite concerned each time you have to fill up the tank. I have worked in the petroleum industry for over thirty years now, so here are some simple tips for you to get more of your money's worth for every gallon that you pay at the pump.

My experience is based on one of the largest fuel pipeline companies in the west coast. Our facility delivers about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period through the pipeline. We move a variety of different fuels, and they include diesel, jet fuel, and gasoline; both regular and premium grades. We also maintain many storage tanks with a total capacity of nearly 20 million gallons to hold these various petroleum products.

Tip #1
Only buy or fill up your vehicle in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground, the more dense the gasoline. As the temperature increases, gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening means that your gallon that you pay for may not be exactly a gallon. One of the key aspects in the petroleum business, relates to the specific gravity and the temperature of the petroleum products, plays an important role.

Just a one-degree rise in temperature is a significant factor or swing for this business. Remember, while our facilities have temperature compensated pumps, you can bet your local service station does not!

Tip #2
When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle in the fast mode. Next time you are at the pump, you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on the "low speed," thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. The faster you pump your gas, the more vapors you are creating. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping at a faster rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. As you maintain a tight seal with the nozzle and gas tank, those vapors are being sucked up and backed into the underground storage tank so you're getting less volume for your money. On a related note, most people are aware about the tremendous waste in "topping off" the tank, as fuel is once again, returned to the underground storage tanks.

Tip #3
One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is about 50% full. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less oxygen is occupying space in the gas tank. Gasoline evaporates extremely fast; much faster than most people realize. To minimize this loss, commercial gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating or moving ceiling or roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.

Tip #4
This is an important tip which will help keep your fuel system in your vehicle as clean and efficient as possible. If there is a gasoline tanker truck pumping into the underground storage tank when you arrive to buy gas, it's probably a good idea to move on and find another station. As any mass distributed product, there are certain by-products. The gasoline being delivered is most likely stirring up the some of the sediment and dirt that is typically on the bottom of the storage tank. Some of this material may be picked up by the pump and inadvertently delivered into your vehicle.

Our commercial facility takes into account each of these guidelines as they are important to our business. We also ensure that the time of delivery, every truck we load is temperature compensated so every gallon is actually the exact amount. We hope these simple tips will help you get the most value for your money.

Do share these tips with others!

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