Issuu

The Bulletin

Inside

Inside 4

Welcome

Editorial

Business Manager

New Members

Publications Information

News

Holiday Corner

Press Releases

Dip Stick vs. Automatic Tank Gauge

Fuelling the Future: ‘Oasis’, the New Face of Hydrogen

APEA Live 2017 Conference, Exhibition and Awards DinnerMobile

How Big is Your Charger?

Hydrogen Refuelling Truck

Ask the Experts

Interview with Jan Ageheim, UPP

Branches

Training

Front cover: An old site next to a pub in Louth, South Lincolnshire, courtesy of the Brookfield Group. Published by the APEA (The Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration) A company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England No. 2261660.

Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the Association. The technical content is not an official endorsement by or on behalf of the APEA and are entirely the views of the author’s.

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Welcome

Welcome the time and energy you gave to the APEA. I would also like to thank all the exhibitors and our sponsors too.

Anton Martiniussen APEA Chairman It has been an honour and a privilege to have served as the Association’s Chairman. This year’s APEA Live AGM is being held on November 23rd in Milton Keynes. APEA Live combines an exhibition, conference and gala awards dinner. A fresh approach this year offers a broad range of topical subjects embracing new technologies, fuels, security and communication, appealing to both ends of the forecourt industry, from regulators to the new retail operators coming to the industry. I am committed to upholding the aims of the Association and serving the Association with vigour and energy with focus on our members. The Chairman’s role is one that is supported by the assistance and diligence of many others. A big thank you to our Events Committee chair Alex Boudry and the event organiser team F2F Events and their tireless efforts in making this event a success. To APEA National Council for their enthusiasm and dedication to the Association. The accounts are in the competent hands of Gareth Bourhill, and The Bulletin under the stewardship of Brian Humm. My thanks also go to the other committee chairs and their teams, Jamie Thompson, Ian Hillier, Louise Morgan, Tom Daly and Andy Kennedy. For keeping the wheels turning a very special thanks to our Business Manager Jane Mardell. Thank you all on behalf of the APEA for your enthusiasm. During the past year, some people have left or retired, and new ones have joined. Our thoughts are with you and we thank you for

Chairman of Publishing Committee Louise Morgan Tel/fax: +44 (0) 845 678 0790 Mobile: +44 (0) 7789 744281 email: louisemorgan@petrocom.co.uk

Editor Brian Humm Mobile: +44 (0) 7507 478533 email: b.humm@outlook.com 4

The APEA encompasses industry and regulators working together. We aim to facilitate the interchange of information, ideas and good practises. It provides a platform for intelligent discussion and debate where all members have the opportunity to engage in the subject of their choice. Views can be presented to technical bodies going forward to standards contributions. The Association is here for you, whether as an individual or corporately. The APEA’s technical task groups are active and are fully engaged. With its broad membership, it is what continues to give the APEA its importance and relevance. The Branches play an important role in serving the membership by arranging regular and interesting venues and technical presentations. If you are a Local Authority I encourage you to send your petroleum authority and enforcing staff to participate in these important events. It is an invaluable knowledge base and keeps you updated about the rapidly changing technologies. Regarding the current debate on electric vehicles and proclamations in the press. Everyone recognises the need to improve air quality but there needs to be a clearer understanding of the technology and the economic arguments. The impact of what is being proposed needs to be clarified. Hybrid technology has an important place as do other technologies including Hydrogen, CNG, Autogas, LNG, SCR technology etc. To exclude these and the internal combustion engine along with anything else might be rash. What is the challenge for the downstream infrastructure as well as the equipment industry and those employed in our industry? Recently, as I was driving through the narrow-congested streets of London, the big question seems to be, where will the charging points be put? Will cables be coming out of every window? There are costs and consequences with the technology. If you would like to share something with us please contact me.

APEA Business Manager (contact for Bulletin advertising, design and typesetting) Jane Mardell APEA, PO Box 106 Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3XT Tel/fax: +44 (0) 345 603 5507 Mobile: +44 (0) 7815 055514 email: admin@apea.org.uk

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Editorial

Editorial into this field by Council members to provide this valuable information to ensure that this is available to enable safety.

Hello and welcome to this new edition of the APEA Bulletin magazine, I hope you enjoy reading this edition as much as I have enjoyed putting the content together.

I am still actively involved within the industry and regularly visit petrol filling stations as part of my day to day routine in all parts of the UK. It is nice to see that the standard of filling station design and construction throughout is of a great level of consistency in all parts; the level of expertise has significantly increased within the whole of the industry. The level of Health & Safety also has drastically increased during my career - indeed, when I first started as a petroleum inspector there was very little Health and safety on a site where building works were being undertaken. Makes me sound old I know but “in my day” I have seen builders wearing training shoes and shorts on sites under construction; we definitely have come a long way since then.

The content of this edition has, as usual, been somewhat difficult to gather. This is once again an early appeal to members - please consider submitting an article to me, or Jane, for inclusion in an edition. It can be a simple news item, a report on a project or incident etc. or a question for our experts. I would be particularly interested in anything from regulator; I still receive questions from petroleum officers that have attended APEA training courses on my email but it would be nice to get questions from far and wide. You will find excellent articles within this edition regarding the up and coming/trending topic of Hydrogen. This is coming thick and fast folks; when I was still involved in the world of regulation I had the privilege to work with Andrew Murphy of Shell Oil. Andrew has produced an excellent article on a Shell collaboration with other industry leading companies to further the presence of Hydrogen as a fuel within Europe. We are also privileged to also have an insight into Mobile Hydrogen fuel cells from Rachael Barker of Fuel Cell Systems Limited. Both articles are extremely interesting and show the commitment that Governments and leading fuel suppliers have to tackle climate change and the pollution of the atmosphere, and the companies that are helping to lead the way to try and tackle this worldwide problem.

In part I believe this to be because of the publication of the original edition of the Blue Book which introduced standards into the industry which could be looked into by all personnel involved in a project involving the development of a petrol filling station. Prior to this it was basically reliant on the knowledge base of the local enforcing authority, the builders that were tasked to construct the site and the architect who designed it. Once the Blue Book was initially published this brought into place sets of standards to apply, guidance on equipment to be used and safety systems and how to implement them - quite a long winded approach but this is leading to the publication of the new edition of the Blue Book. All the guidance has been produced and has been sent out for consultation, the responses have been received and collated, the panels that have been tasked with producing the chapters are now sifting through the comments, analysing the validity and where necessary altering or including them within the document. We are extremely hopeful that the new edition will be ready for distribution early in the new year; once again, watch this space, any news on the date will probably be sent out via email once known so please make sure you check your emails!

For all the members that are regulators please also don’t forget that there is guidance published and available on the APEA website for the co-location of Hydrogen upon a petrol filling station; excellent guidance which is aimed at informing and helping members ensure that if this situation arises, within their area, then they will have the correct tools to ensure that the site will be designed to be installed and to operate in a safe manner. The guidance was produced by industry experts over a considerable period and the APEA technical committee was heavily present at all the meetings and are partly responsible for its production. This is a case where I believe members are not aware of the effort put

Lastly, I cannot write this foreword without thanking some people for their help in its production. Firstly Jamie Thompson: Jamie’s articles are always extremely interesting and impart knowledge to all. In this issue Jamie has carried out the interview section with Jan Ageheim; thank you Jamie for all your help. This Bulletin would not be possible without Jane, the APEA Business Manager, who designs the layout, typesets everything and produces the magazine and this also involves gently cajoling me for the news items and articles on time. Thanks Jane for all you do.

Brian Humm Editor

So please enjoy this edition, until next time…

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Business Manager/New Members

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New Members

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Publications Information

Publications Information 3rd Edition of the Guidance for Design, Construction, Modification, Maintenance and Decommissioning of Filling Stations - ‘Blue Book’ (Revised June 2011) The guide is currently available as a pdf download, the hard copy is out of stock. Price for pdf format APEA Member rate - £70 plus vat Non APEA Member rate - pdf £140 plus vat If you wish to purchase the guide please go to the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk and click on the ‘Publications’ page. You can select to pay by credit/debit card. The 4th Edition is due for publication early in 2018 and will be available in hard copy and pdf format. The APEA also publishes the Code of Practice for Ground floor, multi storey and underground car parks. This can be downloaded directly from the APEA website and is available to members at £11.00 and £21.00 to non APEA members.

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Publications Information/UK News Bulletin Magazine • The Bulletin is published four times a year with a print run of 2200. • Free issue to APEA members (approx 1200 members worldwide) • Has international distribution and readership • Respected source of industry specific news and information • Contains relevant news items and reports from overseas • Individual, Fellow and Retired members receive one copy each and Corporate members receive 5 copies each per quarter. The editor of The Bulletin, Brian Humm, is always on the look out for new material, so if you have something you want to be included, please email it to the APEA office at admin@apea.org.uk and it will be forwarded to Brian for approval. Please email the text in Word format and any images as separate high resolution pdf or jpeg files to admin@apea.org.uk.

We are always pleased to receive contributions from our members and it ensures that the Bulletin remains an interesting and informative read.

Deadline dates for copy and advertising artwork 2018 Issue

Copy deadline

Posting date

Mar 2018

11th Dec

16th Feb

June 2018

26th Mar

11th May

Sept 2018

25th June

17th Aug

Dec 2018

24th Sept

9th Nov

Please note the deadline date for the March 2018 issue is in early December due to Christmas and New Year holidays.

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News “Fatberg” made into bio diesel A 130 tonne fatberg blocking a London sewer is to be converted into roughly 10,000 litres of biodiesel, it has been announced. Thames Water said around one third of the fatberg – a large mass of fat, grease, oil, wet wipes and sanitary products – had been removed from underneath Whitechapel Road, a main thoroughfare in the east of London. The utility added that the fatberg would help to create enough energy to power 350 of London's iconic double decker Routemaster buses for one day. Fatbergs form when people flush unsuitable items down their toilets or pour oils and fats – which set hard and clog pipes when they cool – down their sinks. Since the beginning of September, high powered jets have been used to break the fatberg down so it could be sucked up from the sewer. The fatberg will now be taken 12

to a specialist plant where it will be processed with other fats, greases and oils and turned into biodiesel. The fatberg's other constituent parts – including baby wipes, cotton buds and nappies – will be disposed of. Thames Water said it would work with wasteto-power firm Argent Energy on the project. “We have a problem with fatbergs, both in sewer networks and at our sewage treatment works,” Alex Saunders, waste network manager at Thames Water, said in a statement. “Previously, we’ve either extracted the fatberg out of the pipes and sent it to landfill, or broken it down and put it back through the sewage treatment process,” Saunders added. “Even though they are our worst enemy, and we want them dead completely, bringing fatbergs back to life when we do find them in the form of biodiesel is a far better solution for everyone.”

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UK News/International News

Shell to open first non petrol station Royal Dutch Shell will open its first “no-petrol” service station in the UK next year as part of its shift towards cleaner energy. The new Shell stations will be located in London and are expected to offer drivers biofuels, electric vehicle charging points and hydrogen cell refuelling, while there will be no place for diesel and petrol pumps. Pumps will not be the only environmentally friendly part of the station as solar panels will be installed in the building

and on the forecourt roof to power the site. Shell has made a clear shift towards alternative fuels with plans for three hydrogen cell refuelling stations in the UK this year, and plenty of positive talk about installing EV charges at Shell stations. The no-petrol site represents another step in that direction. Later this year Shell plans to roll out high-speed electric vehicle charge points across a selection of its 400 UK service stations.

Countries to push ethanol market The global ethanol fuel market is expected to reach USD 115.65 billion by 2025, growing by 6.7%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Asia Pacific is estimated to witness a fast-paced growth during the next eight years. China, India, and Philippines are the key countries that are considered to positively impact the industry growth in the future. The government of India is currently drawing efforts on enhancing the use of ethyl alcohol as an automotive fuel. The National Policy

on Biofuels was implemented in India in 2009, which stated that the oil manufacturing companies were required to distribute petrol blended with a minimum of 5% ethyl alcohol. Furthermore, this policy proposed a target of 20% increase in the blending rate by the end of 2017 within India. Australia currently has an E7 ethanol blending mandate implemented in New South Wales. Furthermore, Australia focuses on reaching a 10% biofuels mandate by the end of 2020. In China, nine provinces have proposed a 10% ethanol blend that include Jilin, Henan, Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Anhui.

First public LNG station opens In September, RAG, Ennshafen OÖ GmbH and Iveco Austria opened Austria’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) filling station at Ennshafen port. RAG completed construction of Austria’s first LNG filling station in a period of just a few weeks, and it is now open to the public. The opening event was attended by the Deputy Governor of Upper Austria, Michael Strugl, as well as other prominent guests from the worlds of politics and business. “This is a milestone in establishing LNG as an environmentally friendly fuel for goods vehicles, and RAG is making a highly important contribution to achieving Austria’s climate targets. Thanks to our filling station, LNG has finally arrived in the country,”

commented Markus Mitteregger, RAG’s Chief Executive Officer. Approximately 12 tonnes of LNG can be kept in storage at the Ennshafen site at present – equivalent to the amount required to refuel between 60 and 90 trucks. RAG delivers natural gas using its own LNG tankers, according to a press release. “We also plan to open further LNG filling stations on major transport routes in Tyrol, Upper Austria, Styria and the Vienna area,” Markus Mitteregger explained. LNG-powered trucks are already firmly established in the USA and China. There are LNG filling stations in a number of European countries, and now these environmentally friendly vehicles have arrived in Austria.

Switch to pay at pump for safety reasons Canadian fuel retailer Husky Energy has moved to pay-at-thepump for all its stations in the Alberta region. According to the company, the move looks to improve safety of workers and patrons. Drivers will now be able to pay with debit, credit or cash at the pump before they start refuelling. Alberta labour leaders have applauded the move but they still ask the province administration to make prepay a must for all gas 14

stations in the province, reports the Calgary Herald. “We are taking this step to minimize the risk to attendants and the public associated with fuel payments, in light of a number of tragic deaths over the past few years,” said Kim Guttormson, media relations coordinator with Husky Energy Inc. In October 2015, Husky gas station worker Surinder Pal Singh, 61, died of head injuries following an altercation with a customer at an Edmonton location.

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International News

EV charging investment increases The government of Dubai is giving out incentives worth millions of dollars to drive the use of electric and hybrid vehicles and help protect the environment. The incentives from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) include free charging, free assigned parking, exemption from RTA electric vehicle registration and renewal fees, exemption from Salik’s tag fee, and arranging a special sticker for number plates. Through this support, Dubai envisions to have 42,000 electric vehicles circulating on the emirate streets by 2030.

DEWA is currently working on installing 100 more charging stations to bring the total number to 200 in 2018. “Under the umbrella of the Supreme Council (of Energy), Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is working on implementing the Dubai Green Mobility (which) supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, for Dubai to have the lowest carbon footprint in the world by 2050, and the Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy to cut carbon emissions by 16% by 2021,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy and MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).

IKEA partners with Gasum to open biogas stations next to its stores Gasum will cooperate with IKEA Finland to use food waste from IKEA restaurants in Finland to produce biogas, with Gasum filling stations also to be constructed by the furniture retailing centres. The first station will be opened at the IKEA store in Espoo in late 2017. In the future the cooperation will also enable the utilization of biogas fuel in IKEA Finland’s own operations and by IKEA’s transport partners.

The cooperation between Gasum and IKEA Finland will result in the production of environmentally friendly biogas from food waste generated in all of Finland’s IKEA restaurants. Biogas is a clean and 100% renewable local fuel made from biodegradable feedstocks such as biowaste sourced from homes, retail outlets and industry. “Utilizing the volumes of food waste remaining after our efforts to

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International News eliminate wastage is a sustainable act for the promotion of a clean energy form, biogas,” says Country Sustainability Manager Tiina Suvanto from IKEA Finland. One of the aims of the cooperation is to construct gas filling stations in conjunction with the IKEA stores in Finland. “Our partnership with IKEA Finland is a great example of comprehensive circular-economy cooperation benefiting all those

involved. The opening of gas filling stations in conjunction with the stores will improve access to a cleaner road fuel among consumers as well as logistics operators,” says Jukka Metsälä, Vice President, Biogas, from Gasum. Gasum has opened four new gas filling stations in Finland this year. Currently, there are 36 gas filling stations in Finland, with 24 of these operated by Gasum.

Total buys stake in renewable energy Total is set to acquire French energy efficiency firm Greenflex and buy an indirect stake in renewable energy company EREN RE. According to a company release, the acquisition of Greenflex, expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2017, will boost Total’s energy efficiency offering, over and above the growth of its affiliates BHC Energy in France and Tenag in Germany. Total intends to offer energy optimization and emissions management solutions to customers as it pursues its strategy to address climate challenges. In a separate transaction, its indirect investment of 23% in EREN

RE, a company that manages a diversified portfolio of wind, solar and hydraulic assets, aims to accelerate Total’s expansion in the production of power from renewable sources. “EREN RE’s momentum will allow us to accelerate our growth in solar energy and move us into the wind power market. The agreement with EREN RE is a major step towards our objective of achieving 5GW of installed capacity in 5 years,” commented Philippe Sauquet, President Gas, Renewables and Power. The transaction, upon approval and completion, will rename EREN RE to Total Eren.

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International News

EV charging network expands A network of rapid-charging stations is set to expand in German motorways after ABB, a Swedish-Swiss robotics and technology firm, signed a deal with electric utilities company EnBW. The installation of 117 electric vehicle (EV) chargers at Tank & Rest service stations is expected to be completed by the end of 2017. The EV chargers have a charging capacity of 50 kilowatts each, can recharge vehicles in 30 minutes, and are connected to the Internet via a cloud solution, enabling cashless payments, among other things. This latest supply agreement follows last year’s EnBW orders for 68 EV chargers from ABB. “This is why we are delighted that EnBW has once again chosen our technically advanced products in this forward-looking project. The need to rapidly expand the charging infrastructure network has once again been shown during this year’s International Motor Show in Frankfurt, where nearly all automotive companies have announced a massive expansion of their electric vehicle ranges,” said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer.

VW introduces new LNG truck initiative More than 100 Scania LNG trucks will be used in northern Germany, in an initiative to make the transport activities of the Volkswagen Group more environmentally compatible. Volkswagen will start using more than 100 LNG trucks in a bid to be “greener”. The new project is supported by the German Government, associations and gas suppliers. To speed up the implementation, participants recently met at an “LNG Truck Day” in Wolfsburg. “Lower-emission trucks are a key element in our Green Logistics sustainability initiative. With LNG Truck Day, we provided impetus for the use of trucks with alternative powertrains,” Thomas Zernechel, Head of Volkswagen Group Logistics. At the gathering, Volkswagen Group Logistics, Scania, the gas suppliers participating and 18 regional forwarders all gave their support to sustainable logistics. More than 100 Scania LNG trucks are to be made available to the Group’s freight forwarders in the north of Germany. The German Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure will provide forwarders with a support package for the purchase of trucks. Gas suppliers are to construct LNG refuelling stations in the region. “Countries such as Spain, the Netherlands or France are in a significantly better position with regard to LNG supplies for road transport. Germany urgently needs to catch up,” said Frank APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

International News Bonaldo, spokesperson for the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. LNG is considerably more environmentally compatible than conventional fuels, according to the two companies. Scania trucks with an LNG powertrain emit up to 20% less CO2 than comparable diesel engines. The use of regional and local biogas even reduces

CO2 emissions by as much as 90% in addition to the improvement in the carbon dioxide balance, these powertrains emit some 95% less nitrogen oxides (NOx). Less particulate matter is produced during combustion and particulate emissions are almost completely avoided (-95%). Compared with diesel engine trucks, the noise levels produced by combustion are reduced by about 50% (-3 db).

Economic recovery sees 10% increase in sales Spain’s service station market will close 2017 with a 10% increase in total volume of sales, according to the Observatorio Sectorial DBK of Informa.

which compromises Spain and Portugal, will achieve earnings of 33.5 billion during 2017, signifying a 9.5% increase compared to the previous year.

After the annual decrease in sales between 2012 and 2016, an improved economy and a resurging business activity will see Spain’s fuel retailing market grow again with total sales of around 27.1 billion in 2017, according to DBK’s prevision.

In December 2016, there were 13,373 active service stations in the whole of the Iberian market, a 2.1% increase from 2015. In Spain, 44% of fuel stations also feature a car wash.

The 10% increase in sales for this year is based on growing fuel consumption as Spanish and Portuguese households start to feel the effects of an improved economy, reports Economía de Mallorca.

Repsol has the largest service station network, at 3,544 sites, amounting to 31.7% of the national network. The top five fuel retailers -Repsol, Cepsa, BP, Galp and Shell (Disa) accounted for 61.3% of service stations in Spain in 2016, according to a new report: 'Service Station Retailing in Spain 2017' published by GlobalData.

The report by DBK shows that gas stations in the Iberian Peninsula,

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International News

Petronas denies staff redundancies Malaysian energy company Petronas has denied claims by blogger Syed Akbar Ali that it plans to terminate 5,000 jobs next year (2018). In a note issued by the company it claimed that the group’s business review exercise conducted last year had affected 2,300 jobs as previously announced. The note added that there was no plan to undertake another exercise of that scale. On 15 September 2017, blogger Syed Akbar Ali on his OutSyed the Box site alleged that Petronas was planning to terminate 5,000

employees next year in what was claimed as another round of “staff reduction” exercise group-wide. Petronas categorically denies the blogger’s allegation and stated its commitment to building a high-performing work culture where manpower optimization and functional streamlining are an ongoing process. Petronas has two fuel retailing branches, Dagangan Berhad and Engen Petroleum Limited, with a combined network of around 2,500 service stations.

Fuel storage project resumes Myanmar’s regional government has approved the resumption of a fuel storage project that was previously postponed due to environmental and engineering concerns. The project, which started in March 2015, involves the construction of 32 fuel storage tanks in Amarapura township, Mandalay Region.

Only one tank was permitted to be built and will be operational within the next two months. The latest government decision will allow the continuation of the project, set to offer a storage capacity of 3 million gallons of fuel. Opposition to the project still persists as its location is near the cultural heritage site of Innwa.

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International News

Engen selected as the top retailer For the seventh consecutive year, consumers have backed Engen as their favourite fuel retailer in South Africa.

have placed it ahead of the pack in brand recognition and loyalty across all audiences, according to the company.

South African retailer Engen has been selected by Sunday Times Top Brands survey, which recognises those brands that have earned top consumer sentiment in South Africa over the past 12 months.

“We continue to focus on consistently reinvigorating the Engen brand and investing much effort into remaining an attractive destination for our customers’ convenience needs,” comments Seelan Naidoo, Engen’s General Manager: Retail.

While Engen continues to have the largest service station footprint in South Africa, operating over 1,000 sites, it has been the company’s constant innovation and customer service focus that

Engen recently launched a new advanced energy formula, Engen Primax Unleaded. This was in answer to motorists’ calls for petrol that provides both high performance and fuel economy.

Supertanker port announced A $600-million oil storage contract has been signed between Oman’s Sohart Port and Singapore’s Trescorp to build a terminal that will feature six deep-water berths, with 25m drafts, one of them capable of receiving supertankers, which are very large crude carriers with of up to 320,000 deadweight tonnage (dwt), reports Times of Oman. To be located in Sohar Port South, the new terminal will be

equipped to receive, store and blend crude oil, fuel oil and diesel in its first phase of construction set to start next year (2018). For the second phase, expansion plans will include gasoline blending, jet fuel, asphalt and a lube oil blending plant. The facilities seek to increase the total storage capacity up to 1.8 million cubic metres. Operations are expected to start by 2020.

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International News

Disa acquires new stations Canary Islands-based Disa has increased its fuelling network by acquiring 30 service stations from the Group Gesa. The sites are located in the Spanish Peninsula and make Disa the fourth biggest retailer in Spain.

sites spread across the whole of Spain, consolidating its place as the largest independent operator, and fourth biggest player only behind Repsol, Cepsa and BP, according to the Spanish Association of Petroleum Product Operators (AOP in its Spanish acronym).

The recently acquired sites will be incorporated over the next few months and will operate under the Shell flag, as Disa is a licensee of the brand in Spain. By the end of the year Disa will operate 588

Those 286 service station workers employed by Group Gesa will be incorporated to Disa, which has doubled its workforce in the last decade of company growth.

Adnoc receives award for 2017 Adnoc Distribution, the UAE’s leading operator of service stations and convenience stores, has received a ‘UAE Superbrand’ award for 2017. This marks the fourth consecutive year the company has achieved Superbrand status.

positioning in the UAE. “In keeping with this recognition of our branding strength, we will continue to focus on innovation and growth to deliver greater choice, convenience and service to customers while growing our business and seeking new markets,”

Mohammed Al Zaabi, Acting Senior Vice President of Retail Sales Group at Adnoc Distribution, received the award at a ceremony hosted by the Superbrands Council, the largest independent global body evaluating and recognizing corporate branding and

The Superbrand award recognizes Adnoc Distribution’s focus on enhancing the quality and range of its services as it meets rising demand from UAE vehicle users while also developing overseas markets, according to the company.

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International News

EPA reaction to hurricane Harvey The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it extended enforcement discretion for petroleum distribution facilities, gasoline storage facilities and bulk fuel terminals in Texas that had been impacted or damaged by Hurricane Harvey. Tanker trucks that deliver fuel to areas of Texas and Louisiana were able to roam freely without fear of being inspected until Friday, September 29 following the impact of the storm. Similarly, the EPA announced that it would not pursue enforcement actions that relate to violations of provisions of the Clean Air Act for emissions of certain air pollutants from gasoline storage tanks during events known as “roof landings.” Under EPA’s no action assurance letters, the facilities had to continue to exercise good air pollution control practices and comply with all other federal, state and local environmental laws.

Gilbarco Veeder Root workers in Greensboro help communities On October 2 2017 more than 1,500 Gilbarco employees joined forces to give back to their local communities. Gilbarco Veeder Root (GVR) offered all employees a full work day to volunteer as part of a team, or with the community organisations of their choice. Gilbarco’s Greensboro location joins over 175 other Fortive company locations around the world in this Day of Caring initiative. In Greensboro, GVR employees will be working on approximately 15 projects to feed the hungry, boost educational opportunities, support veterans, assist hospices, and fight homelessness. “With over 1500 employees in the area, Gilbarco is committed to supporting the community by giving back its time and resources,” said Steve Moule, President of Gilbarco North America. Throughout the day, GVR employees contributed an estimated 12,000 hours to cleaning up parks and recreational areas, visiting schools and assisted living centres, making up care packages for veterans and hurricane relief, and packing toiletry and snack kits for those in need.

Forecourt TV upgrades by Gilbarco Veeder Root Moyle Petroleum, a family-owned business headquartered in South Dakota that specializes in the convenience store industry, chose to standardize its c-store forecourt infrastructure with Gilbarco’s EMV and Applause TV media solutions. APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

International News Moyle Petroleum operates 41 corporate c-store locations in the western U.S. under the Common Cents brand. It also provides fuel and related services to many other fuel merchants in Idaho, South Dakota, Nebraska, Utah and Wyoming. “We also look forward to protecting our customers’ credit and debit cards from fraud with

the additional security of EMV on the forecourt,” said Jonathan Kemp, I.T. Systems Manager at Moyle. Applause TV is a turnkey digital marketing solution designed to entertain and engage customers while they’re on the forecourt driving them into the store.

Tesla charging stations designed to mimic petrol stations Tesla charging stations may soon look like conventional gas stations as the company mulls adding restaurants to its charging facilities.

As people spend 20-30 minutes waiting until their Tesla electric vehicles get charged, they might as well drink coffee, eat, or use the bathroom.

According to Restaurant Business, Tesla’s chief technology officer JB Straubel disclosed the plan and showed an aerial depiction of a recharge centre in the food tech conference FSTEC.

Straubel, however, stressed that Tesla is not interested in managing a foodservice operation. It would rather pursue partnerships with restaurants.

Nozzle accident causes fire Small explosions erupted on West State Street, Olean, USA, on a Friday morning when a driver unwittingly pulled a gasoline nozzle loose from a Kwik Fill station pump, according to officials from the Allegany Fire Department. At about 10:30am, a male driver who was washing his windows

forgot the Petrol nozzle was still in his car filler and drove away without removing it. As the hose was ripped from the pump, gasoline poured onto the station pavement and ignited. The gas station building was undamaged. Only the pump where the mishap occurred was destroyed. Authorities declined to reveal the identity of the suspected driver as the incident is still under investigation.

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International News No one was reported injured, although a spokesman indicated the female attendant on duty was shaken up. They mentioned that after the petrol had ignited, a safety shower system that had been installed above the pumps activated. They added that when firefighters arrived on scene, there were two “small explosions.” The firefighters sprayed water and foam to knock down the blaze quickly and bring the situation to a satisfactory and safe conclusion.

Firework factory explosion kills nine A large fire broke out at a factory in Jharkhand state, India early on a Sunday morning in late October following an explosion. “The factory unit was being run illegally and there was a huge stock of fireworks inside in preparation for Diwali,” district police superintendent Prabhat Kumar” stated. The fire started at 04:30 in the morning. Police and fire officials attended quickly but intermittent explosions continued till midnight whilst attempts were made to extinguish the fire. Twelve workers were trapped out of which nine have died. Three of them were rescued and are being treated for various injuries. Authorities are investigating the incident but so far no arrests have been made. Such accidents often occur ahead of Diwali, the annual festival of lights, which many celebrate by letting off fireworks. In June 25 workers died after an explosion at a firecracker factory in central Madhya Pradesh state, while a similar incident at a factory in Tamil Nadu last October left twenty workers dead. Workplace accidents are common in India, where there are poor safety standards and lax enforcement of regulations.

Explosions and fire lead to indictment for illegal fireworks James Witt, 76, of Grandview, and Thomas McKeehan, 66, of Belton, were the target of a three-count indictment. Witt and McKeehan were charged with one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of manufacturing in explosives, and one count of engaging in the business of dealing in explosive materials. McKeehan also faces one count of making a materially false statement, after telling authorities he had no knowledge of Witt's involvement in manufacturing the explosives at JW's Lawn and Garden. The pair are accused of manufacturing M-80 and M-100 explosives, as well as purchasing commercial fireworks without a license. After an explosion destroyed JW's Lawn and Garden, the pair are accused of travelling to storage units McKeehan allegedly maintained, loading up a van with illegal explosives and commercial fireworks, and then illegally selling them to an individual in Wisconsin for about $32,000. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Clark. It was investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

International News

Dangerous goods fine A truck driver carrying dangerous, unrestrained goods on the Hume Highway, New South Wales (NSW), Australia has paid a heavy price for not securing his load. Joint Traffic Task Force pulled over the heavy vehicle at around

11.30am one Saturday early November at Tarcutta, NSW. A load inspection revealed most of the goods were unrestrained while carrying numerous pallets of flammable liquid goods. The driver was issued a $5400 penalty notice for driving a heavy vehicle and not complying with loading requirements.

Budget cuts threaten contamination clean up Stop at any gas station in Nevada, and one feature will likely remain the same, whether the gas being pumped is in Elko or Las Vegas — the fuel is stored underground. For most people, underground storage tanks where gasoline is typically stored is typically out of mind and literally out of sight. But of the roughly 14,000 underground storage tanks registered with Nevada authorities — more than 4,600 currently in use — state environmental officials are actively investigating or overseeing clean-ups from leaks at nearly 200 sites throughout the state. From dozens of gas stations scattered around North Las Vegas to ghost towns such as Coaldale, state environmental officials are constantly chipping away at the backlog of leaking or contaminated areas around the storage tanks — between the end of May and beginning of November, the state added 6 new cases including a petroleum park in rural Eureka and five in Clark County. Clean-up efforts vary depending on the type of soil, location of the spill and if it reaches any groundwater, though state environmental officials

stress that the vast majority of leaks do not reach “catastrophic” levels. But environmental groups have warned that those cleanup efforts could soon be in jeopardy, given that President Donald Trump’s administration has proposed cutting grant funding for leak prevention and clean-up by nearly half, from $92 million to $47 million dollars per year — even as federal regulations upping standards for the tanks are set to take effect next year. “When leaking tanks are at risk of leaking harmful chemicals such as oil, gas, benzene and toluene into soil and groundwater, drinking water and soil are fouled, backyards and businesses become dangerous, community health is jeopardized, and economic development is crippled,” the Environmental Defence Fund wrote in a report published in late October. Although the sum is a tiny part of the overall EPA budget, it’s led to concerns of a potential slow-down in efforts to clean up the backlog of nearly 70,000 tanks nation-wide that have reported leaks or have lingering residual contamination.

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Holiday Corner

Holiday Corner Photo (right) taken by Anton Martiniussen (APEA Chairman) whilst on holiday in Scotland in the pine forests

Photo (above) taken by John Thompson, formerly Edinburgh Council, whilst on holiday at Oranjestad in Aruba

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Press Releases

Press Releases Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) installs Wayne Helix™ fuel dispensers in innovation stations Wayne Fueling Systems (“Wayne”), a part of Dover Fueling Solutions (“DFS”) and a global provider of fuel dispensing, payment, automation, and control technologies for retail and commercial fuel stations, announced the collaboration with PTT to create conceptual innovation stations to increase customers’ fueling experience. With their future model stations, PTT is leading the vision to innovate retail gas stations in Thailand and elevate the customer experience. In December 2016, PTT opened the first innovation station in Wang Noi as a pilot site to test various new technologies. “We awarded this innovation station to Wayne due to the technology leadership and sleek, stylish design of the Wayne Helix fuel dispenser. PTT’s aim is to draw more customers with the clean fueling experience, and cross-selling different products with the big media screen offered with Wayne iX Media 10.4-inch display,”

said Surachai Damrongkiatisak, vice president of service station engineering at PTT. Although the Wang Noi station is not the first station to install Helix fuel dispensers, it is the first station in Thailand that also incorporates the iX Pay secure payment platform and Wayne Xflo™ fuel meter in the Helix 5000 fuel dispenser. With this, PTT takes an historic step towards self-service stations enabling payment security and reducing fuel loss. “We see an increased trend with oil companies creating more customer-centric fuel stations, and we are happy that many of them choose Helix fuel dispensers. Currently we have Helix fuel dispensers installed in more than 50 countries worldwide, and we are adding countries as we speak,” says Lise-Lotte Nordholm, director of global dispenser products at Wayne.

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Photos (right) from Jamie Thompson in Tasmania

A new website for a new era in composites In 1980 Fibrelite launched the world’s first GRP composite manhole cover. Today Fibrelite’s lightweight manhole covers and liquid-tight sumps continue to redefine industry standards as stations look to increase their efficiency and health and safety while reducing environmental impact. As demand for high performance low maintenance fuelling equipment increases, Fibrelite continues to invest in technology - designing, developing, manufacturing and rapidly bringing new solutions to market. The new website is a perfect example. Created to showcase Fibrelite’s endlessly evolving product portfolio and reflect their design-to-delivery capabilities, fibrelite.com is a new website for a new era. Inspired to simplify the specification, design and installation process, it showcases the widest range of GRP manhole covers and underground enclosures available. Built to accommodate the increasing variety of internet usage, the new site delivers a consistent user experience on desktop, mobile and tablet – allowing users everywhere to intuitively navigate by product, select specifications, download technical information

and request quotes. Customers can also access over three decades of expertise, including instructional brochures, installation guides, manuals and test reports. A vast library of case studies demonstrates Fibrelite’s ability to provide local support globally, develop solutions for local and individual requirements and manufacture bespoke products to suit every application.

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7,000 mile distance - No barrier to Hytek’s tailored fuel management solutions A key contributor to fuel and lubrication equipment specialist Hytek (GB) Ltd’s industry success, is their policy of tailoring solutions to suit specific needs and providing expert technical and sales backup for their customers wherever in the world they are.

technical support team responsible for commissioning CNC’s new installation over the festive period, was still wearing a festive hat when providing CNC with his expertise that day, and no photographic evidence is available.

This flexible approach and desire to develop close working relationships with their customer base is illustrated perfectly in a recent fuel management project for CNC Petroleum, a company located in Singapore involved in the distribution and transportation of petroleum based products. Hytek’s web based ALPHA FC10 fuel management system has been chosen to enable CNC to achieve a critical part of their business model; the accurate recording of fuel used by their end user.

Hytek’s ALPHA FC10 is ideal for CNC’s fuel management needs with metering accurate to +/- 0.25% while fuel use monitoring is possible via web-enabled devices ranging from a smartphone to a PC anywhere in the world. A huge range of web-accessible information is provided by the FC10 to enable CNC to accurately charge their customer: time and date, site code (or number), fleet number, data tag number, registration number, vehicle type code, group or department number, odometer reading and the type of fuel drawn are all recorded in easy to use formats. This advanced fuel control system software with its comprehensive data recording enables Hytek to provide ongoing and reliable remote back up. The company’s support team based at their headquarters near Stansted Airport can run diagnostics and troubleshoot any possible issues round the clock with CNC’s pumps thousands of miles away in Singapore. Along with the ALPHA FC10 fuel management system, CNC clearly puts its faith in Hytek as they’ve purchased several other products from the company’s comprehensive fuel distribution

CNC, who are also involved in the engineering management of commercial storage systems, ‘lease’ equipment free of charge to their customer but derive their income through charging for fuel used. When an arrangement is struck between CNC and their customer, the buying price is agreed on as is the billing cycle whether weekly, bi-weekly or monthly; it’s clear that accurate and reliable fuel management is key in these circumstances. Alternatively, if CNC’s customer prefers to own the equipment outright then this can be arranged. Hytek, established in the industry for over 30 years, came recommended to CNC and were able to deliver an ideal fuel management solution despite the 7,000 mile distance and the eight hour time difference through their typically flexible approach to meeting customer requirements. With Singapore being eight hours ahead of the UK, Hytek’s experts are available, if required, for CNC very early in the morning. This even included the early hours of Boxing Day 2016 when a newly installed ALPHA FC10 fuel control system had to be commissioned so as to be up and running over the Singapore Christmas holiday period. Working over a holiday period is certainly a prime example of backing promises with direct action: “It’s all part of our desire to not only provide top quality equipment, but to ensure the customer can get up and running quickly and know we’re there to help when support is needed” commented Andy Seal, Hytek’s Sales Director. It’s unconfirmed whether Scott McClean, the member of Hytek’s 32

range including the FC10’s stablemate the FC20 fuel management system, flowmeters, 12V fuel pumps, nozzles, hoses, gauges and filter kits since first working with the company in 2012. CNC’s Product & Market Specialist said ‘We are extremely pleased with the products and services extended by Hytek GB. The fuelling equipment they endorse is reliable and fits perfectly to our business needs. The services they provide are second to none. They are very professional and responsive to enquiries and are quick to provide assistance for any issues encountered. We would definitely recommend Hytek products to our customers as we are assured of the quality of the product as well as the after-sales service offered’. Hytek only supply the trade. For a copy of their product catalogue or for information on opening an account, please email info@hytekgb.com or call +44 (0) 1279 815 600.

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Junction 23 Lorry Park – increase in AdBlue demand leads to site upgrade Back in October 2007, Yara’s brand of AdBlue, Air1, joined forces with Junction 23 Lorry Park and established the first “on the road” AdBlue facility in the region. The initial uptake was very positive and sales grew month by month. Ten years on and the Lorry Park is now selling over 20,000 litres of AdBlue a month and therefore the equipment originally installed was in need of an upgrade. The site initially had a 4000 litre combi-tank installed but now boasts a brand new 9000 litre bulk storage tank that feeds two AdBlue pumps. Junction 23 said “We have been really happy working with Air1 and after ten years the site was in need of newer equipment so we were more than happy to continue the partnership with Air1.” Junction 23 Lorry Park is located at Junction 23 at Shepshed, adjacent to the M1. The site has 180 parking spaces for heavy goods vehicles, all in a fully fenced compound with 24/7 CCTV, and other facilities including a diesel forecourt, a shop and truck washing bay. Air1® recognises the need to make AdBlue available on the road as well as in transport depots. This latest retail AdBlue facility upgrade at Junction 23 illustrates the latest step in this development. For full list of all Retail sites that dispense AdBlue from Air1 at the pump, download the Air1 App (available from the iTunes App Store or Android Market to download for free) or visit www.air1.info for an online route planner tool. AdBlue is a registered trademark of the Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V (VDA). Air1is a registered trademark of Yara International ASA. APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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Certas Energy secures three high quality forecourts Certas Energy has reached agreement with Preston based Petromex Forecourt Services Ltd that will see 13million litres of retail volume moving to Gulf from Texaco, starting in the next two months. Two of the sites, Millbrook Way in Preston and Canal Head in Ulverston, have been acquired by Certas Energy with a third, Harwood Bar, also in Preston, secured on a long term Dealer supply agreement. The deal strengthens Gulf's growing market share in North West England and further reinforces the brand's credentials as a major force in UK petrol retailing. “These are high quality forecourts and exciting strategic locations that will enable us to showcase the Gulf brand in the North West,” enthuses Ramsay MacDonald, Retail Director, Certas Energy. “We believe that under the Gulf brand we can increase volume by at least another 3 million litres as well as develop and enhance the shop and valeting businesses on site. The sites will look fantastic in Gulf colours and support our growth plans for the region.” We hope that any Dealer looking to move from their current supplier to future-proof their business will see this investment as further evidence of our commitment to the sector and provide the confidence for them to trust us with their business. Dealers can be assured that development of our Dealer offering and the Gulf brand proposition is ongoing to drive new business to Gulf sites and boost retailer margins. We are also interested in acquiring further sites across the country and our team are ready to progress any interest from Independents and Groups keen to sell or lease their forecourts.”

Certas Energy currently supplies over 700 locations across the UK, including around 500 Gulf-branded forecourts. This latest acquisition signals a major step change as the existing portfolio of sites run by Certas forecourt staff are all located in Scotland. “Year on year we have been growing our business across the UK and this presented a perfect opportunity to create three flagship Gulf forecourts in the north of England,” continues MacDonald. “We plan to implement changes in the next few months to enhance all three sites in what will be the largest single investment in COCO to date for Certas Energy and its parent, DCC.” “It is also fantastic to be working with Gavin and Peter Valentine, two very experienced petrol retailers, who are long term fans of Gulf, as they look to expand and grow their Petromex business with us.”

PLX gears up for growth in China Durapipe UK is expanding the export operation of its specialist fuel conveyance pipework system, PLX, with the appointment of a new strategic partner in China. The manufacturer has formed a new partnership with Veeder-Root China, one of the world’s largest suppliers of petroleum equipment and services, which will see it become the sole route of PLX across China.

From its three facilities in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, Veeder-Root China is the leading provider of petroleum products to forecourt projects across the region. While Veeder-Root is known for supplying ATG (automatic fuel tank gauge system), STPs (submersible turbine pumps) and Vapour recovery Stage II systems, it did not have access to a fuel pipe system and so the introduction of PLX to its range will enable it to offer a wider product offering to its forecourt customers.

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Veeder-Root’s strong reputation across China will open up new opportunities for PLX, increasing the number of forecourt projects the product is specified for and growing its market share across China. Commenting on the new partnership, David Naylor, PLX Brand Manager for Durapipe said: “While we currently have a strong presence in China, we recognise the potential for further growth. Veeder-Root is synonymous with supplying high quality products and our new partnership will enable us to strengthen the PLX brand and increase the volume of forecourt projects we undertake across the region.” Alex Tai, Senior Product Manager at Veeder-Root, added: “The addition of Durapipe PLX to our range ensures we can offer a complete one-stop-shop solution for forecourt installations,

offering an attractive proposition to specifiers, consultants and oil companies.” Durapipe PLX is a below ground pipework product range specifically developed to fulfil the application needs of the forecourt market. The PLX range consists of both single wall and dual contained pipe and fittings and is purpose-designed for the safe transfer of liquid fuels and their vapours. Providing exceptional resistance to rapid crack propagation and long-term stress cracking, PLX comprises a protective liner, which increases permeation resistance against many types of fuel blends ensuring there is no permeation of fuel through the pipe wall into the environment. For further information on Durapipe PLX or any other products within the Durapipe UK portfolio please call 01543 279909 or log onto www.plxpipe.co.uk.

MFG continues to grow Motor Fuel Group (MFG) is growing its network to 422 stations with the completed acquisition of four stations each from FW Kerridge and Burns & Co. and an exchange of contracts with Macclesfield-based Manor Service Stations for nine stations with completion scheduled to take place in early October. Jeremy Clarke, MFG’s chief operating officer said: “We are

delighted to have secured these three long-standing and respected independent forecourt operators. These additional 17 stations are geographically well placed for us and will all fit into our model of offering customers a great forecourt and convenience offer with excellent customer service. We now look forward to bringing these new stations into our vibrant MFG network.”

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APEA welcomes leader in electric vehicle charging The APEA has welcomed a brand-new member in the form of electric vehicle charging company, InstaVolt. The firm is at the forefront of the electric car revolution, working to install thousands of electric vehicle charging points at forecourts across the UK. It installs and maintains the rapid charging units, which can take batteries to 80 per cent charge in just 30 minutes, for free. It pays forecourts rent for use of the space, instead making its money from the sale of electricity. Unlike many other EV charging firms, the units run by InstaVolt are available to use by all drivers on a pay as you go, no subscription basis. Drivers simply tap their contactless credit or debit card and charge up. It has partnered with US firm ChargePoint to provide the rapid charging units, which are the first of their kind in the UK. With plans to install the vast majority at forecourts across the UK, InstaVolt says it is looking forward with its membership to contribute positively to safety on petrol station forecourts. The APEA’s aims are the advancement of scientific, technical and legal knowledge required in the administration of the Petroleum & Explosives Acts and associated Environment legislation.

CEO Tim Payne said: “Around a third of households don’t have offstreet parking, which means the electric vehicle industry needs to be focused on public, rather than home charging. Forecourts will play a huge role in that, being perfectly placed to house rapid charging units where people can charge up quickly en route. “For us, undertaking electric work in potentially explosive environments like these is a complex and specialist task. As members of the APEA we aim to share best practice and make use of its resources.” The APEA plans to provide bespoke training sessions for InstaVolt electrical engineers. InstaVolt will also share its experiences of installing electric charging points at petrol forecourts with the APEA so others within the industry can benefit. Anton Martiniussen said: “We are delighted to welcome InstaVolt to the APEA. Electric vehicle charging is set to become increasingly important to forecourt operators over the coming years.” InstaVolt is working with other organisations and trade bodies across the country to help create a better public charging infrastructure. Tim Payne says: “The increase in sales of electric vehicles shows UK drivers are seeing the benefits of making the switch. That said,

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Press Releases range anxiety remains the biggest deterrent to buying electric cars so we need to work together as an industry to address that. “Manufacturers need to increase battery range for vehicles and the public and private sector need to work together to install rapid charging points in easily accessible places. “People don’t fill up their cars with petrol or diesel each night – they stop in to fill up as and when they need to. Forecourts hold the power to make it just as easy to do so with electric vehicles.

“They have the potential to become the backbone of ‘location charging’, enabling quick top-ups that fit around EV drivers’ lives, boosting range and providing more consumer confidence. That’s why we’re doing something different and installing rapid charging points at forecourts and other locations for free. “We’re looking forward to working closely with the APEA and fellow members as we do this.” To find out more about InstaVolt visit www.instavolt.co.uk.

Suresite wetstock management confirmed for Greenergy Suresite has been appointed by Greenergy to provide wetstock management across its Esso Dealer network. The long term arrangement is currently being rolled out and provides over 200 Esso Dealers with access to the UK’s most advanced real-time solution. It represents a major coup for a business that only launched its wetstock management service in late 2016.

settings, giving users full control over trigger points for alerts. This also means that Esso Dealers can improve their operational performance by knowing in real time when pumps are dispensing and when they are not.

“We are delighted to have secured this arrangement with Greenergy,” enthuses Keith Bevan, Suresite’s Sales and Marketing Director. “Greenergy is a forward thinking business that recognises the importance of providing its Dealers with the very best available solution for wetstock management. Esso Dealers are now able to create a bespoke service that best suits their business. In Suresite Live they have access to a system that monitors and reports in realtime all the time with no in-built delay. That immediacy could save a forecourt operator thousands of pounds.”

“Every Esso Dealer can now choose to have the peace of mind that their wetstock is being efficiently managed and that they are also strengthening operational and legal compliance procedures,” continues Bevan. “We believe that we have the most advanced system in the industry, yet with the lowest cost to install, with no replacement costs for any equipment throughout the life of a contract. Clearly Greenergy took that into account, alongside our industry knowledge and experience. They also knew that we had the capabilities of migrating a major forecourt network in a relatively short period of time, as we had previously successfully rolled out our card services to their entire Esso dealer network”.

Easy to use and offering a transparent web-based reporting software, Suresite Wetstock can react immediately when a discrepancy is detected; the retailer is able to monitor Suresite’s actions to remedy any situation as it is happening. Alerts can be set centrally rather than being dependent upon tank gauge

The agreement strengthens the business relationship between the two companies. Suresite already provides Greenergy with Card Services and Health and Safety support, with their Health and Safety credentials extending 20 years within the UK forecourt sector.

Wayne Fueling Systems launches Hurricane Harvey recovery initiatives Wayne Fueling Systems (“Wayne”), part of Dover Fueling Solutions (“DFS”), and a global provider of fuel dispensing, payment, automation, and control technologies for retail and commercial fuel stations, has launched initiatives to aid service station owners and operators in Hurricane Harvey-affected areas of Texas and Louisiana. Efforts began on September 5th, when Wayne deployed staff to Houston, Texas, with genuine Wayne parts to assist in the service efforts of the local Wayne Authorized Service Organizations. The plan is to accelerate delivery of parts to those stations in need, without having to wait for commercial shipping and delivery services, which are severely back-logged because of the storm. Wayne staff members will remain in the Houston area for the foreseeable future and be on-call to deliver necessary parts and support where and when needed. Wayne has also recently announced a “Texans Helping Texans” new dispenser replacement program to help those stations whose 38

dispensers were damaged beyond repair by Hurricane Harvey. Wayne has guaranteed a two-week delivery along with special pricing and low financing options for this program. “As a company headquartered in Texas, we feel a special responsibility to do as much as we can to assist in the Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts,” said David Crouse, President of DFS. “This storm has had a huge impact on our community, our partners and our customers. These initiatives aim to expedite the recovery of infrastructure in affected areas so citizens can regain a sense of normality as quickly as possible. Wayne Fueling Systems is committed to helping our Texas neighbours in need during this difficult time.” Wayne is committed to aiding the Hurricane Harvey recovery effort as much as possible. Please contact Dave Duncan, Regional Sales Manager for DFS, at dave.duncan@doverfs.com for more information, or visit www.wayne.com.

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UBU Environmental install FuelQuip AMC: 150 Family firm FuelQuip Ltd have drastically improved the refuelling facilities at UBU Environmental Ltd with the new Telematic AMC: 150 Fuel Management System.

passed to the next user without being returned to the pump which meant that fuel usage was not being logged accurately to the correct vehicle.”

Established family business, UBU Environmental, has been offering street cleaning services and machinery throughout the North West since 1998. In this time their fleet of Road Sweepers, High Pressure Road Jetters, Pedestrian Precinct Sweepers and Gully Wagons has increased to over 80 vehicles.

Understandably, this was causing a huge headache for management and needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency. The solution to UBU’s situation was to utilise the site’s existing eight Pumptronics pumps and link them into FuelQuip’s latest Fleet & Fuel Management software package, the Telematic AMC: 150. This cost saving exercise reduced the expense of updating the facilities at Walkden, as all the pumps were also able to be controlled from one unit.

Due to rapid business growth UBU moved from their original premises in 2000, to their new dedicated site depot in Walkden, Manchester, along with access to yard facilities in Liverpool and Cumbria. FuelQuip pride themselves on providing a friendly, personal and professional service that is truly reliable and efficient. Impressed by these values, UBU approached local family business FuelQuip to overhaul their refuelling facilities at the Walkden depot following further business developments. After a preliminary site inspection it became very apparent that UBU required a system that would allow for an exceptionally fast turnaround of vehicles refuelling. Director, Eddie Murphy of UBU commented, “Nozzles were being

In conjunction with the installation of the AMC:150 it was recommended that a very short end of transaction time-out period was implemented. By reducing the time-out phase to less than two seconds it made it mandatory for the next user to insert the vehicle registration before being allowed to refuel, thus tackling the issue of accountability. In turn, this also reduces the possibility of any fuel theft. Another special feature of the AMC: 150 which appealed to UBU was its ability to automatically capture vehicle mileage accurately. By utilising a wireless connection with the vehicle’s on-board Telematics system the most precise vehicle data possible is able to be captured and in true real time. Removing the need for drivers to

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manually enter this data drastically reduced the possibility of human error and significantly speeds up the refuelling process, and in turn improves business efficiency. The advanced technology of the AMC:150 also removes the need for any additional expensive devices to be fitted to the fleet, reducing the cost of the upgrade even further. Eddie continued, “Our previous set up unfortunately saw wagons queued up outside onto the main road, causing major disruptions to local residents. Now, thanks to the new FuelQuip system our refuelling facilities and the overall efficiency of our operation have been dramatically improved in the most economic way.” FuelQuip launched the AMC: 150 earlier this year and provides Transport Managers the ability to monitor fuel usage through a new user-friendly interactive mobile app. What is unique about the software is that fuel pumps can be turned on remotely via the app

by a Manager entering the vehicle and driver details. This allows remote transactions to take place and enable refuelling to continue with minimal disruption to business operation. With a simple swipe of a screen or the touch of a button fuel pumps can be disabled, reenabled and put back into service remotely. Any on site problems such as locked out pumps, low stock levels or incorrect mileage entry can also be easily rectified too. To further remove the need for any driver input the system can be combined with automatic vehicle recognition equipment to decrease fuelling times. There is no question that an effective fuel management system is a fundamental principal when storing fuel on-site and that the benefits of accurate fuel control are undeniable. UBU can now have peace of mind that their fuel usage is monitored by one of the most reliable, flexible and user-friendly fuel management systems available on the UK market.

Suresite achieves another landmark Suresite, the UK card services and risk management company, has achieved a new landmark with its processing of bank card transactions exceeding £2bn per annum.

that we have successfully undertaken over 75m transactions in the last 12 months. As our aggregate throughput builds, it allows us to protect the rates that our customers currently enjoy”.

From its launch in 2005, Suresite Card Services has grown to become the leading provider to group retailers and large multinational organisations in the UK forecourt sector and now serves any industry that accepts card payments, including convenience, car sales, hotel and leisure.

Suresite’s growth now means that alongside a range of services that extend from processing methods to settlement options, its clients receive one of the most competitive rates in the industry.

“This is an incredible achievement for Suresite in a relatively short time,” enthuses David Wright, Card Services Manager, Suresite. “Our aim has always been to make the card services operation as easy to setup and manage as possible and at the best rates available. This resonates with businesses of all sizes, who also value our high levels of support services and technological know-how. It is a credit to every member of staff within Suresite Card Services 40

“Our company also provides flexibility to work across a wide variation of accredited equipment and manage the seamless integration of contactless; which is now the preferred payment method of the under 30’s and growing exponentially,” continues Wright. In the UK, card spending accounted for around 78% of all national retail sales in 2016, whilst card transaction throughputs across Europe grew by 6.5% in the last 12 months. Further growth is forecast in the year ahead.

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Forward looking meeting of the German petroleum industry in Bochum transhipment hubs and their partners exchange enormous amounts of data every day. If the companies use different data formats, these processes become extremely complex. The IFLEXX Community, a group of leading companies from the German petroleum industry, has actively supported standardised data communication for many years. This week, the group met for its 13th meeting – this time at BP in Bochum.

Thirteenth IFLEXX meeting with experience reports and new developments in data communications Thirteen companies from the German petroleum industry came together at BP in Bochum to discuss the progress made in standardised data communications. Both refinery and tank terminal operators as well as IT service providers followed the invitation from international software and consulting firm Implico to attend the 13th IFLEXX/PIDX meeting. One of the topics of this year's industry meeting was the new PIDX Planned Movements standard. Supply chains in the downstream sector are tightly networked, as

After the welcome greeting, the organisers presented the latest developments from PIDX, the international counterpart of IFLEXX. Its recently introduced Planned Movements is a new standard format for transmitting order data from an ERP system to a terminal management system. It allows tank terminal operators to view all the relevant data on a planned load even before it is collected. The IFLEXX members then discussed on-truck computer integration, data exchange portals, IT security and quantity conversion. Since the density and volume of petroleum products vary with temperature, all quantities are converted to an agreed reference temperature, which in Europe is 15 degrees celsius. This ensures that companies within the supply chain mean the same thing when referring to a particular quantity. The IFLEXX standard therefore makes provision for the data records to employ different

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units of quantity at the same time. The system converts the quantities at the loading terminal. During the IFLEXX meeting, members discussed how the OpenTAS QCM converter can be used to validate the quantities. In the afternoon, project managers explained how they had partnered with Implico to set up a standardised data exchange system with over 40 loading locations. Tank terminals and refineries in seven countries now transfer all their loading data to iGOS, a cloud service specialising in the oil and gas industry, where the data is checked, harmonised and sent

in standardised PIDX format to the company's SAP system. The participants concluded the 13th IFLEXX meeting with a final round of discussions, which included a number of ideas and suggestions. “This year's IFLEXX meeting was very informative. We saw once again that standardised data communication is an important concern for all members,” says Kay-Peter Buhtz, CEO of Implico. “We are particularly pleased that we were able to welcome a new member into our ranks this year. It is good to see that the IFLEXX Community is growing and that the jointly developed XML format has developed into a key standard for data communication in the oil and gas industry.”

Forecourt retailers praised for their outstanding contributions Ramsay MacDonald, Retail Director, Certas Energy, used his address to the assembled 800 guests at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane for the 2017 Forecourt Trader of the Year Awards to praise the outstanding contributions by Petrol Retailers and their staff in raising forecourt standards. Acknowledging that the forecourt and convenience industry is in good shape, he paid a special tribute to the role of the store teams, supervisors and sales staff working on forecourts across the UK. “These are the real heroes of our industry, the true ambassadors of

our businesses,” enthused MacDonald. “Serving our customers all day every day, sometimes under the most difficult of circumstances. We literally couldn’t manage without them”. He added that investment in facilities and people will remain key to future success and as stores become busier the components of a winning formula will be Fast, Friendly, Available and Clean. MacDonald concluded his presentation at the petrol retailing industry’s Oscars by reassuring the audience that whatever the future holds, Gulf Retail will be there to support them and help to maximise their revenues.

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Tokheim takes part in Shell’s Annual Safety Day (HSSE) community ensures this belief is used to understand and learn important safety information. Tokheim welcomes every opportunity to shine a spotlight the topic of Safety and, thus, was pleased to once again participate in Shell’s annual Safety Day, which took place May 10, 2017 in Dundee, Scotland. The themes of Shell Safety Day 2017 were: Care, Dilemmas, and Risk Normalization. Tokheim’s local teams around the world gathered to participate in round-table safety conversations lead by local leadership, group workshops, safety gamification activities and mock-accident training sessions. The key message was about making safety personal, and achieving true human engagement by nurturing an eco-system of shared responsibility and courage in the face of dilemmas.

Austin, Texas USA 12th July 2017. Tokheim, part of Dover Fueling Solutions (“DFS”), one of the largest suppliers of fuel retailing solutions, is proud to operate with a safety culture that is embedded across its business. Based on the strategic company goal of “Zero Accidents,” the Tokheim and DFS philosophy is that no accident is acceptable, and that investigation, finding the root cause, and learning from accidents is at the heart of positive change. The Tokheim Health, Safety, Security and Environment

Mark Husband, Global HSSE Manager at DFS, coordinated activities for Shell Safety Day 2017, and took part in the program of events. “The event was a great opportunity to get a large cross section of staff together to have meaningful conversations on safety,” said Husband. “The support and materials provided by Shell’s Safety Day initiative offers a unique opportunity to explore our shared safety philosophy, and allows for the continual improvement of our HSSE standards.” For more information about Safety at Tokheim, go to www.tokheim.com.

First UK national forecourt EV roll out ChargePoint Services and Motor Fuel Group announced at then end of August that they have signed a partnership deal for the roll-out of forecourt electric vehicle charging across their UK network. The proposed roll-out is the first of its kind in the electric vehicle charging market. Motor Fuel Group (MFG) who is the second largest independent forecourt operator in the UK, with 413 stations, will host the 50kW plus rapid chargers at their sites nationwide which operate under the BP, Shell, Texaco, JET and Murco fuel brands. The chargers will become part of ChargePoint Services existing GeniePoint Network, run and managed by their world-class GeniePoint Platform. Alex Bamberg, managing director, ChargePoint Services, said: “Electric Vehicle Charging is now a critical public service, and we are on target to provide the most reliable, widespread rapid charging facilities across the UK for drivers of electric vehicles, backed up by our excellent, continuous customer care program.” ChargePoint Services’ GeniePoint Network is the most robust, reliable rapid charging network in the UK, its high level of functionality enables continuous monitoring of all the chargers on the network to ensure maximum uptime for drivers. Jeremy Clarke, MFG’s chief operating officer, said: “We are delighted to be extending our fuel offer to customers. The growth of the electric and hybrid vehicle market is an important part of the fuel mix going forward. MFG is determined to be at the forefront of this technology, satisfying this growing demand.” For more information contact: Susan Finn – susan.finn@chargepointservices.com – 07917 125849 Tony Wynn – tony@awmarketing.co.uk – 07836 323549 44

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PIDX International appoints Michael Martens to Membership Committee Implico managing partner to advise oil and gas companies on standardized data communication. Hamburg/Pearland. PIDX International, the consortium for global data exchange standardization within the petroleum industry, has appointed Implico managing partner Michael Martens to its Membership Committee. In this role, he will advise oil and gas companies on PIDX communication standards. PIDX (Petroleum Industry Data Exchange) is a non-profit organization that standardizes the exchange of electronic data between oil and gas companies to simplify commerce throughout the industry. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in the USA, the organization offers a free communications standard for the entire supply chain from well to service station. “Michael Martens was predestined for a role on the Membership Committee, as the Implico Group has already been working extensively on standardized data communications for many years and has been actively promoting this on the German market,” said Peter Allwinton, Chair of the Membership Committee at PIDX International. Software and consulting company Implico developed the IFLEXX (International FiLe Exchange XML) communication standard – the German equivalent of PIDX – in conjunction with leading downstream companies across Germany. IFLEXX and PIDX have been compatible for several years. Michael Martens joins two further experts from the oil and gas industry in Europe and the USA on the PIDX International Membership Committee. Together, they inform and advise petroleum companies around the globe on standardized data exchange, as well as representing the standard at trade fairs and conferences. “I am very much looking forward to joining the Membership Committee and to the tasks that lie ahead. As the managing partner of a software and service company for the downstream sector, continuing to promote standardized data exchange is a matter very close to my heart,” said Michael Martens. APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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Michael O’Loughlin joins MFG Top 50 Indies forecourt operator, Motor Fuel Group (MFG), is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael O’Loughlin as its new managing director, acquisitions & business development. In 1997 Michael joined Petrogas as a licensee of their flagship site in Dublin. As the group grew to double figures, he was appointed operations director and later retail director of

the newly formed Applegreen. In 2008 he relocated to the UK to establish Applegreen’s UK business. As managing director, he grew this venture into a very profitable business with 75 sites. He left the business in December 2016 in a favourable position for future growth. In joining MFG, Michael brings a wealth of forecourt retail experience. His keen eye for consumer trends will complement the existing MFG team. Their retail and ‘food to go’ offers are playing a growing part in MFG’s plans for the future and Michael is focused on having an active role in the continued growth of these vital areas. Michael is excited about his move to MFG and said: “I’m delighted to be joining the team. The company’s rapid growth over a very short period of time is an indication of the dedication and drive of the whole team. I’m really looking forward to playing my part in the successful and dynamic model they operate.”

Durapipe PLX fuels community pontoon A community-led project to construct a new pontoon in the Scottish Highlands turned to Durapipe UK’s specialist fuel conveyance pipe system, PLX, to provide a safe and reliable fuel line. The Mull and Iona Community Trust (MICT) secured funding for a new pontoon at Ulva Ferry Terminal to boost tourism and local employment. Situated on Mull’s Sound of Ulva, the Ulva Ferry Pontoon facility, manufactured and installed by Gaelforce Engineering, provides the only secure berthing on the West of Mull, offering berths for eight visiting craft. The new pontoon required a re-fuelling station and, looking for a reliable pipework system to serve the filling station, Gaelforce Engineering turned to Durapipe UK and its specialist fuel conveyance pipe system PLX. PLX dual contained pipe in size 63#75mm was installed to transfer marine gasoil (red diesel) from an onshore bunded tank, through a service duct along the access gangways and across the pontoon to the fuel cabinet. Ensuring fuel does not leak into the environment is always of paramount importance, but with the pipework in this project running along a floating structure, safe fuel transfer was vital. Any leaks into the atmosphere would not only pollute the seawater below, but could also potentially endanger marine life, and so PLX was selected due to its increased permeation resistance, offering the reassurance that fuel would not permeate the pipe wall. The pipe system was required to be installed within confined areas and so PLX offered added installation benefits, as its lightweight nature made it easier to handle in tight spaces. Coupled with its quick and simple electrofusion jointing technique, PLX saved Gaelforce Engineering significant installation labour time and cost savings. Commenting on the project, Stephen Offord, Production Director 46

at Gaelforce Engineering, said: “This was a challenging project as we were creating a completely new floating structure, with all the challenges that come with that. Vessels berthed on the pontoon are relying on receiving fuel so it was vital we installed a reliable and safe pipework system for the fuel line. PLX provided the ideal solution, offering benefits to us as installers, while reassuring MICT it has a reliable system in place that will continue to serve the needs of the pontoon with minimal maintenance requirements.” PLX is manufactured as a multilayer pipe utilising the superior mechanical characteristics of polyethylene as a base material, which enables the pipe to be permanently welded using electrofusion technology. Providing exceptional resistance to rapid crack propagation and long-term stress cracking, PLX comprises a protective liner, which increases permeation resistance against many types of fuel blends ensuring there is no permeation of fuel through the pipe wall into the environment.

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For further information on PLX or any other products within the Durapipe UK portfolio please call 01543 279909 or log onto www.durapipe.co.uk. A leading manufacturer of plastic pipework solutions, Durapipe UK has seen its systems successfully installed for building services and industrial applications in projects worldwide for 60 years. Durapipe UK is a proud member of the British Plastics Federation (BPF) Plastic Pipes Group (PPG), the leading trade association

representing manufacturers and material suppliers of plastic piping systems in the UK. PPG Member companies have a responsibility to the industry to ensure products manufactured meet the needs of the application they are intended for, in addition PPG members fully support compliance with standards so installers and end users can assume BPF membership is a sign of quality assurance and compliance with these standards.

Introducing REDS – the new name in the downstream fuel industry REDS Group is the new name in the downstream fuel industry, providing spill response, environmental and decommissioning services across the UK. REDS delivers complete solutions for the maintenance, inspection and environmental management of fuel storage facilities, with expertise ranging from emergency spill response and environmental monitoring, to storage tank decommissioning and ground remediation. Founded and led by Lloyd Burnard, the company combines many years of industry experience with extensive technical expertise. Prior to launching REDS, Lloyd held both project management and strategic corporate development roles at LCM Environmental,

having initially joined the business as a site operative over 20 years ago. REDS believe that their people are their strongest asset. Specialists include experienced SHEQ & Project Managers, Environmental Consultants, Waste Consultants, Pipe Fitters and Spill Responders. These skills, combined with REDS’ geographical reach, enable REDS to provide multi-discipline services across the UK. Managing Director, Lloyd Burnard, paid testament to his team, stating: “I am delighted to be working with some of the industry’s most knowledgeable and experienced specialists. We also have a strong network of strategic partners across the UK, which provides us with the ability to support clients in any location.”

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Cornish oil distributor Consoles the Environment Agency with the best improved practice “Cameron Forecourt are the best in the business, I’m genuinely pleased with the work they did for us to a very high standard and at a fair price, which is so rare these days. Their engineers are a credit to them” Kevin Bennetts, founder and MD of independent Cornish based fuel distributors Consols Oils Ltd. When a problem with underground pipework supplying the retail pumps at the St Day depot was suspected, Kevin had no hesitation in deciding who could help. Cameron Forecourt was the natural choice to urgently survey the entire system and advise on improvements required to update the busy forecourt. Founded in 1986 Consols Oils’ fuel distribution site and equipment had been operating well, thanks to the long standing service and maintenance contract held with Cameron Forecourt. The local Cameron Forecourt engineer, Brian Finnegan, had attended the site for many years, so he knew the equipment well. Brian was quick to act when corrosion was detected in below ground pipework and immediately called upon Cameron Forecourt’s specialist installation team to remedy the situation. Consols Oils is fully committed to ensuring its activities have minimal impact on the environment, so Kevin did not hesitate to give the works the go ahead: Kevin stated, “Our policy achieved by liaison with the authorities, is to constantly monitor and wherever possible improve our management on waste and pollution issues.” He continued, “As a responsible company the thought of an oil leak affecting our local environment is horrendous.” Cameron Forecourt’s answer to the corroded pipework problem was not just to replace it, but redesign and introduce an above ground pipework system where future maintenance and quality inspections can be carried out with ease.

Kevin was very happy with the new pipework layout, which involved relocating the fuel pumps. Consols Oils was pleased with how quickly the work was undertaken, Kevin commented: “The work got underway very quickly from me authorising the costs. The installation team planned the work to ensure we could keep the site up and running during the installation, so the work didn’t have an impact on our customers or service delivery.” Cameron Forecourt’s service engineer had also advised it would be a good time to replace the existing fuel pumps and so three new C Series W&M/MID approved fuel pumps were also installed. Kevin reflects on this wise decision at the time by evaluating the demand for commercial fuel oil: “The big supermarkets have forced the closure of the smaller forecourts in our area. For a while businesses used fuel cards but then, as usual, the prices were hiked and so local trade started to increase for us again, regular customers enjoy the advantage of our credit terms. I’m more than happy to meet that demand and feel well equipped with the new set of pumps in place, indeed trade has markedly improved recently.” In addition to this Cameron Forecourt provide a 12 months’ onsite warranty, to cover the equipment. Cameron Forecourt’s Warranty includes a preventative maintenance visit during the initial 12 months of operation. Lynne McLoughlin, Cameron Forecourt’s Service Desk Supervisor, points out that servicing is always carried out by Cameron Forecourt's own directly employed service staff, whether the customer has a comprehensive contract or not. Cameron Forecourt looks forward to continuing the relationship with Consols Oils, but Brian, the local engineer, believes the site is now running so well he won’t be attending to repairs for quite some time!

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Hytek on track to raise money for worthy cause Fuel and Lubrication equipment specialists Hytek (GB) Ltd, part of the Flowmax group, took part in the Revolve24 cycle challenge over the weekend of September 16th and 17th at the world famous Brands Hatch race circuit to raise money for St Clare Hospice, a local charity specialising in end of life care. Hytek, along with fellow Flowmax group company members IFC Inflow, Anglo Nordic and Mechtronic, entered three mixed teams in the Revolve24 endurance event. The Flowmax group colleagues cycled around the 3.9km track from 3pm on the 16th for a grueling 24 hours, through to 3pm the following day. The teams arranged sponsorship on their jerseys from suppliers and would like to thank everyone for their kind donations, which will go directly to the charity. St Clare Hospice, based in Hastingwood just 20 minutes down the M11 from Hytek’s headquarters, provides care to those affected by life limiting illnesses and has a special link with the company. Hytek lost a much respected and popular colleague in 2013, when Peter Parker passed away to cancer having been part of the Hytek team for some 14 years. Peter and his family were looked after in his final days by the hospice so Hytek, with help from other group colleagues, continue to support this worthy cause.

Clive Wellings, Hytek’s Research and Development manager, said: “St Clare Hospice helped our late colleague and friend Peter and his family immensely, so we’re delighted to contribute and help them continue their valuable work.” The three teams collectively covered over 1148 miles in the 24 hours of racing & the fastest lap time was 6 minutes & 5 seconds. The teams finished 56th, 61st & 95th from a field of 165. The team is hoping to raise over £1500 for their worthy cause. If you would like to contribute please use the link http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/flowmaxwheelers

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Articles Dip Stick vs. Automatic Tank Gauge By Russell Dupuy, Managing Director, Environmental Monitoring Solutions Pty Ltd An Automatic Tank Gauge (ATG) is a method of measuring the volume levels of fuel inside of large, industrial-sized tanks. An ATG provides a safe and easily accessible solution to managing wetstock, and providing accurate estimates of both fuel and water levels. But despite the benefits of using an ATG, many enterprises continue using the outdated method of the Dip Stick to manage their wetstock. Although an ATG is considered to be a highly desirable piece of equipment, it’s often dismissed as ‘too expensive’ before the benefits can even be considered. But consider other important factors, such as accuracy, safety and accessibility. How does the Dip Stick measure up against an ATG? Accuracy Dip Stick The Dip Stick is a long measuring tool, manually inserted into the tank by a worker. The Dip Stick has volume inscriptions along its run, and the amount of fuel remaining in the tank is determined by where the oil pigment stops along the Dip Stick’s volume inscription. This process is not unlike how you measure the oil in your car. However, your car only needs an average of 3.5L of oil. Industry sized fuel tanks can hold as much as 50000L of fuel, and a Dip Stick usually only provides volume indicators between 200L – 500L increments, making accurate readings very difficult and several litres of fuel un-accounted for. This method also doesn’t account for any water that may be present in the tank, which could be contributing to the total volume.

ATG An ATG is an electric probe installed inside each tank. The ATG monitors the contents of the tank by using a tool called a float. The ATG uses a separate float for monitoring water volume, making results even more reliable. These floats determine the height of fuel and water inside the tank. Separate sensors measure in-tank temperature. The probe sends this information to the ATG console, which is able to determine the volume of fuel and/or water inside each tank. The ATG is a highly accurate method because it has the ability to factor in multiple site-specific parameters that affect the accuracy of the tank’s volume: • • • • • •

Tank capacity (volume) & internal diameter Siphoned (manifolded) tanks Tank pitch or tilt Temperature compensation Probe offset from tank axial centre and tank radial centre Site details name-number-etc

By assessing all of these factors, the ATG is able to provide a more accurate estimation of volume fuel and water volume to the nearest litre or millimetre. 50

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Articles Safety Dip Stick There are many serious safety concerns regarding the use of a Dip Stick because it must be manually inserted by an operator in order to function. The fuel tanks produce hydrocarbon vapours, which have high levels of toxicity that the operator is directly exposed to. Many operators have to check tank levels at night – implementing this in the dark not only leaves more room for error, but is extremely hazardous. Accessing Dip Stick access points often exposes operators to oncoming vehicles, and are not visible to drivers when they are crouched down.

ATG The ATG sends its tank readings to a controller, who can access the information remotely. As there is no need for an operator to access the tank, there is no danger of exposure. The controller also has an intrinsically safe barrier to ensure a failsafe situation from static electricity.

Time and ease Dip Stick The process of manually dipping tanks correctly can take up to 30 minutes each day. In addition, the practice usually calls for weekly water paste tests per tank, which, when conducted correctly, will add another 30 minutes per week. This estimated time doesn’t even factor in the frequency of having to re-do the process if done incorrectly. To add to the difficulty, not all Dip Sticks have clear volume indicators, making operators misread the volume. Because the process is long and hazardous, many operators have to conduct their readings at night, adding to the difficulty of getting an accurate reading.

ATG The ATG console is located safely inside the office, and can be accessed remotely, the information can be accessed to all users whenever needed.

Cost Let us assume you own a site with five tanks. The site is ready to be equipped with an ATG (tank access and conduit is in place), and the figures are based on the average hourly rate of operators. 52

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Dip Stick If you were to have your fuel levels checked with a Dip Stick every day for a year, and your water paste tested every week, the total cost would be over $3000 per annum. And for that price, your reading may not even be accurate, won’t account for water levels, and put operators at risk of danger.

ATG Many people are averse to using an ATG because, on the surface, it seems like the more expensive method. For a typical five tank site: • Equipment cost is $10,500 • Installation cost $2,850 • However, on-going maintenance is $0 per annum

Summary An ATG is an investment for a long-term solution. In just five years an ATG will pay for itself, ensure accurate readings of tank levels, and provide easy access and safety to all those managing it.

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Articles Dipstick

AVG

Accuracy

Prone to human error and does not account for water that may be in the tank.

Highly accurate electronic systems that accounts for fuel and water.

Safety

The operator is exposed to hazardous vapours, oncoming vehicles and poor lighting to get a reading.

Remote access of tank readings, no safety risk.

Time and Ease

30 minutes every day, often completed at night.

Live readings accessible at any time.

Cost

A site with 5 tanks spends, on average, over $3000 per annum on daily readings and weekly water paste tests.

The setup costs for a typical 5 tank site would include: • $10,500 for equipment; and, • $2,850 for installation. However, there is no cost associated with ongoing maintenance. This means an ATG can pay for itself in just 5 years.

To find out more about how using an ATG can enhance and benefit your enterprise, give us a call on +61 3 9785 5000, or visit us at drivingfueliq.com.

Fuelling the Future: ‘Oasis’, the New Face of Hydrogen By Andrew Murphy, Hydrogen Technology Engineer, Shell Over 30 trillion passenger kilometres are travelled each year. How each of these kilometres is powered will play a role in fulfilling climate obligations such as COP 21 and in determining the role transport will play in avoiding or contributing to the impacts of climate-change. Ultra-low and zero emission transport options will be critical to avoiding the worst of these impacts and at Shell we believe Hydrogen is one of the fuels well positioned to contribute to a sustainable energy transition. On behalf of the Hydrogen Mobility team at Shell, I would like to thank you for this opportunity to share some of our experiences in the development and roll-out of infrastructure and in particular a project we are leading to reimagine hydrogen fuel dispensing. A successful roll out of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) relies on the close collaboration of industry, government and customers. To this end, Shell is a partner in the H2 Mobility Germany joint venture. This joint venture is formed of six companies and five associated partners from the automobile, industrial gas and energy sectors and aims to deploy hydrogen refuelling points at more than 400 locations around the country by 2023. By the end of 2017 this number is expected to be around 60 stations. In the USA, Shell has two hydrogen filling stations in Los Angeles, and is currently working in partnership with Toyota, with the 54

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support of the State of California, to further develop its hydrogen refuelling network. In Scandinavia, approximately 25 stations are in operation as of June 2017, with more in the pipeline. In Japan, which currently has 90 stations, Japanese automakers, Toyota and, Nissan have joined forces with the Development Bank of Japan to increase this number to 300 over the next decade. Although the UK has a strong technical capability in hydrogen, mostly based around universities and smaller technology developers, the awareness of the general public to the potential of hydrogen mobility has been relatively limited. This is beginning to change and the UK now has the beginning of a hydrogen refuelling network covering locations including Aberdeen, Swindon, Rotherham and London. Accelerating the adoption of FCEVs (which have a refuelling time and driving range similar to traditional vehicles), requires expanding the refuelling infrastructure and making that infrastructure both attractive, and comfortable to use. Until recently, hydrogen refuelling sites in the UK have tended to be at best semi-publicly accessible, with users often having to negotiate barriers or fences in out of the way locations to refuel their vehicles. More recently, the situation has begun to improve. The opening of the London Hydrogen Network Expansion Project funded station at Sainsbury's Hendon was a significant step towards integrating hydrogen in to a normal portfolio of fuels. Due to a lack of industry guidance documents at this time however, even this hydrogen

refueller could not sit along-side petrol and diesel pumps and had to be built on an adjacent parcel of land next to the existing forecourt. Whilst in the short term, such trade-offs are acceptable to establish infrastructure in as timely a manner as possible, in the longer term such compromises will impact the positioning of hydrogen. Following the successful deployment of the Hendon site the importance of establishing appropriate guidance was widely recognised by players in both the hydrogen mobility sector and those responsible for certifying and operating traditional forecourts. A working group, of which Shell was a member, was formed under the auspices of APEA, British Compressed Gases Association and the service station panel of the Energy Institute (EI) to develop the necessary requirements. The final document was published in March this year as a supplement to the 'Blue Book' (which is the established technical guidance on storage and dispensing of fuels on forecourts), and gives clear guidance on topics including equipment operation, zoning, canopy design and hydrogen storage requirements. The development and completion of this guidance has provided reassurance to Petroleum Enforcement Authorities and Petroleum Officers that hydrogen can safely be deployed alongside existing fuelling infrastructure. To this end Shell, in collaboration with ITM Power, are in the process of opening three hydrogen stations on existing forecourts in South East England. These stations include Cobham on the M25 which opened in February this year and is the first hydrogen refueller in the UK integrated on an existing forecourt, and Beaconsfield which will include the first under-canopy hydrogen dispenser in the UK .

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As I mentioned previously, the successful roll out of hydrogen vehicles does not just require sufficient and well located infrastructure, that infrastructure must be fit for purpose. Fit for purpose encompasses multiple aspects including economic factors, reliability, product quality assurance and customer experience. Shell are involved in all these areas; however I shall focus on the latter. By the time a customer is refuelling a hydrogen vehicle several factors likely invisible to him or her have already taken place. Firstly, hydrogen has been supplied to the station or generated onsite. Hydrogen can be supplied either as a highpressure gas or a cryogenic liquid and onsite generation can be done via the reforming of natural gas or biogas or via electrolysis of water - at Cobham, certified green electricity is used in the electrolysis process which means that, as well as having no harmful exhaust emissions, vehicles refuelling at this location enjoy what is effectively CO2-free mobility. The bulk of the gaseous hydrogen is stored onsite at pressures ranging from 20 to 400 bar, whilst a lesser amount is further compressed to pressures as high as 975 bar and is stored in a smaller set of high pressure cylinders which are replenished as required. In order to conduct refuelling, the hydrogen needs to be cooled to -40°C, this ensures that vehicles can be refuelled in just a few minutes and provides assurance that the vehicle tank does not overheat during refuelling. The hydrogen is cooled by means of a heat exchanger, which can be placed directly beneath the dispenser or often some distance away in the area containing the storage and compression equipment. Just as with conventional fuels, the dispenser is the first moment of physical interaction with the customer, but even here most of the thought and engineering which goes in to ensuring a safe and flawless refuelling process is unseen. Technically, hydrogen dispensers are probably the most modern and well-engineered pieces of equipment which can be found on a forecourt today. Double-dry-break couplings are implemented at both the nozzle and the breakaway, ensuring that in the event of an unplanned drive-away or impact to the vehicle during refuelling hydrogen gas is not released. In most jurisdictions, hydrogen vehicles are engineered so that they will not start if the refuelling door is open, thus giving an additional level of protection against inadvertent drive-aways.

leaks and if this test were to fail the small amount of hydrogen in the hose is automatically vented to a safe location. Unlike traditional fuel pumps, hydrogen dispensers communicate directly with the vehicle via an infrared interface built directly in to the refuelling nozzle. Should the vehicle detect any unanticipated temperature or pressure changes in the tank it can instruct the dispenser to abort the fuelling or switch to an alternative refuelling protocol. The valves and piping inside the dispenser are designed to eliminate hydrogen leakage; however, dispensers are also naturally ventilated by the placement of vents at the base and top of the device. Dispensers also commonly feature a hydrogen detector at the top of the housing which provides an additional safeguard and can cancel refuelling and vent hydrogen in the system safely should a leak be detected. The customer, however, is generally unconcerned with the specifics of how the hydrogen is delivered to their vehicle and with the fine detail of the safety protocols hard-wired in to the system. What tends to concern them most is a flawless, reliable and inviting refuelling experience. For all their positives, current hydrogen dispensers cannot be said to meet these requirements in their totality. These dispensers tend to be retrofits of standard diesel and petrol pumps, with the liquid handling systems, hose and nozzle substituted with components designed to handle highpressure hydrogen. Although this route is a sensible approach to bring hydrogen to market these retrofits are costly, with sacrifices having to be made in the placement of components and subsequent accessibility for maintenance. Additionally, feedback from customers has indicated that they expect a premium refuelling experience which is not yet being delivered. Current hydrogen dispensers are often viewed as having an industrial look and feel, and current nozzles (which are based on CNG nozzles) are neither light nor ergonomic. In fact, fifty percent of customers have difficulties using the nozzle. The situation is not made easier by the inherent lack of flexibility of the hydrogen hose. Together, these issues have led to the process of refuelling being described as cumbersome and on multiple occasions there have been instances of the nozzle being dropped during either attaching it to the vehicle or returning it to the dispenser. This has led to

The hose itself is highly engineered and designed to repeatedly take pressure cycles well beyond those experienced during refuelling. In addition to this however, before refuelling commences an automatic pressure test is conducted to check for 56

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Articles both unanticipated down-time and unplanned maintenance costs. Shell, therefore, is working to break down these barriers to acceptance and adoption of hydrogen refuelling via a revolutionary new hydrogen dispenser design. In addition, Shell is looking at incorporating a range of additional features not found in current refuelling infrastructure.

world of clean energy by making hydrogen power accessible and easy to manage. An illumination ring which rises to the full height of the dispenser allows customers to see the occupancy of the dispenser at a distance and to also estimate the remaining refuelling time of the current occupant.

The design partner Shell chose to work with is Designworks; the in-house design agency of the BMW Group and a team famed for blending design with mobility. Design philosophies can follow many routes. In this instance, with the aim of creating an instantly recognisable 'Face of Hydrogen' it was necessary to stretch and challenge the team to develop a design encompassing emerging materials and innovations that would fundamentally change the perception of what refuelling and mobility means to a customer. To this end, the focus became what the consumer of tomorrow would consider outstanding. The resulting design philosophy: iconicity through simplicity, functionality and aesthetics. Over the course of a year, the team from Shell worked closely with Designworks as ideas were formed; components sized and revised; materials analysed and compared and designs created challenged and refined. Three broad design visions were developed to act as springboards for further development. ‘Drop’ focussed on a stylish ‘no-frills’ refinement of the current dispensing experience; ‘Waterfall’ was developed as a showcase for digital interaction, with screens covering a large part of the dispenser; ‘Oasis’ was designed to showcase new technologies, pushing the next boundaries in the customer experience. Each springboard was evaluated against several criteria, iconicity, innovation, user friendliness, cost effectiveness and scalability. Whilst each springboard scored highly in certain categories, Oasis was the clear choice based on the overall criteria. Selecting a spring board was just the start however. Using techniques more commonly found in the premium sector of the automotive industry, the design of Oasis continued to be refined and evolved. Simple structural models were produced to test the principle of refuelling from multiple angles and changes made to integrate findings and a brand and colour philosophy created to showcase hydrogen as a premium low emission fuel.

A large, interactive interface utilises new, better, methodologies for visualising information and interacting with the customer. As well as the dispenser’s occupancy and remaining fuelling time and price, the screen allows customers to request maps and traffic information as well as pre-ordering other items such as tea or coffee from the convenience store. My personal favourite highlight of the project is the new nozzle design. Ergonomically balanced and integrating a start/stop function to allow refuelling at the touch of a button, the nozzle is also paired with a revolutionary new holster making docking and undocking a pleasure. In future versions, we also intend to implement a secondary screen directly in the nozzle to give customers another route to see remaining refuelling time and cost. Starting in April 2017, the dispenser design has been showcased at different occasion and events, and put in to the hands of everyone from schoolchildren to industry executives. The feedback and insights gathered from users of all backgrounds and abilities is continuing to inform the design in order to further improve the experience offered for the coming full scale launch. APEA members are of course welcome to reach out to us with any further questions and I am available at andrew.murphy@shell.com.

In its final design, Oasis is a dispenser which takes inspiration from natural forms, rises upwards as a beacon to customers and which aims to inspire a 58

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How Big is Your Charger? By Quentin Willson, Host of APEA Live 2017 Conference, Exhibition and Awards Dinner, 23rd November We’re on the road to mass electrification. This is a good thing and that doughty band of electric vehicle early adopters should now give themselves a hearty slap on the back. They ploughed a lonely furrow, sometimes against a tide of surprisingly nasty bile (remember Top Gear’s test of the Tesla Roadster?) and had they not covered all those miles and all those charge cycles to prove that EVs work in daily use, we might not be where we are today. In the last month, we’ve seen Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover, BMW, Mercedes, Honda and others unfold their ambitious electric future. Tesla’s Model 3 has a two-year waiting list, the new Nissan Leaf can do over 200 real world miles to one charge and there’s new technology that means Lithium Ion batteries won’t catch fire anymore. Things - if you’ll pardon the pun - are warming up nicely. But while the public begins to start thinking seriously about buying into this brave new wave of EVs, we still have a pylon-sized problem. Where are we going to charge them all? Given that the average range of a petrol car is 400 miles and the new breed of affordable EVs like the Zoe and Leaf can do 200 miles, it's not unreasonable to say we’re going to need twice as many charging points as we have fuel stations - and that’s currently 8,500. But those fuel forecourts have multiple pumps - Shell’s site in Cobham has 31 pumps and 141 nozzles - so we need to change our thinking away from individual charging points and build large charging hubs in the model of petrol station forecourts. Norway has one site with enough rapid chargers to charge 28 EVs in 30 mins and Tesla is building multiple charge points across Europe and the U.S. But I’m not sure our government has quite worked out the size of the investment needed for mass charging. I think we’re going to need a minimum of 17,000 giant charging hubs with maybe 30 rapid chargers on each site to deliver long-distance EV journeys. But I think my numbers may even be optimistic. Erik Fairbairn, CEO of charging kit provider Pod Point, reckons that for mass electrification ‘we need around one million charge points around the U.K to be compatible for more people.’ As I write we have 1,103 rapid chargers giving 2,430 individual connections. We need to raise those numbers by a hefty amount so the public and private sectors better get ready to write 62

some very big cheques indeed. We’ll also need lots of land to build these new sites and charging hubs will have to be designed to be destination points where EV drivers can buy food and kilowatts and amuse themselves for the 30 to 40 mins charging time. Recent legislation has mandated that the fuel majors will have to put chargers on forecourts but the oil companies aren’t likely to convert totally from liquid fuels for a few decades yet. And that may mean we see a new phenomenon ‘charging congestion’. My feeling is that liquid fuel pumps and rapid chargers won’t make happy bedfellows in the long term as there just isn’t the physical space and the time to change on the forecourt will be too long. To future-proof our national EV charging infrastructure we’ll need a major roll-out of dedicated multiple EV charging hubs. And while we should be proud of our charging infrastructure progress thus far, we have nearly 12,000 charging points, some of them are old-school 3Kw ‘legacy chargers’ from the era of the Mitsubishi iMiev and Citroen C-Zero. These take around six hours for a full charge, many are often offline and need high levels of regular maintenance. So that 12,000 figure might not be so impressive after all. We need minimum 22Kw to 43Kw for rapid charging and may need to consider the new breed of 400Kw chargers to anticipate future developments in battery size and density. Blimey - there’s a lot to think about. I’m no economist, but low electricity prices mean small profit margins, the costs of installation and maintenance of rapid chargers is high and there’s no viable business model to compare things with. So who’s going to bankroll all this and will electricity prices for EVs stay low or will the nascent industry insist we pay a

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premium for the convenience of charging? That would be a step in the wrong direction and possibly make running EVs more expensive than diesel cars - something we definitely don’t want. I don’t mean to sound negative and have been promoting and driving EVs for the last seven years but I’m seeing starry-eyed politicians jumping on the EV bandwagon without knowing how difficult all this actually is. We need to look carefully at the economics and the technology behind the political posturing otherwise we’ll get this catastrophically wrong. The government needs to work with grid companies to make sure we can create and manage a smart grid that uses all those car batteries as power storage units that can put electricity back into the grid during peak hours. Joining all this charging technology up and making sure it keeps pace with an EV landscape that’s literally changing by the month will need some very far-sighted forward planning. Norway already has 8,000 charging points for a population of 5.3 million and 50% of their passenger cars are already electric. We have 60 million population (half of which drive) so we really do need to get cracking. And no one is sure of the timescale. If every new car sold from now was electric we’d need 14 years for complete adoption given that only 7% to 10% of cars are changed annually. In reality, actual sales will be much slower given the current low base of 100,000 plug-in cars currently registered in the UK. Even if adoption does speed up dramatically we might not see 40% EV penetration until 2035 or 2040 but that depends on longer battery ranges, cheaper EV prices and building that oh-so-important charging infrastructure. And here’s the thing: you won’t get mass adoption

until we resolve the range anxiety issue and you won’t resolve range anxiety until you build a decent network. Can you see how complicated all this is? And forgive me if I remind everybody that we have an £11 billion backlog of road repairs in the UK. If we can’t fix our potholes how are we going to build a world-class charging infrastructure? This worries me a lot. There’s other stuff that keeps me awake at night like repeated rapid charging reduces the life of Lithium Ion batteries, two-thirds of the world’s Cobalt is in the Democratic Republic of Congo, prices of Cobalt and Lithium have been going up like rockets and commodity brokers are buying up rare earth metals like their trousers are on fire. You can now even buy books on ‘How to Invest in Cobalt’, yes, really. Controlling both electricity prices and the cost of the metals used to make the batteries won’t be easy, but if we see a big spike in costs, the financial advantage of running an EV (at the moment that’s a couple of grand a year) will start to evaporate. So we’ll also need to spend money on R&D to see if we can use sustainable man-made materials like graphene as a possible substitute for Lithium Ion and Lithium Sulphur. And what happens if the expensive charging infrastructure we’ve built won’t work with a new generation of batteries that might eventually arrive? Standardisation of technology is a vital part of the longterm future of the electric era. All these questions pile up to shoulder height and the emission-free horizon of clean and cheap electric mobility still has some tall hurdles to climb. One thing’s for sure though -we have to get there. And our increasingly distracted government is going to have to play a very large part in that journey. Let’s hope they’re ready.

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Mobile Hydrogen Refuelling Truck By Rachael Barker, Fuel Cell Systems Ltd Fuel Cell Systems Ltd (FCSL) is the UK’s leading provider of consultancy, integration and distribution in the hydrogen fuel cell market. Fuel cells can be used to provide power in a wide range of applications including buildings, communications towers, off grid sensors and security, fork lift trucks, buses and cars. UK refuelling infrastructure The UK has only a handful of public hydrogen refuelling stations available for the first early users of fuel cell cars and dual-fuel vans. The fuel cell car manufacturers (Toyota, Hyundai and Honda) have all stated that the lack of hydrogen infrastructure has been, and will continue to be, a barrier to vehicle deployment.

Consultancy, Integration and Distribution “We are enthusiastic about intelligent, novel applications of hydrogen and fuel cell technology and can offer solutions for static hydrogen stations as well as mobile refuelling. Using our experience working with high pressure hydrogen, we are putting together a range of novel refuelling products to expand the current UK infrastructure. If you would like to discuss hydrogen refuelling options, please call us. We’ll give you a quick, clear and informed answer.” Tom Sperrey, CEO. T: 01488 507050 E: sales@fuelcellsystems.co.uk www.fuelcellsystems.co.uk

A more flexible approach The unique mobile refuelling truck has been designed by Fuel Cell Systems Ltd to help fill that gap between current static refuelling stations and locations with an interest in vehicle deployment but no local hydrogen available. The first generation of truck is diesel powered but can carry more than 65kg of hydrogen from the static stations to any other location. This truck has storage at both 700 and 350 bar pressures. This solution could be used for exhibitions and demonstrations and could even be employed as a hydrogen delivery service for fuel cell vehicle fleets. The first truck is currently being used by the Metropolitan Police to facilitate a trial of 7 Suzuki fuel cell powered scooters. 64

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Ask the Experts By Brian Humm and Jamie Thompson I am an independent operator of a retail petrol station. I have received my petroleum storage certificate from my local authority but I have a couple of queries on the content. The certificate lists the site address but includes the name of my company; I recall from somewhere that this shouldn’t be the case? Also, the tanks that they list within the table section do not include all of my underground storage facility. Could you advise if this is correct? The introduction of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Regulations 2014 (PCR) have been in place for some considerable time and it does somewhat frustrate me as an ex regulator that these mistakes are still being applied. In one of my new roles within the industry I come across these anomalies all the time; the petroleum storage certificate (PSC) shows only the site address, it does not relate to what is known as the keeper of the petrol on the site. This then allows for the ownership/operation of the site to be changed without the PSC being amended, all that is required is both the outgoing and the incoming keeper informing the petroleum enforcing authority (PEA) of the change. This is to cut down on the burden and red tape to both the parties. With regards to the storage tanks on site there is a criteria that will have to be met for the tank(s) to be included in the section for tanks that can legally

hold petroleum spirit, this is as follows: • • • •

Existing licensed petrol storage tanks. Double skin tanks with class 1 or 2 leak detection. Double skin lined tanks to EN13160-7. A compartment of an existing single skin compartmented storage tank in which petrol is currently stored in one or more other compartment of the same tank. • Above ground existing protected petrol storage tanks to UL2085 and small (movable) fuelling units such as those found on golf courses, or vehicle end of life sites. • Single skin steel tank with auditable proof that it was installed to the petroleum standards in force at the time of installation, and that it has auditable statistical inventory reconciliation records to EN13160-6. Note: these tanks are most likely to have been installed at the same time, and in the same excavation, and surrounded with the same backfill material as a number of petrol tanks This then allows all the tanks that meet the above criteria, even if at the time of the PSC being issued they hold another type of fuel,

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Articles to be listed so that the site can receive a grade/fuel change within a tank that is listed without gaining the approval of the PEA who will observe that the change has been made at their next inspection. Obviously this change is required to be carried out in a safe and appropriate manner and must observe the guidance within the Blue Book, including the vapour recovery requirements for the tank vents. The guidance to the PCR which was produced by the Petroleum Enforcement Liaison Group (PELG) can be found upon the Energy Institute website: https://www.energyinst.org/technical/distribution-andmarketing/filling-stations/pelg/index-petels and is titled: PELG, PETEL 14 In your position I would advise you to contact the local PEA and discuss this matter and convince them to reissue the PSC with the appropriate changes.

out a tank test and therefore would like to know if there are any recommendations as to the type of test, length of test etc. The type of tank test you should be using is a “Precision Tank Test” and there are a number of different methods; vacuum, pressure or trace technology. The main criteria is that they meet the US EPA requirements for tank testing and these tests would be verified as complying with the criteria by a third party test house which will test the system in use and then issue a certificate if they pass the criteria. If you look on the APEA website or The Year Book under Tank Testing you will find a list of the companies who offer this service in the UK.

Brian Humm Bulletin Editor/APEA Council Member

You could also look at the website for The United States Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov/ust and search for tank testing. In addition a useful site that lists all the leak detection systems is www.kwaleak.com where certificates of compliance with the EPA tests have been issued.

As an owner of a petrol filling station I am concerned that two of my tanks are leaking through my Wetstock records. I would like to carry

Jamie Thompson Chairman Technical Committee

Interview with Jan Ageheim, UPP By Jamie Thompson, APEA Chairman of the Technical Committee occur and therefore began thinking about the possibility to use other materials. Doodling around with different ideas I just drew the conclusion that it would be much better to move away from using a rigid material such as steel pipes and instead try a more flexible one, the plastic pipe. I remember the year was 1969 and I was a young, ravishingly handsome 26 year old that confidently went up to the Swedish “Fire & Explosion Authority” to suggest that we should start replacing steel as pipe containment material and instead start using plastic pipe.

Can I first ask how you became involved in the Petroleum Industry? I understand you first worked with Shell in Sweden Yes, I began working as an external consultant projecting interior objects for Shell petrol stations. After I had worked a few years and built up more experience, they asked me if I could help out and project complete distribution plants. You have become known as the “father of UPP”; can you explain how this happened and why you looked into using plastic for pipes on filling stations? Working with pipe installers, I slowly progressed and saw the problems that steel pipe had caused in the industry. Corrosion and broken pipes was common because of ground movement. I realised that ground movements are impossible to control and will always 66

They had the best laugh, I think, in a very long time. My idea was thrown back at me as crazy for reasons such as petrol vapors and static charges. But 10 years later, I did get a first approval. At that time I had moved on, working full time directly for Shell and so we began constructing the first site; May 1981. I was not allowed to work in the forecourt sector due to conflict of interest but was instead awarded a job as operating manager for a joint venture at Arlanda airport depot and refueling. I invited you to present a paper at an APEA conference in Dunstable on PE pipe in 1989 and this started the acceptance of PE pipe in the UK and Europe. Can you remember and did you expect such a rapid acceptance of the pipe? In 1989 the pipe business started to grow and I was planning export outside of Scandinavia. UK was a first natural country to enter so I went there to do a presentation at the APEA.

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Articles But on a more me kind of line, an enjoyment has been some truly fantastic wines, like the ones from Mendoza. I can only say that the only thing I miss from those years is that I never took the time to be a tourist for a couple of days, but I guess that can wait until I retire. I understand after Franklin acquired the business you decided to continue distributing UPP products. I presume this keeps you busy - are you still travelling a lot? Today I am a Franklin distributor for Sweden plus a few additional countries and the Swedish business is great as the authority has now made a new law which says all steel pipes at petrol stations have to be replaced with PE pipes before the end of 2022. I was surprised at the strong response I received and I was now also contacted by Shell Europe. To manage an increasing market demand in combination with the worst recession ever in Sweden, I had to find a partner. I met John Boudry and together we started PetroTechnik UK in the year 1991. After lots of hard work we were awarded a global contract with Shell and via them we could spearhead into many new markets. Into how many countries has the pipe been accepted around the world now? Today I think we have installed pipes in something like a 170 countries. I know that you have travelled around the world explaining the product and training people, you must have had some unusual incidents during your travels! Can you tell us about one that sticks in your memory? Before we sold the company to Franklin I had visited around 88 countries to make presentations and help train local personnel and there are of course lots of great memories from all these visits, meeting fantastic people over the world, of which some now are friends for life.

I don’t travel as I used to for business. I sometimes do still visit our distributors in Ukraine, Russia and Poland. What do you do in your spare time? I recall you had an interest in football in Sweden - can you tell us about it? Apart from a life in piping, since the mid-seventies, I have been very much involved in a small football club, IFK Lidingö. A local island club where I live that has grown from a 7 boy team to being the second biggest club in Sweden with about 190 teams in organized play. A fun hobby that has also taken me to some big games and ventures with clubs outside of my little Sweden.

Thinking back, I could probably write a book about the adventures but just to give you a quick one that stuck was realising that our local entrepreneur in Uganda, who had tried to convince me for several few days that eating fried insects was yummy actually had a point when I was invited by him for dinner!

Do you have any other hobbies? I guess you could say that I have many other hobbies and I am involved in both other business as well as sponsorship. Currently we are planning a relay in my home town up in the north Ljusdal. Together with local sports clubs it looks both promising as well as a fun project. The name? – “UPP Relay”. Thank you Jan.

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Branches Scottish APEA Scottish Branch Meeting. Stirling Albion Football Club, Forthbank Stadium, Stirling 29th September 2017. The Branch held a meeting at the Castle Suite at Stirling Albion Football Club’s Forthbank Stadium on 29th September 2017. The meeting included Fireworks Licensing and Fireworks Display Organisers’ Awareness Introduction and attracted 33 members and guests. The members and guests included enforcement officers from 17 Scottish Local Authority Licensing Authorities. The speakers were Graham Shand who represents Scotland on the Fireworks Enforcement Liaison Group (FELG) and Chris Mason, a professional fireworks display organiser. The Fireworks Enforcement Liaison Group consists of local authority licensing officers including members from the Metropolitan Boroughs who are Fire and Rescue officers. The Health and Safety Executive and the fireworks industry are also represented. Chris Mason is a professional fireworks display organiser with

many years’ experience in organising professional fireworks displays. Graham Shand gave a very informative presentation on fireworks licensing which had been prepared by FELG for distribution throughout the UK by regional members of the group to promote consistency in enforcement. Ian Hillier, branch representative, gave an introduction to the Business Companion website which advises persons who want to store fireworks on how to apply for a licence. Chris Mason gave a very instructive and in-depth presentation of the dangers associated with fireworks which only professional display organisers are allowed to use. This included videos of displays which had gone wrong. The meeting finished at 4pm and delegates were wished a safe journey home. Ian Hillier Branch Representative

Speakers L to R: Ian Hillier APEA Scottish Branch Representative, Chris Mason, Professional fireworks display organiser, Graham Shand, Scottish Representative of FELG (Fireworks Enforcement Liaison Group)

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Irish The Branch held an APEA committee meeting on the 12th of October 2017 in the Huntsman Inn, Gormanstown, County Meath and it was well attended with a number of additional new members from Northern Ireland. There was a discussion on a number of topics including hot topics that may be of interest to our membership and the meeting progressed very well. We discussed the ongoing development of the 4th edition of the “Blue Book” and the topic of Brexit would appear to be an issue of concern for most service station operators. There has been no further progress on addressing the Regulations

and it would appear that the review process has stalled to some extent. The Irish Branch committee is very active and continues to strive to provide good value for our membership. We are planning to hold our Annual General Meeting in early December. We are not intending to have a seminar and trade show this year, however we expect to do so in 2018. Tom Daly Chairman and Branch Representative

Eastern Next meeting: Thursday 7th December 2017.

will be made available as the program unfolds.

The Eastern Branch events committee met recently to plan and prepare their next meeting which will take place at The Maltings in Ely, Cambridgeshire with a planned visit to Ely cathedral. This is our Christmas event and always a popular one. We will have several interesting presentations relevant to topics of the day. We encourage all EB members to attend. Other APEA members are most welcome too. Please confirm your attendance for our planning. You can of course always cancel at any time. More detail

The cathedral has its origins in AD 672 when St Etheldreda built an abbey church. The present building dates back to 1083, and cathedral status was granted it in 1109. Until the reformation it was the Church of St Etheldreda and St Peter, at which point it was refounded as the Cathedral. Anton Martiniussen Branch Secretary

Southern The Southern Branch held a very successful meeting at the Deanwood Park Golf Club near Newbury on the 3rd October 2017. This is a venue we have used before and it continues to provide us with excellent facilities in a location convenient to most members in our extensive geographical area. After a welcome and introduction from our Chairman Phil Monger, the presentations began with Edward Wheeler of Eurotank, who explained their tank lining systems - Lifeliner and Fastliner. Ed outlined problems they have seen recently during tank testing and inspections and the adverse effects bio fuels can have on storage tanks. He described their tank lining systems and explained how they work, including the advantages they have found in using UV curing over chemical curing when applying GRP lining systems. He explained that with alternative fuels becoming more prevalent in coming years, some retailers may seek to extend the life of their current assets rather than installing new tanks. Phil thanked Ed for an interesting and useful presentation and explained that the next two booked speakers had both cancelled their attendance on the previous day. However, Jason West and Alfie Costen of Nanovapor had agreed to make a presentation at very short notice.

Edward Wheeler from Eurotank

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Branches/Training Nanovapor is a gas freeing technology that has considerable advantages over using nitrogen gas or water filling to achieve a gas free tank. The system is widely used in other parts of the world including China, and can be used with empty or partly filled petrol tanks to achieve a gas free and safe environment in which to work. Jason and Alfie explained the technology behind the system, and how it can be a safer and quicker option for temporary or long term inerting. It has been named by Shell International Petroleum Company as the Global Design Best Practice for the degassing of their retail gas stations worldwide. This presentation was a bonus for members who found the whole concept very interesting. Our next speakers were Annie Risbridger-Hind and Keith Robinson of Risbridger Ltd who presented an overview of failsafe overfill valves and vapour growth reduction. Annie outlined the background of the company, producing high quality products for the petroleum and aviation industry and with Keith demonstrated and explained the Ris-Stop overfill prevention valve which is designed to fail safe by operating in a normally closed manner. They also showed that during a delivery of fuel to a storage tank, the fuel in the tank becomes aerated and turbulent, causing some of the petroleum to form into its vapour state. Using a Drop Tube

Diffuser provides a method of preventing 'vapour growth' and the subsequent loss of petroleum product volume in the tanks by smoothing the flow of fuel from the delivery hose, which is especially important with ethanol blended fuels. After an excellent lunch and time of networking, our final speaker of the day was Alex Boudry of Franklin Fueling Systems. Alex explained how the bacterial reaction with ethanol creates highly corrosive acetic acid. He showed the dramatic effect this can have on the fittings within the tank chamber in a fairly short time and how this can be alleviated by keeping water out of the chamber; using products such as electrofusion entry boots which weld directly to the wall of any polyethylene sump, creating a watertight seal between the pipework system and containment spaces. They are specifically designed to reduce the number of fittings and eliminate bolt holes, rubber seals, band clamps and any potential leak paths. Our day ended with an update from Phil Monger; a final round up, and reminder of our next branch meeting at The Army Museum of Flying at Middle Wallop in Hampshire on Tuesday 23rd January 2018.

Branch Representative and Secretary Contact Details For the full list of Branch Representative and Secretary contact details please go to http://www.apea.org.uk/branch-locations

Training

Delegates from the 3 day combined Construction, Audit and Inspection course at Stansted Airport in September

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Course dates 2018 3 Day Combined Petrol Filling Stations – Construction, Audit and Inspection Course 16 - 18th April Manchester Airport 11-13th June Solihull 10-12th Sept Stansted Airport

Petrol Filling Stations - Enforcement Procedures An Awareness 4th June Manchester Airport 3rd September Stansted Airport Explosives and Fireworks To be confirmed

Electrical Installations - An Awareness 15th March Manchester 25th September Swindon

Petrol Filling Station courses on request Vapour Recovery Installations Leak Investigation Petroleum Officers Workshop Please contact the APEA office for a quotation at admin@apea.org.uk

Safe Installation and Use of LPG 21st March Manchester Airport 13th September Stansted Airport Wetstock Management 11th April Manchester Airport 19th September Stansted Airport

PFS, Petroleum (Consolidation) Regulations 2014 To be announced

DSEAR 9th April Manchester Airport 17th September Stansted Airport

Course Fees 3 day course with accommodation 3 day, day delegate rate 1 day course

APEA Member £1020.00 £810.00 £260.00

Non member £1120.00 £910.00 £310.00

More information and booking details on the ‘Training’ page at www.apea.org.uk Anyone booking a training course that is not an APEA member will automatically receive complimentary “Individual” membership to the APEA for one year.

Bespoke courses can also be arranged for companies, which enables members to receive training at a discounted rate and at a time and location suitable to them. If you are interested in hosting a bespoke course for your company please contact Jane Mardell, the APEA Business Manger at admin@apea.org.uk.

Courses will be designed around the (3rd edition) Blue Book Guidance for the Design, Construction, Modification, Maintenance and Decommissioning of Filling Stations (June 2011). The guide is currently being revised and the 4th edition is due for publication early 2018. A PDF download of the 3rd Edition is available from the APEA website www.apea.org.uk it can be purchased with a licence for individual use only by members for £70.00 plus vat or by non members for £140.00 plus vat. The hard copy of the 4th Edition of the Blue Book is due to be printed in early 2018. It is strongly recommended that attendees have access to this document during courses. For details of this and any other training enquiry, please contact: Jane Mardell - APEA Business Manager, email: admin@apea.org.uk, Tel: + 44 (0) 345 603 5507 or Thomas Daly (Chairman of Training Committee) Tel: +353 876899281/+353 876899281 or email: thomasdaly@apea.org.uk APEA tel/fax 0345 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk