The Bulletin Magazine - June 2013

The Bulletin

Journal of the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration

June 2013

Chairman’s Report

4

Editor’s Report

7

Bulletin Information

7

General APEA Information

8

Business Manager’s Report

11

Letters to the Editor

12

New APEA Members

19

News

23

Mobile: +44 (0) 7798 765958

Press Releases

35

email: Bakerb4@sky.com

Articles APEA Live 2013, Conference, Exhibition and Awards Dinner

42

Jamie Thompson

APEA Awards 2013

47

Interview with Brian Humm, Head of Petroleum, London Fire Brigade and the APEA’s Immediate Past Chairman

48

E & S Environmental Services Ltd introduce the Vapour Recovery Refiner to the Retail Forecourt Market

51

Clearing The Air (And Water)

55

Ask The Experts

60

Mobile: +44 (0) 7770 625851

Corrosion Protection and Prevention: The sti-P3® Tank

64

email:

Managing the Risk of Gas Migration

67

Training LPG Awareness. Training course information Photographs from recent training courses 2013 course dates and booking details

Editor Brian Baker & Associates Fire and Petroleum Safety Services 52 Milton Grove Bletchley Milton Keynes MK3 5BH Tel: +44 (0) 1908 377127

Publishing Chairman 70 Wangford Road Reydon

CONTENTS AND EDITORIAL

Branches Branch reports

Brian Baker

Southwold Suffolk IP18 6NX Tel/fax: +44 (0) 1502 722999

jamie@jamiethompson.org.uk

Jane Mardell

70

Business Manager PO Box 106

74 74 75

Saffron Walden Essex CB11 3XT United Kingdom Tel/fax: +44 (0) 845 603 5507

NB. The technical content is not an official endorsement by or on behalf of the APEA and are entirely the views of the author’s

Mobile: +44 (0) 7815 055514 email: admin@apea.org.uk

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Front Cover - On the corner of Hinton Lane and Common Hill, Steeple Ashton lies this abandoned 1930s petrol station, complete with the final tally of served gallons of fuel on each pump.

Published by the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration A company Limited by Guarantee registered in England No. 2261600Opinions expressed in this Journal are not necessarily the views of the Association.

3

Welcome to the summer edition of

the June issue of The Bulletin. This is

Hopefully everybody

quite an onerous task and one that

has either enjoyed a recent holiday

requires some meticulous checking

or is looking forward to taking a

and double checking and a lot of

holiday in the near future; I know I

telephone calls and emails chasing

certainly am looking forward to one.

people for information, so this is the

The Bulletin.

I would like to start by welcoming

reason you may have received alot

some new members to National

of correspondence during February

Council.

and March.

Branch Representatives

have been elected in the following

As you know The Bulletin currently

branches and I would like to thank

comes out to members four times a

them for taking on this valuable role

year, this is only able to happen

and wish them every success.

thanks to the volunteering efforts of

Eastern Branch -

particular Brian Baker as Editor,

Alex Boudry, Franklin Fuelling

dedicates an enormous amount of

on this code especially regarding

time to The Bulletin and is always on

the Area classification of diesel on

North West Branch -

the look out for articles of a

petrol stations.

David Clement

technical nature and also those that

G&E Murgatroyd (Spar)

are of general interest. I would like

the Publications Committee.

In

to extend a huge thank you to Brian of

everybody

that

The recent proposed revision of

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Irish Branch -

on

Thomas Daly, Dublin Fire Brigade

receives and enjoys the journal for

14125:2013

his dedication and commitment

flexible

Happily two members who have

and to let him know that his efforts

underground installation at petrol

expressed a strong interest in the

are extremely valued. Again this is a

filling stations” has just been voted

APEA have been co-opted onto

voluntary role that takes up a

on and with unanimous support the

Council, namely Colette Sellers from

considerable amount of time.

revised

Global MSI and Ray Nicholson from

behalf

European Standards

The Association continues to work behind the scenes in supporting the

TSPL Consulting Limited.

the

European

Standard

EN

“Thermoplastic and

metal

pipe

standard

work

has

for

been

approved.

The

following

revisions

were

Every year the Council reviews the

Petroleum industry in many areas

approved during 2012 and these

committee members for the various

which members do not often hear

new standards have now been

committees run by council for

about. We have recently, through

published:

Events, Publications, Technical and

the Technical Committee

Training. After numerous dedicated

Chairman Jamie Thompson, raised

• EN 13012 2012 Petrol filling stations

years Bob Conlin has stood down as

a number of concerns with the

- Construction and performance

Chairman of the Events Committee

Energy Institute and the HSE about

of automatic nozzles for use on

and I’m sure everyone will join me in

hazard area concepts in particular

fuel dispensers.

thanking Bob for the tremendous

where some Codes of Practice have

amount of effort dedicated to

been suggesting diesel tanks should

ensuring

be treated as Zone 0.

that

our

annual

conference, exhibition and awards

and

• EN 13167-1 2012 Petrol filling stations

Apart from the practicalities of

-

Part

1:

Safety

requirements for construction and

event has gone from strength to

changing

electrical

performance of metering pumps,

strength. We now have joint chairs

equipment it has always been

dispensers and remote pumping

of the Events Committee and would

recognised that there is not the

units.

existing

like to wish Alex Boudry and Colette

ignition risk with the higher flash

Sellers

the

point fuels such as diesel than those

every

success

for

Work continues with the revision of

would

associated with highly flammable

other standards affecting petrol

encourage everyone to support

fuels with lower flash points such as

station

them in their endeavours.

petrol.

underground and above ground

forthcoming

event

and

At the time of writing this report the

The Energy Institute are currently code

that

cover

tanks, safe breaks, swivels, shear

Association is at that particularly

revising

“Area

valves, overfill prevention devices,

busy time of the year with Jane

Classification code for installations

tank contents gauges and leak

trying to gather all information

handling flammable liquids Part 15”

detection devices parts 1 to 7.

together for the 2014 yearbook and

and the association is commenting

4

their

construction

Until next time…..

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

of questions were fielded and explanations and answers given.

Early feedback suggests that this was well received and we plan to hold possibly two more later in the year.

We then moved to Stafford to hold our popular 3-day combined bespoke course entitled Petrol Filling Stations – Construction, Audit and Inspection where we go through the key sections of the “Blue Book” followed by the customary audit trail and simulated Inspection of a service station. Again this move to three days as opposed to 2 x 2 days courses appears to be what our members want.

As for me, I was very tired at the end of it but pleased I was on my feet training again and much came flooding back immediately as if I had not been away.

You will see a reply from me, as Editor, following a letter received from an article that appeared in the December 2012 edition. The reason for this is that I was involved in an incident in my area and as a result legal action followed.

My role of Editor under normal circumstances is impartial, as indeed are any articles I receive, and I like to think the Association itself is transparent, including the contents of each Bulletin Journal.

Jane has completed the 2014 Yearbook and this is now at the printers, it seems that as soon we complete one project we are straight onto another but I am

pleased to learn that our membership remains very healthy with a steady stream of members either joining for the first time or indeed re-joining so we must be getting it right somewhere along the line!

We also have an article in this issue about STiP3, a tank installation system that is widely used in the USA which is quite different to our approach but the principles are similar. So I give thanks to Lorri of the Steel Tank Institute for its inclusion.

Now those birds are singing out there, there is some sunshine and the days are getting longer here in the UK. That means the cricket season is about to start and hopefully I can get out in the garden and do some planting and seed sowing. Makes us all feel good when the weather is fine.

Until next time Brian

Bulletin information and how to submit copy for the Bulletin • 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.

admin@apea.org.uk.

The editor of The Bulletin, Brian Baker, 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

contributions from our members and

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

The deadline for final copy is 1st July for the next issue.

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

Copy deadline dates for 2013 Bulletin: June issue, 28th March (posted May) Sept issue, 1st July (posted August) Dec issue, 7th Oct (posted Dec) 7

EDITOR’S REOPRT/BULLETIN INFORMATION

At the time of penning my usual missive we are already into spring and glad to see that extra duty on fuel in the UK has been scrapped in the recent UK Budget.

Already at record levels, the cost of fuel hurts business and all our fortunes where we heavily rely on hydrocarbons and although electrification of our transport system in this country is increasing we still are a long way off moving away from petrol and diesel.

The Events Committee are slowly but surely putting together the APEA Live 2013 Conference agenda and without detracting from its promotion elsewhere in this issue, we are focusing on a theme of Competency, Quality and Safety and we virtually have the morning sessions covered.

I had a personal triumph recently when I returned to training duties for the first time for nearly a year. The first ever Petroleum Officers Workshop took place for the Central England Trading Standards Association (CEnTSA) at Warwick. It is an experiment but there were 12 delegates on the session which included an update on legislation and the HSE’s Loftsted Report, a narrative visit to a local service station, an update on vapour recovery systems, a desk top exercise using a set of plans that had deliberate mistakes on them (supplied kindly by Jennings Design) and the final session was for delegates queries where a number

Bulletin Advertising If you book in 4 issues this includes a 25% discount off the one issue rates.

In addition Bulletin advertisers also receive a 50% discount off rates for

advertising in the annual Yearbook.

If you would like to book advertising in the Bulletin, please email your requirements to admin@apea.org.uk or call the

office on 0845 603 5507.

Artwork deadline dates for 2013 Bulletin: Sept issue, 1st July (posted August) Dec issue, 7th Oct (posted Dec)

Size of advert

Advert in 1 issue exc vat

Advert is 4 issues (includes 25% discount) exc vat

Full page (A4) (10mmw x 297mmh, with 10mm border or with bleed)

£498.00

£1494.00

½ page (185mmw x 125mmh)

£249.00

£747.00

¼ page (90mmw x 125mmh)

£125.00

£375.00

Training

GENERAL APEA INFORMATION

The 2013 dates are detailed on page 75 of this issue of the Bulletin and are also on the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk where you can book online or download a booking form.

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

training page; just click on the

them.

If you are interested in hosting a

course you are interested in and the

bespoke course for your company

course details and online form are

please contact Jane Mardell, the

displayed.

APEA

Business

Manger

at

admin@apea.org.uk.

You can book courses online from

Anyone booking a training course that is not an APEA member will automatically

receive

the Training page on the APEA

complimentary

“Individual”

website or you can download a

membership to the APEA until 31st

booking form from the website

December 2013.

3rd Edition of the Guidance for Design, Construction, Modification, Maintenance and Decommissioning of Filling Stations - ‘Blue Book’ (Revised June 2011) ‘Publications’ page. You can select to pay by credit/debit card or by invoice.

Pricing as follows: APEA Member Hard back £70 pdf £70 plus vat

5 - 9 copies = 10% 10 - 49 copies = 20% 50+ copies = 30% To benefit from the APEA member discount you will need to log on to the website before purchasing. If you do not know your log on details

The guide is available in hard copy and also as a pdf download.

If you wish to purchase the guide please go to the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk and click on the 8

Non APEA Member Hard back £140 Pdf £140 plus vat

you can click on the ‘Member log

Postage is free for orders to the UK and Europe up to a value of £500.00.

For orders over this value and for deliveries to countries outside the UK and Europe, the postage will be calculated when the order is placed.

There are also discounts available for bulk purchases of the hard copy version which will be calculated with your order as follows:

password or you can contact me at

in’ icon on the top right of the page and request your username and admin@apea.org.uk.

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.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

APEA Website the year, you can opt to be invoiced or to pay online via secure payment systems • An easy to use site search page • An events calendar – see what is happening in our industry and Association throughout the year • A Contacts library - contact details for companies and organisations and licensing authorities • You can purchase publications – including the 3rd Edition of the Blue Book • View and book training courses for The last few months have been very busy with membership renewals, the Bulletin and producing the 2014 Yearbook which is now at the printers. Preparations are also under way for APEA 2013 Live and information can be found on page 42.

I will be on holiday for a week each in June and July, so should you require to contact anyone from the APEA there will be a list of contact details for the various APEA committee members on the home page of the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk. The office phone will also be manned in my absence.

2014 Yearbook Thanks to all of you that registered online for the 2014 Yearbook and also those of you who booked advertising; the artwork is now at the printers and the Yearbooks will be distributed on 1st October.

If you have not received your copy by the end of October please let me know and I will chase up your delivery. We only have a limited amount of spare copies so you need to contact me by the end of October if you have not received your copy.

We will be sending all Yearbooks

by Royal Mail recorded delivery and by courier so that we can follow up any non deliveries.

To log on visit the web site at www.apea.org.uk and click on the member log on link at the top right of the page. If you wish to change your password or contact details at any time please click on ‘My

• Members access to past Bulletin articles on line

Account’ on the top right of the

• View your Branch committee contact details (link on the home page)

and password, please click on

As a member of the APEA you have access to some of the restricted content on the site as a benefit of membership. To access this content you will need to log on with your personal details below: 2013 AGM, Conference, Exhibition and Awards Dinner Following the success of APEA 2012 we will be repeating the format for APEA 2013.

It brings together equipment suppliers, service providers, oil companies, independent retailers, supermarkets and regulators for a day of conference debate, new technology and product display, networking and industry recognition.

APEA 2013 takes place on 7th November at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry.

The event takes place in a dedicated conference and function centre, boasting top class facilities.

Anyone wishing to book a place at the Conference, Exhibition or Awards Dinner should go to the link on the home page of the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk.

APEA Awards There is a simpler, easier to use online system this year and entries are invited from all members of the APEA however big or small your company is or if you are one man band.

If you would like to enter any of the awards you can do this online from the home page of the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk or please contact me for an entry form at admin@apea.org.uk. Please specify which award you wish to enter so that the appropriate form can be emailed to you. Details

home page.

If you do not know your username ‘Member Login’ on the top right of the home page and you can click to request these details, they will be emailed to the email address you entered when joining the APEA or you can email a request to the APEA office at admin@apea.org.uk.

about the awards can be found on pages 43 and 47.

I will be managing the AGM part of the event and information and nomination forms will be posted to all members with the September issue of the Bulletin.

New Members There

have

been

45

new

members joining during January, February and March and details can be found on page 19.

General Assistance If you need any assistance with general or technical

matters,

please do not hesitate to contact me at admin@apea.org.uk or on 0845 603 5507.

Jane

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

11

GENERAL APEA INFORMATION AND APEA BUSINESS MANAGER’S REPORT

The site features: • A resource centre - useful information and links to other web sites and downloadable PDF’s

clearly demonstrated in confined space training, this obviously points to the fact that the tank manifold had not been isolated properly. Also the tank had been completely gas freed and cleaned professionally with gas free certs issued so if vapour was to be present then it would only be a minimal amount.

Dear Sir, I am writing in reply to the article published within the December 2012 edition of the APEA bulletin entitled “Safety Breaches Leads to Prosecution”, this article, in my opinion contains some inaccuracies which I would like to address within this reply: • With regards to the work being carried out on site, the client was responsible for all the work being carried out; 1st Advance were only contracted to carry out the relining of the failed underground storage tank, the client had a representative on site to liaise with the contractors and client’s Engineering department, on the day of the incident the area manager was on site to carry out this task.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

• There is an email trail, 1st Advance and the Petroleum Officer (PO) from Milton Keynes regarding the work proposal, RAMS were issued at the start of the proposal and forwarded to the PO, these were accepted and an email agreeing the start of the work was received.

A proviso of the work from the PO was that the site would close whilst the lining was carried out, as the site operator, requested that the site remain open for trading, 1st Advance were not enamoured with this as the site was small but to keep the client happy a site meeting between a representative of 1st Advance and the Petroleum Officer took place a few days before the work was started to discuss this request, this was agreed with the PO and once again RAMS regarding the change in circumstances were sent, RAMS were forwarded for perusal at this point no adverse comments on their suitability were forthcoming, the Petroleum Officer gave approval for the work to start via email. This is the reason that several versions of RAMS were available.

• The article mentions that a contractor had been engaged to isolate the Tank manifold, remove the pipe work and remove the tank lid prior to the cleaning of the tank; the article does not mention the contractors name nor does it inform the reader that this work was not carried out correctly; if a route cause analysis of the incident had been carried out then this would have found that the vapour recovery manifold had not been disconnected properly and would have pointed to this being a major contributory factor to the incident itself. This fact allowed petrol vapour to fill the clean tank at the time of the delivery; the pipe work contractor actually completed this work correctly following the incident despite the fact that a major HSE investigation was being carried out at this time.

• The article states that no checks were made on the day within the tank to ensure that it was gas free, this was obvious to all those present that there was high concentrations of petroleum vapour within the vessel due to the overpowering smell present following the delivery by the road tanker to which there is not a personal gas monitor available which could be exposed to that amount of concentrated vapour with out damaging the combustible gas sensor which is 12

• May I also add that during the investigation the author of the article was presented with a risk assessment in a format that was dismissed as not suitable and sufficient, this format was downloaded from the HSE.gov website as a template for contractors to use • The statement that there were no fire extinguishers available is factually incorrect as the site has its own as a requirement of the licence issued and DSEAR. • The article mentions that the operatives had smelt strong petrol vapour, therefore their would be no need to take a reading using a meter, the fact that Mr

Greenstreet had on his person an uncalibrated meter is of no significance at all to the incident, the calibrated 1st Advance meters, as you state, were on their way to the site.

• The article describes that the tank was being vented as follows “the three decided to use the breathing apparatus supplied by Airblast to vent the tank although it was not ATEX marked and was not adequate for the task” the equipment being used to vent the tank was in fact the airline from the compressor on site to be used in conjunction with the breathing apparatus and to my knowledge (and to others I have asked within the industry) this equipment, not being electrically operated, does not require to be marked under the ATEX regulations.

• 1st Advance are mentioned in the article as having carried out “poor checking of their sub contractors with regards to their suitability to carry out work under the DSEAR regulations” in this case Airblast were engaged following the checking of 3 references supplied to 1st Advance from the following 1. OIKOS Storage, Haven Road Hole Haven Wharf, Canvey Island Essex 2. Petrochem, Carless fuels, terminal Harwich 3. DHL Aviation, East Midlands Airport All three of the above are large premises with bulk storage of petroleum products that would fall under the DSEAR regulations and all will have strict permits to work in operation so in my opinion sufficient checks had been carried out, this information was also on the Airblast website.

• The Article states that 1st Advance went into liquidation before the case was heard in court and the summonses were withdrawn, this infers that 1st Advance went into liquidation to avoid answering this case, this is not the case and the Company was forced into liquidation due to an entirely unrelated reason.

• Mr Greenstreet was prosecuted

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

My final observation on this matter lies within the inconsistency of enforcement and competence of Local Authorities within the UK with regards to petrol and its associated legislation, previous bulletin articles have shown incidents on forecourts around the UK yet no action seems to be taken, one in particular was the explosion at a Morrison’s Supermarket, in Livingstone, Scotland late 2008, this has been mentioned by yourself within the bulletin (June 2009), your exact words were that you would “try and shame someone into writing an article and also despite a request from a reader via letter published within the March 2009 edition still no article from the incident has appeared, this seems to be the old case of if we do not mention it then it might go away, also as you mention in your editorial at the time that this incident could have had really serious consequences therefore I find it amazing that no form of enforcement action was taken against anyone involved, be it individual or Company, this I find incredulous considering the case taken to which I am referring to.

I look forward to your answers to my points above and my comments being published within the bulletin.

Stephen Robinson Tanks and Pipeworks Ltd

Editor’s response to 1st Advance letter from Stephen Robinson relating to ‘Safety Breaches leads to prosecution’ by Kim Bennett, Senior Environmental Health Officer, Milton Keynes Council in the Dec 2012 issue of the Bulletin.

As Editor of this Journal I have been asked to reply to Mr. S. Robinson’s letter that I received following the publication of an article on “Safety Breaches leads to Prosecution” in the December 2012 edition of the Bulletin.

I shall attempt to answer the various queries raised as follows; 1. The actual decision to prosecute was taken several months after I left the employ of Milton Keynes Council but confirm my attendance to the incident in question on the day, about 45 minutes after it occurred having been notified by both Thames Valley Police and MK Council’s Emergency Planning Officer.

2. Under Petroleum Licensing Conditions, the Licensing Authority requires 28 days notice in writing of any material alterations that would affect the site. Tank Lining would be regarded as a material alteration. I did not receive such notice but accommodated both the Client and the Principal Contractor 3 days before the work commenced as PLA’s attempt to accommodate the needs of industry if possible.

3. Prior to the site meeting, also attended by the Client, Murco Petroleum Ltd, I had received at least one Risk Assessment and Safety Method Statement (RAMS) and at the time of the incident had received 3 copies all slightly different with different dates on.

At this site meeting I had agreed with the Client that the site could remain open but if safety was compromised I would expect closure, in full or part to take place.

4. Portable fire fighting equipment provided on site is for normal Forecourt coverage. It is expected that if additional risks are introduced such as works or tanker deliveries etc, additional

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

equipment should be supplied without the Forecourt cover being compromised.

5. I now advise that the decision to prosecute by a Local Authority is not taken by a single individual. In this case, after gathering evidence, taking statements and in particular, 19 interviews under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, it illustrates the thoroughness of the investigation. The case was then passed to senior management within MK Council who in turn consult with their own solicitor and legal team. The case is also put through a process known as the Enforcement Management Model (EMM) which is a HSE system to direct and support Enforcement Officers in making appropriate enforcement decisions.

6. The next step is taken when the legal team consider the location, the incident itself, the evidence and statements received. They then decide on prosecution and consult a Queen’s council barrister who interrogates the Investigating officer before deciding to take the case and implement proceedings.

7. Throughout a Friskies Schedule (named after a Pet Food Company) is conducted which allows for mitigating circumstances. Given the fact that this incident occurred in a built-up, populated area of Milton Keynes was part of the final factor to prosecute as I understand it.

8. I was not called to testify in court as the legal team had sufficient evidence and technical explanations to not call upon me, as the council’s petroleum officer.

9. MK Council is a comparatively small Unitary Authority covering 250,000 people and now less than 40 petroleum licensed sites. The procedure for breaches of both Petroleum Legislation and DSEAR is referred, under Sections 20 – 25 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for whom the lead is taken by that authority’s Environmental Health Department.

15

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

for various reasons as stated under section 7 of the Health and Safety at work Act 1974, one of the failings identified was that he entered the tank top and allowed others to do so during the delivery, the failure of the clients appointed contractor to carry out his designated task significantly contributed to this, if the work had been completed correctly then the danger would not have been present and therefore no offence committed, also Mr Greenstreet “allowed unsafe equipment to be used” Mr Greenstreet would not have allowed this to be used if he had witnessed the Airblast operative attempting to use this light, also by using the word “allowed” infers that Mr Greenstreet was in charge of the site at the time, which he certainly was not, he was employed at the time by 1st Advance as a tank cleaner/labourer.

10. I cannot comment on why other petroleum licensing authorities do not act in a consistent manner, I can only comment on my own knowledge and fact regarding what happens in my former area. I can add that a similar incident occurred in the Stafford area two months after this incident and the PLA did take action which has only come to light with me recently. Each of the 200 odd PLA’s inevitably will have their own method of enforcement. As for a fire at a Morrison’s Supermarket around this time, I do not have the full facts of this incident despite enquiring about it.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

11.As for “shaming someone to write an article” I can advise that this journal has for years published news of incidents not just in the UK but abroad as well. Often in this industry we can learn by mistakes to ensure all of us get it right and avoid injury, or even death which has happened over the 100 years we have had petrol filling stations.

I hope I have provided what Mr Robinson seeks. I have had 42 years experience in the fire Industry alone.

I have conducted investigations following major fires involving fatalities. I have given evidence in Coroner’s, Magistrate’s and Crown courts throughout my career as a public and impartial officer. It is my opinion the right decision to take action was made in the interests of public safety.

Brian Baker Former Petroleum Officer Milton Keynes Council Response to 1st Advance letter by Kim Bennett of Milton Keynes Council, I would like to add the following to Brian Baker’s comments.

• Everything in the article was presented in open court – in both the Magistrate’s and Crown courts when the cases were heard. It can all be reported unless the judge rules otherwise or it is refuted at the time.

• Summonses were served on 1st Advance and were brought to Milton Keynes Magistrates court; the summonses were withdrawn at 16

the first hearing after it was explained that the Company had gone into liquidation. There was no inference that the Company went into liquidation to avoid prosecution.

• I have to agree with the comments about inconsistency of enforcement; this does not mean that I should not have taken the prosecution – indeed the fines and judge’s comments say otherwise and supported the action.

• Through the APEA Health and Safety at Work awareness course, POs are encouraged to take enforcement action which is in accordance with the Regulators’ Compliance Code and the Enforcement Concordat – this includes using letters, improvement and prohibition notices and indeed prosecution.

• I cannot answer for other petroleum licensing authorities who choose not to take enforcement action in serious cases.

• I must however work within the recognised guidance mentioned above and am obliged to follow the MKC Enforcement Policy and have my recommendations checked by senior managers to confirm we are following this policy.

Kim Bennett Milton Keynes Council Dear Sir UKLPG information.

Following information received on some recent “near misses”, including a recent report relating to a petrol tank in the Bulletin, the UKLPG Technical Safety Management Team (TSMT) determined one of the common factors was the incorrect use of portable gas detectors. With input from the Council for Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring (CoGDEM) UKLPG has published a free User Information Sheet UIS029 “PORTABLE GAS DETECTORS USED AT LPG INSTALLATIONS”.

Whilst primarily aimed for the users of this type of safety equipment at LPG installations the general

principles apply to all sites where gas detection and oxygen monitoring, including for confined space entry, are required. The document is not a replacement for suitable training but more as a reminder covering the main points of use.

As with all User Information Sheets UIS029 is available as a free download from: uklpg.org.uk.

Richard Wigfull John Wigfull and Co Dear Brian I have just opened my Bulletin and of course you are my first read!

Your comment about vehicle battery charging points is well founded and I hope all of those thinking of installing charging sockets first read Clause 14.5.2 of the “Blue Book”, which says “Where provision is made for charging batteries integral with electrically energised vehicles, the charging equipment should be located so that the cable connection to the vehicle charging inlet is within the non-hazardous area when the cable is fully extended.” As you have raised the subject, I hope you can include reference to the guidance in the next issue of the Bulletin.

The IET (ex IEE) also publish a book “Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation”; this gives comprehensive guidance on the installation of charging sockets and as you will see from the contents below, covers hazardous areas.

Book contents 1. Scope 2. Overview of electric vehicle charging equipment 1. Charging equipment for Modes 1, 2, 3 & 4 2. Socket outlets and charging cables 3. Other variations in EV charging equipment design and specification 3. Arrangements prior to installation commencement 0. Supply metering 1. Adequacy of supply 2. Existing earthing arrangements

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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Simultaneous contact assessment GPRS coverage Charging equipment manufacturer’s instructions and requirements Planning permission Traffic management orders Agreeing installation details with client

4. Physical installation requirements 0. Potentially explosive atmospheres 1. Location of charging equipment relative to parking space 2. Protection against vehicle impact 3. Location of controls and socket outlets 4. Free space around charging equipment

Detailed below are new members that have recently joined the APEA during January, February and March.

January Colette Sellers 255 Stannington Road Sheffield, South Yorkshire S6 5FT Jason Unsworth MES - McFadden Environmental Services Ltd Unit 5 Butterbowl Works Ring Road, Lower Wortley Leeds, West Yorkshire LS12 5AJ Vicky Hennessy MHA Lighting Ltd Station House Station Approach Atherton, Manchester M46 9LJ

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Ventilation and cooling Avoidance of trip hazards Avoidance of unnecessary obstruction Labelling of BS 1363 socket outlets

5. Electrical requirements – General 0. Earthing and protective equipotential bonding requirements 1. Circuit design, cable specifications and dimensions 2. Protection against electric shock 3. Provision of RCDs 4. Isolation and switching 5. IP ratings 6. Lightning protection systems 6. Electrical requirements – Domestic installations

Sam Standley TLM Group Technology 3-5 The Stables, Wrest Park Silsoe Beds MK45 4HS Ismail Khonji Ismail Khonji Associates PO Box 72 Manama Bahrain Mogamat Francis Ceftech PO Box 13045 N1 City Cape Town 7463 South Africa

Peter Regan Peter Regan Electrical Ltd Trading as Regan Electrical 16 Marine Court Beach Green Shoreham by Sea West Sussex BN43 5LQ

Jon Kemp Kemp Business Services 68 Dale Avenue Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8LS

Padraig O'Longaigh Meath County Fire and Rescue Service Navan Fire Station Abbey Road Navan Meath Co Meath, Ireland

Brian Piddock BP Electric 16 Taylor Walk Western Downs Stafford Staffordshire ST17 9LP APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

7. Electrical requirements – On street installations 8. Electrical requirements – Commercial and industrial installations 9. Inspection, testing and maintenance requirements 10.DNO notification I hope this covers everything adequately!

Best wishes for your continued recovery.

John John Dallimore & Partners Lindbury House 104 Molesey Road Hersham Surrey KT12 4RD

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/NEW APEA MEMBERS

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Steve Adams Nottinghamshire County Council Trading Standards, County House 100 Chesterfield Road South Mansfield Nottinghamshire NG19 7AQ Andrew Pollard Surrey County Council Trading Standards Service East Surrey Area Office Omnibus Building (A02) Lesbourne Road Reigate Surrey RH2 7JA James Crawford MOD DSEA #4136, Elm 1c Abbey Wood Bristol BS34 8JH Alex Chikhani MOD DSEA #4136, Elm 1c Abbey Wood Bristol BS34 8JH Brendan Giblin BBA Upper Norwood 1 Woodland Hill Upper Norwood London SE19 1PB 19

February Ross Cowan Southern Tank Services Ltd Unit 2 Eastern Works Sutton Mandeville Salisbury Wiltshire SP3 5NL Joanne Holbrook Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP Kings House 42 King Street West Manchester M3 2NU Geraint John Hornbill Engineering Norton House Llandarcy Neath SA10 6EJ Greg Jones Scientus Ltd 66 High St Henley in Arden Warwickshire B95 5BX

NEW APEA MEMBERS

David Gilmore Forecourt Ireland 138 University Street Belfast Antrim BT7 1H5 Dicky Rahmawan Wisma AKR 6th Floor Jl. Panjang No. 5 West Jakarta 11510 Indonesia James Goulding Cork City Council City Hall, Room 237 Anglesea Street Cork City Cork Ireland Doreen Pooley 2 Park Close Ivybridge Devon PL21 0BU Andrew Young GB-OIls Sheilling House Glenbervie Business Park Larbert FK5 4RB John Thomas 15 Forest View Woolwell Plymouth Devon PL6 7RT 20

Martin Turtle 17 Tullydagan Road Lurgan Armagh BT67 9LJ

Adam Robbin Aardvark EM LtdHigher Ford Wiveliscombe Somerset TA4 2RL

John McGaffin McGaffin Contracts Ltd 82 Duncrue Street Belfast Antrim BT3 9AR

Aaron People 147 Avonmead Swindon Wiltshire SN25 3PS

Christian Egner Profixsolar Ltd Chesterfield Lodge 2 Woodlands Road Clevedon North Somerset BS21 7QD Simon Morriss Sainsbury's 33 Holborn London EC1N 2HT Ben Ward Airkool Projects Ltd 10 Rotterdam Road Sutton Fields Ind. Est. Hull HU7 0XD Aiden Wilson Airkool Projects Ltd 10 Rotterdam Road Sutton Fields Ind. Est. Hull HU7 0XD Keith Covell 20 Lewiston Road Chaddesden Derby Derbyshire DE21 6WH David Rudland Swindon Borough Council Wat Tyler House West Beckhampton Street Swindon SN1 2JH Max Goode ARH Group Ltd Delta House 264 Monkmoor Road Shrewsbury SY2 5ST

March Iqbal Hussain Al Iqbal Arabian Engineering P.O.Box 448, Rusyl Sultanate of Oman Maabelah 124 Oman

Gerry O Malley Sligo Fire Council - Fire Service St. Annes Place Sligo Ireland Mark Reeves CCs Electrical Testing 12-14 Silver Street Tamworth Staffs B79 7NH Mike Cooper All Seasons Contracting Co LimiteYork House High Street Amblecote Stourbridge West Midlands DY8 4BT Roy McKenzie Approov Ltd 3 Bitterne Way Verwood Dorset BH31 6UU Roy Williams D&R Forecourt Services Unit 30 Site A Rednal Industrial Estate Queens Head Oswestry Shropshire SY11 4HS Martin Murray Murco Petroleum Ltd 4 Beaconsfield Road St Albans Herts AL1 3RH Seamus Brannigan Topaz House Beech Hill Clonskeagh Dublin Ireland Robert Doughty Britam, Block 2B. Office G2o Dubai Knowledge Village Dubai 502418 United Arab Emirates

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

British oil giant BP expects unconventional sources of crude and other fuels to supply a larger amount of the world’s energy needs over the next 20 years and oil will remain the primary fuel for transportation.

As far as overall energy consumption, BP believes oil will decline over the next two decades, while gas and coal will rise. The company made the predictions as it released its updated 2030 energy outlook. It is the third year in which the company has released the expectations publicly. “This outlook is a projection, not a proposition,” Chief Executive Bob Dudley declared during a presentation from London that was carried over the Internet.

BP, Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon Mobil are among the companies that each year publish outlooks that forecast the future of the energy sector.

The goal: To figure out what the world will look like in the future so they can make the most profitable exploration and production decisions today. By releasing their conclusions publicly, these companies also spark an annual conversation about the world's energy needs.

BP's updated projections include: • Energy demand is expected to be 36 percent higher in 2030 than 2011, with almost all the growth coming from emerging economies.

• Growing production from unconventional sources of oil – tight oil, oil sands and biofuels – is expected to provide all of the net growth in global oil supply to 2020, and over 70 percent of growth to 2030.

• By 2030, increasing production and moderating demand will result in the U.S. being 99 percent self-sufficient in net energy; in 2005 it was only 70 percent selfsufficient. The U.S. will remain a small net importer of oil, although

net imports will decline by about 70 percent.

• Major emerging economies such as China and India will become increasingly reliant on energy imports. These shifts will have major impacts on trade balances.

• Russia will remain the world's largest energy exporter, with increases in exports of all fossil fuels. By 2030, Saudi Arabia will be the world's largest oil exporter, although the trajectory over time will be impacted by the likelihood of OPEC production cuts.

“Fears of oil running out, to which we never subscribed, appear increasingly groundless,” Dudley said.

At London-based BP, a 10member team works year round on the company's energy projections, which include assumptions on changes in policy, technology and the economy. Internal and external experts are consulted, public and private data and reports are reviewed and existing regulations and how they may change in the future are considered.

UK, Shell helps retailers tighten control of car wash sales with help from Codax PSD Codax, the market leading developer of token-free control systems for car care equipment, is helping retail giant Shell strengthen control of car wash sales at its UK forecourts. New Codax Code Generator technology is being integrated with point of sale (POS) systems at more than 150 Shell UK forecourt sites following a deal with POS IT support company Wincor Nixdorf.

Linking Codax technology with its POS systems will enable Shell head office to gather accurate data about car wash sales and customer buying habits. It will also help retailers improve revenue control and simplify the sales process for shop staff who will be able to sell washes direct from their POS screen.

A single Codax Code Generator

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Terminal (CCGT), which has Ethernet connectivity, eliminates the need for under-counter wiring and multiple Codax ticket printer terminals. The CCGT plugs directly into the in-store network so that all POS terminals can be used to sell car wash and jet wash programmes, and customer access code tickets are then printed by the local POS retail printer.

Car wash codes are issued only after a sale has been completed which stops unauthorised issues and speeds up the sales process, and greatly improves the daily reconciliation process for station managers.

Graham Round, managing director of PSD Codax, said: “Shell UK is the latest major retailer to integrate our Codax Code Generator with its POS systems to tighten control of car wash sales revenue. Our CCGT simplifies the sales process for staff, provides accurate reconciliation for retailers and presents detailed sales data to head office. “As well as providing accurate sales data for head office, this new Codax technology will help to improve security and create more opportunities for forecourt staff to sell car wash and valet services.”

UK, Northern Ireland.

First motorway service stations to be built in Northern Ireland Planning permission has been granted for the building of Northern Ireland’s first motorway service stations. Environment Minister Alex Attwood gave the go-ahead for two developments on the M2.

Proposals for two more on the M1 could get the green light from Lisburn Council soon.

For the first time, Northern Ireland commuters will not have to exit the motorway in search of their nearest service station. The four proposed stations will include direct slip roads from the motorways in both directions, giving what the operators hope will be quick and easy access for drivers.

The M2 stations will be two miles west of the Sandyknowles roundabout in Ballycraigy, and the 23

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UK, BP says that oil will remain king for transportation through 2030

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M1 stations are to be just south of Ballyskeagh Road, half-way between Belfast and Lisburn.

Mr Attwood said he considered the new stations a positive move for Northern Ireland. “This will be good for travellers and good for jobs,” he said. “Their development will also provide a significant boost to the local economy, with a potential investment of some £20 million.”

He praised the company planning to open the stations for having the confidence to invest in Northern Ireland at this time and provide much-needed jobs.

Mr Attwood also commended what he described as the speedy and responsive service of the planning system. The minister said planners processed the application long before the deadline date.

“These applications were turned around in just under 12 weeks, exceeding the Programme For Government commitment of six months,” he said.

Petrogas submitted the proposals last October.

The company operates all motorway service stations in the Republic of Ireland.

Many can be seen on the route from Belfast to Dublin, under its Applegreen brand. The construction will be done in phases, allowing the filling stations to open before the other facilities.

The development has already been recommended for approval

by DOE Planning. Earlier this week, Newtownabbey Borough Council agreed with the approval for the two M2 service stations and Lisburn City Council is to meet to consider the two M1 proposals.

UK, Scotland.

Evacuation in Beith after petrol leak in drainage system

Homes and businesses in Beith were evacuated after a petroleum leak into the town's drainage system.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service was called to the North Ayrshire town at about 09:00 after reports of a strong smell of petrol from local premises.

People who left their homes were bussed to a community hall in Kilbirnie.

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The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) later authorised fire crews to begin flushing drains to remove the spillage.

Fire crews who arrived on the scene found the atmosphere was not explosive or flammable, but levels of petroleum vapour were high enough to cause headaches and nausea.

As well as officials from SEPA, public health officials from NHS Ayrshire and Arran were briefed on the incident.

The operation to remove the spillage, which involves a dye added to the water, got under way shortly after 15:00.

Tests were conducted to monitor petroleum vapour levels in the air before residents were allowed to return to their homes.

UK, Supermarket forecourt expansion “puts 1,000 independent petrol stations at risk of closure”

Up to 1,000 independent forecourts could be “wiped out” by 2017 as they lose customers to new supermarket petrol stations, the Petrol Retailers’ Association (PRA) has warned. An average of 40 supermarket forecourts were granted planning permission each year since 2009, a study by Christie & Co on behalf of the trade body found.

Steve Rodell, head of retail at Christie & Co, said: “If applications continue at the same rate, and there is no reason to believe that will not be the case, there will be another 160 supermarket sites by the end of 2016.”

Supermarkets seeking to establish more “standalone” forecourt sites could result in the opening of a further 25 to 40 new filling stations operated by the retail giants each year, the PRA said. It claimed that “every new supermarket site is sucking the equivalent volume of five independents out of the market.”

Brian Madderson, PRA chairman, added: “If left unchecked the expected growth in supermarket

forecourts would kill off 1,000 independents over the next four years.”

UK, Delays on the A14 in Cambridgeshire

After a tanker carrying bio-fuel overturned, there was congestion around the area of Brampton Hut and Thrapston for much of the day.

The tanker overturned near Keyston, about two miles from Thrapston, just before 6:30am.

The A14 was closed in both directions to implement a diversion and to begin the clean up.

A diversion was put in place: westbound via the Hollow Circle signs up the A1 to Peterborough and A605 past Oundle and eastbound via the Hollow Diamond signs on the same route.

Italy, New Tokheim Italy website is online Tokheim, one of the world’s largest suppliers of fuel retailing solutions, announces the launch of its new Italian website as part of its global rebranding strategy. The new Italian website gives an overview of all products and services relating to the local marketplace.

News that is relevant to the Italian fuel retailing sector will be regularly updated. A new set of additional sales material for all of Tokheim Italy's products and services is now also available to download.

Fabiano Clerico, General Manager Italy, says, “Tokheim is the largest supplier of solutions to the fuel retail sector in Italy. It is important that we are able to share the exciting range of products and services we offer in a clear and innovative manner. Our customers have moved more towards digital communications and we are happy to communicate with them in a more modern way. Visitors can signup for the quarterly Italian newsletter

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

continue to engage with customers through our social media platforms.”

Tokheim's website was recently nominated for a CSS Design Award and it is now available in Italian, English and French. Additional country specific sites will go live in the coming months. To visit the Italian website directly, go to www.tokheimcom.it.

Bosnia and Herzegovina entering the market is a strategic target for NIS

NEWS

On 24th of January 2013, the petrol station Laktaši Jezero under the NIS Petrol brand was officially opened for operation in Banja Luka, capital of the Republika Srpska (from December 2012 on the station operated under test regime).

At the now officially opened fuel station, the clients will find a wide portfolio of top quality motor fuels and lubricants: Euro-premium gasoline BMB95, BMB98 and BMB95, as well as Euro-diesel and fuel D2, LPG and ecological additive “Ad Blue”, for diesel powered transport vehicles.

Restaurant and café services are also available for petrol station Laktaši Jezero clients, as well as a shop with a wide offer of products, car cleaning services and air for tyre inflating.

State-of-the-art equipment and technologies, all in compliance with the EU standards, have been implemented at the modernization of the petrol station. The investment in the station was around one million Euros.

Under the retail network development program in the Balkan region, NIS plans to start the operation of 36 petrol stations in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013.

Around 90 million Euros will have been invested in the network development by the end of this year.

Azerbaijan, SOCAR to implement major projects in the next five years

Construction of a new complex processing oil, gas and petrochemicals in Azerbaijan is the largest project to be implemented in the next few years, not only for the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), but for the whole country. This was recently stated by head of SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev 26

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Poland, Fuel giant PKN Orlen pushes up unleaded petrol and diesel prices

Polish oil refiner and petrol retailer PKN Orlen has raised its wholesale prices of unleaded petrol and diesel. According to a statement released by the company in Plock, Central Poland, wholesale prices for its Superplus 98 unleaded petrol will rise by 12 zloty (2.9 Euros) per thousand litres. Meanwhile, the price of diesel will rise by 9 zloty (2.1 Euros) per thousand litres.

Petrol stations will adjust the ultimate retail price, with costs unlikely to go beyond an increase of

1 grosz (0.002 euro) per litre.

The current rise marks the eighth hike in petrol prices this year by the company, and the eleventh in diesel. Petrol prices have dipped five times while those of diesel have fallen once.

PKN Orlen, which also operates in the Czech Republic, Germany and across the Baltic states, is among the largest oil companies in Europe.

Turkey, KPS opens new subsidiary in Turkey

Kungsörs Plast AB, the supplier of the KPS Petrol Pipe System™, have announced that a subsidiary opened in Turkey with Mr Ali Güler as Regional Sales Manager, working out of Istanbul.

Mr Güler will further strengthen the customer support and service offer in Turkey and he will continue the training system and introduce the KPS Petrol Pipe System™ conductive system all over the country.

Staffan Helleday, Sales Director of KPS: “KPS welcomes this progress and we are very positive towards the expansion in Turkey and we are accelerating our activities further by setting up a local sales subsidiary and warehouse to serve our customers in Turkey better.”

Turkey, Lukoil in talks to operate Full’s Turkish gas stations for 10 years

OAO Lukoil of Russia is in exclusive talks with Full, a Turkish discount fuel retailer, to operate its filling stations for 10 years, according to Full Chief Executive Officer Timucin Tali. The talks may result in an agreement by March, Tali said in a telephone interview. “Full’s stations are closed this month and next for Lukoil inspections”, he said.

Global energy companies are seeking expansion in Turkey where economic growth is forecast at 3.5 percent this year and about twice the pace of the most advanced economies to 2017. Lukoil operates in the country through its Eurasia Petrol unit, which has more than 600 gasoline stations across the country.

The nation is increasingly becoming an “energy hub” connecting

Europe with Asia, according to the company's website.

“Lukoil is discussing financial details of the deal with Full, which is owned by AR Sirketler Grubu's Arista Holding”, Tali said. “Under the agreement, Lukoil Eurasia Petrol would rebrand Full's 54 stations under its own name”, he added.

Dogan Sirketler Grubu Holding AS (DOHOL), a Turkish group with interests in energy and media, last month ended talks with Arista Holding to acquire 60 percent of Full for $109 million.

Oman, Omanoil continues to expand presence across the Sultanate

Oman Oil Marketing Company (omanoil) has started 2013 with over 140 filling stations, 80 ahlain convenience stores and a dozen car wash facilities in strategic locations across the country. This reflects the company's ambitious expansion strategy aimed at reaching every customer and meeting their needs with quality products and services.

Hussain bin Jama Al Ishaqi, omanoil General Manager of Retail said, “We are proud to operate the first filling station and convenience store to serve commuters on Amerat-Bausher road. Our presence in such a location is a confirmation to our promise to best serve our customers' daily lives as a dependable friend on the road.”

In addition to the opening of a filling station in the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah on the occasion of Oman's 42nd National Day, omanoil has opened stations in the Governorate of Dhofar as well as the Governorate of Muscat, adding on to its already impressive footprint in the capital.

Keeping in tandem with the company's philosophy of total convenience, most of the new filling stations and convenience stores are complemented with car wash facilities and quick service restaurants.

Al Ishaqi expressed his sincere gratitude to the essential assistance of every retail team member as well as the support of all departments at Oman Oil Marketing Company in

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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during a meeting with the president and CEO of the American company Air Products John McGlade.

According to a statement issued

by SOCAR, Abdullayev spoke about projects implemented by the State Oil Company in Turkey, construction of a new shipyard and the Sumgayit plant for production of nitrogen fertilisers in Azerbaijan, construction of a new oil refinery in Turkey, expansion of the petrochemical complex Petkim's port, as well as a power plant to be built there.

“These are big challenges for SOCAR and its partners in the next five years,” Abdullayev said.

The Air Products Company has more than 20 years of experience in manufacturing equipment for the production of industrial and liquefied gas for oil refining and petrochemical industry facilities. The company has more than 40 subsidiaries and its annual sales exceed $10 billion.

SOCAR includes production association Azneft (companies producing oil and gas on land and sea) and Production Association Azerkimya (chemical industry), as well as production association Azerigas (gas distribution).

The State Oil Company is the only producer of oil products in the country (it has two refineries on its assets sheet) and also owns petrol stations in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Romania. SOCAR possesses a network of petrol stations in Switzerland and is the coowner of the largest Turkish petrochemical complex Petkim.

realizing the expansion plan with commitment, operational excellence and a passion to drive customer satisfaction. “We will continue to align our future plans with the country's burgeoning infrastructure developments to provide commuters a one-stop shopping experience underpinned by world-class service,” added Al Ishaqi.

Omanoil's growth engine status is generating valuable employment opportunities for young ambitious Omanis and developing the national talent pool while upholding business performance of the highest standards. To date, the company maintains one of the highest Omanization rates in the oil and gas industry.

Russia, Rosneft brings its highest quality standards to the Belgorod region’s district centers NEWS

The opening ceremonies were held at service stations in the village of Ivnya and in the city of Stary Oskol.

The conversion of a gas station into a service station in the village of Ivnya is one of the examples of how Rosneft implements its retail network expansion program, which reaches the remotest areas of the country.

This represents a significant contribution to the social development, as those living in the remote areas of the country will be able to enjoy the same level of quality service as the inhabitants of Moscow and other major residential centers. The 24/7 convenience store of the Ivnya station has already been given its dues by the villagers, who have never before had such a high quality shop.

The Belgorod regional authorities stressed the value of the new stations, saying that these were bound to improve the social and economic potential of their respective regions, create new jobs, bring in more taxes and give the people access to an entirely new level of quality service.

As Rosneft said, the new service stations will provide car owners a wide range of services: an extensive 28

choice of goods in the store, an ATM and an automatic tyre refill. The Stary Oskol station will be the first in the region to boast a real cafeteria with hot food on offer.

Both the Ivnya and Stary Oskol stations will bear the mark of the highest Rosneft quality in the area of industrial and environmental safety.

They will be outfitted to the highest modern standards with such facilities as fuel vapour recovery systems to prevent air pollution, double-wall tanks with a leak detection system that completely precludes any possible soil contamination, as well as rainwater drains with pressurized filtration. Fire safety was given paramount importance with the entire personnel having undergone necessary training.

In 2013 OAO Belgorodnefteprodukt plans to continue developing the Rosneft retail network in the region, further improving the quality of services it provides and expanding the customer loyalty program.

Romania, Socar is planning installation of more petrol stations in the NorthEast region of Romania

The oil and fuel company Socar, which recently opened a new fuel station at Targu Neami in Northern Romania, also plans to add new stations at Bacau, Focsani and Roman, all in the Moldova region of Romania. The recent opening came following an EUR 800.000 investment and brings Socar’s network in the Moldova region to 14 stations, said its CEO for Romania Hamza Karimov.

The opening ceremony of Socar's 14th fuel station in Romania was on 22nd of January this year.

Socar will continue to invest in the North-East region. “2013 will be a new year of investments for Socar in Romania, after which the company will become an important player on the oil and fuel market of the country,” continued Karimov. Socar representatives said previously that the capital Bucharest is among the expansion targets for the company.

Socar, the state-owned company

from Azerbaijan, entered the Romanian market by buying local filling stations from Romtranspetrol and re-branding them.

The company owns petrol stations in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Switzerland and Ukraine. It has representatives offices in Austria, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Iran, Kazakhstan, Romania, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine and trading companies in Nigeria, Singapore, Switzerland, Vietnam and other countries.

Malta, Trafigura supplying fuel to Enemalta until June 2013 - Enemalta explains fuel procurement process

State energy company Enemalta has declared it employs very strict rules when it comes to the procurement of fuel, in a reaction to news that the former chief executive of MOBC, Frank Sammut, was paid a consultancy fee by Trafigura for the supply of fuel to Enemalta back in 2004. MOBC was back then an arm of Enemalta before it was sold to the government as part of a recapitalization process.

Enemalta said that fuel is purchased through a restricted tendering procedure where an 'Invitation To Tender' is mailed out to all suppliers listed in a specific mailing list. Tenderers must send an application consisting of the corporate profile of the organization together with at least two references of reputable organizations to whom the potential candidate had supplied fuel in the past 24 months.

The last fuel contract was awarded to Trafigura on the 20th December 2012 and the tender was for the provision of between 160,000 to 176,000 metric tonnes divided into eight partial shipments with a contract period from the fourth week of January to the fourth week of June 2013. Trafigura provided the cheapest offer amongst the companies that fulfilled the criteria requested by the invitation to tender.

The invitation to tender includes a

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Italy, Naples. Buses stop as operator runs out of fuel

Naples residents and tourists were left stranded at bus stops across Italy's third biggest city as the public transport operator, hit by government spending cuts, ran out of fuel.

“Due to a lack of fuel our services are not guaranteed,” transport operator ANM announced on its website and at bus stops around the city, enraging commuters.

ANM said it hoped its services would be soon back to normal.

Italian newspapers reported that fuel companies had cut supplies to the transport operator because it owed them too much money. ANM said it was a victim of cuts to local authority funding in a government austerity program aimed at shoring up Italy's public finances, which has also included an increase in fuel taxes.

Naples, a popular tourist destination due to its art, history and proximity to Pompeii and the Amalfi coast is also renowned for its chronic problems of poverty, organised crime and ineffective administration, illustrated by a spectacular failure in recent years to deal with garbage disposal.

Romania, Gazprom set on reaching 50 gas stations in Romania - new station opened in Sibiu

The entire chain of local stations will be under the management of the Serbian NIS group, which is controlled by Gazprom.

“Romania is the second largest European market on which Gazprom filling stations now operate”, stated Gazprom representatives. “On December 19, the first Gazprom filling station was opened in Serbia. Plans for development on the retail segment under this brand include Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina. By the end of 2013, the Gazprom network of filling stations in the Balkans will have reached 100 units”.

Initial development plans for Romania were for 40 stations opened by the end of 2012, and an additional 80 by 2014.

“The development of the Gazprom filling stations in the Balkans is our strategic objective,” stated Alexander Dyukov, Chairman of the Gazprom Neft Board of Directors. “We aim to expand in Serbia and Romania and the next step is to enter the Bulgarian market.

I am confident that in the near future the network of Gazprom filling stations will spread through the Balkans and take over leadership of

the market.”

Gazprom filling stations in the Balkans are to be positioned on the premium segment, combining shops, restaurants and cafes.

The first Gazprom acquisitions in Romania date back to the end of 2011. The NIS Group had been negotiating for a few months the purchase of a chain of filling stations owned by Western Energy Group (WEG) SRL of Bucharest, according to sources on the market as quoted by the Romanian press.

This fall, the Russian Company, via the NIS group, purchased three Euroil private filling stations in Romania, one in Arad and two in Sibiu, from Romanian businessmen Adrian Nicoara and Dumitru Domnariu. In December 2012, rumor had it that NIS was a hair's breadth from signing for the purchase of 60 OMV Petrom stations in Romania following the acquisition of 28 OMV filling stations in Bosnia and Herzegovina just one week before.

Gazprom traditionally acted as main gas exporter to Romania and, as partner, via NIS, in oil explorations on areas under concession from the National Agency for Mineral Resources. In 2004, Gazprom participated in the tender for the privatization of Distrigaz Sud, the largest gas distribution company in Romania, but the winning offer came from Gas de France.

Australia, Puma expands fuel network with 125 independent Matilda stations

Swiss-based Puma Energy - owned by global commodity trading firm Trafigura - sealed a deal to buy Neumann Petroleum, owner of the Matilda and Neumann-branded service stations in Australia.

The deal includes the Gold Coastbased Neumann family's chain of 125 service stations stretching from Gladstone to the Victorian border and a crucial $18 million bulk seaboard fuel terminal at Brisbane's Eagle Farm. Puma's Australian general manager Ray Taylor promised the deal would “bring more robust competition to the country's petroleum market”.

Neumann and Matilda executive general manager Charles Wright

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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list of instructions which the tenderers must be compliant with and outlines specifications of the fuel such as the quality and quantity of the product, delivery periods, and other requirements such as insurance cover, jurisdiction of contract, and payment terms.

A closing date and time is given by which all offers are to be received in a specific mailbox which is created for this purpose, and then locked by MITA before the evaluation committee session commences.

This mailbox containing the offers is opened by the Petroleum Procurement Committee immediately after the tender closing time and the evaluation process commences immediately. The committee, made up of seven members, evaluates the offers received, taking into consideration criteria listed in the ITT documents received.

Evaluation of the tenders for fuel procurement is concluded in one committee session on the date of tender closure. Each offer is evaluated administratively and technically. Compliant bids are ranked and the evaluation then takes the form of a negotiated procedure whereby the committee negotiates via teleconference with the bidders to secure the best deal possible. Contracts are awarded to the most advantageous offer.

The winning bidder is immediately notified of the tender award verbally by telephone and before meeting closure, an Email is sent out to each unsuccessful bidder. MITA are then notified to reset the password for mailbox which will not be disclosed until the following meeting.

NEWS

said the immediate plan was to “get decent buy prices” especially in north Queensland. “What this does is give us an opportunity to have a much larger organisation behind us with similar growth aspirations to become a leading independent in Australia and offer better value for money in the fuel industry,” he added.

Analysts welcomed the addition of more competition in the fuel market, but warned that cheaper fuel was not necessarily a certainty.

Puma officials confirmed aggressive expansion plans for Australia, including growth of the Matilda and Neumann service station network nationwide as well as a new $65 million petroleum import facility in Mackay.

Puma Energy global chief Pierre Eladari said significant funds would be committed towards the Australian effort. “Puma Energy has grown rapidly in recent years through organic growth and by buying downstream assets from ExxonMobil, BP and Chevron,” Eladari said. “ Each time we have retained local staff and grown the businesses.

The move, subject to regulatory approvals and procedural consents, will be Trafigura's first real foothold in Australia.

The group once provided the import facility for Woolworths, but lost their terminal storage in Sydney.

It went over to Shell so they were basically forced from the market because they had no terminal storage facility

Bangledesh, Petrol stations in Bangladesh threaten strike

Petrol pump owners and tank-lorry workers may go on an indefinite strike this year if their nine-point demands, including a hike in commission on sales of fuel, were not met.

Around 9,000 petrol pumps will remain closed and tank-lorries will stay off the streets across the country if the owners go for the strike, said Nazmul Haq, convener of Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners and Tank-Lorry Owners-Workers Unity Council.

32

The recent price hike of fuel forced petrol pump and lorry owners to spend Tk 63,000 extra on per lorry of fuel, as the rise in commission was very nominal, Haq said. They demanded a 3.4 percent hike in commission on sales of diesel and 4 percent on sales of petrol and octane, up from 2.45 percent for diesel, 3.27 percent for petrol and 3.30 percent for octane. He announced the programme at a press briefing in the capital.

Other demands of the pump owners include a rise in tank-lorry fare and action against adulteration of fuel. “We issued a seven-day ultimatum to the government to hike the commission on January 6. But they did not pay any heed. So, we are giving the fresh and final ultimatum,” Haq said.

The government increased the prices of four types of fuels and distributors' commission on January 3.” The government's negligence in implementing its promises is frustrating petrol pump and tanklorry owners and workers”, Haq added.

They also demanded formulation of a policy guideline for approving petrol pump business, construction of tank-lorry terminals at fuel depots and introduction of insurance coverage of Tk 5 lakh for tank-lorry drivers.

Pakistan, The compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations continue to witness long queues of vehicles, as CNG supply remains suspended

A few filling stations in the twin cities are providing CNG while the others remain closed due to the suspension of gas supply.

Meanwhile, the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) has rejected the decision of the Cabinet’s Economic Coordination Committee to keep the CNG sector at the bottom of the gas supply priority list.

APCNGA Supreme Council Chairman Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha said that the decision was unacceptable and would be

challenged at all forums. He also said that downgrading of priority to the CNG sector meant that the general public would continue to wait for hours in long queues to get CNG. Paracha added that such steps also risked investments that averaged to Rs 400 billion in the CNG sector and the future of 3.5 million people who were running their vehicles on the economical fuel. He also said that the CNG sector had no option but to run its business on natural gas, while other sectors had options.

An official of the Petroleum Ministry said that the government would decide on opening gas supply to the CNG sector after reviewing the demand and supply situation of the domestic sector. The official added that the government was according priority to the domestic sector and did not want it affected.

The official also said that Pakistan was endowed with a vast sedimentary area of over 800,000 square kilometers of which over 70 percent was yet to be explored. The success ratio of oil and gas discoveries in the country is one of the best in the world as is evident from the success ratio of 1:3.22 discovery rate.

Thailand, As oil giants depart, PTG gets serious about its development in Thailand Most people in the retail oil industry think the business has matured over many years, but Pitak Ratchakitprakarn, chief executive of PTG Energy Plc (PTG), the operator of PT petrol stations, thinks otherwise.

The withdrawal of international oil retailers such as Conoco, Petronas and Kuwait Oil from the Thai market is also another sign that this business is no longer as attractive as it used to be.

While other oil companies may have scaled down or even shelved their investment budgets, PTG is planning to expand its petrol station network nationwide. Mr Pitak said the petrol market in Bangkok and its vicinity has matured but the

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NEWS

situation is different in large cities in central and northeastern provinces.

Land prices in Bangkok are getting expensive, mainly because of the property boom, causing retail fuel investment to take a long time to break even, said Mr Pitak. Major oil traders and foreign fuel retailers are always looking for potential locations in Bangkok as well as those on main roads and along highways outside the capital. They somehow have played down the fact that some large cities in the Central region and Northeast still hold high potential.

According to Mr Pitak, there are currently 20,000 petrol stations in the country, of which 15,000 are operated independently by private landlords or investors. Some of these service stations are operated by elderly persons who are close to retirement and may possibly close down the business soon, he said.

He added that petrol stations on local roads also have high business potential. "We want to work with those independent operators by offering them good returns," said Mr Pitak.

At present, there are only 30 PT petrol stations in Bangkok where the retail oil market is experiencing a glut.

Countrywide, the company's service stations have expanded from 360 units in 2010 to 570 units at present with the aim to succeed the Thai unit of Royal Dutch Shell as the third largest retail oil operator in Thailand after PTT and Bangchak Petroleum Plc. Last year, PTG also improved its non-oil services and introduced a new concept of very large petrol stations with the first one located in Ayutthaya. By the end of next year, the company targets to have 700 petrol stations in operation, mostly in the central region and the Northeast.

One factor that has enabled PTG to maintain cost competitiveness is its logistic operations including tank farms and fuel trucks. Trucks are now able to carry 45,000 litres of petrol each, up 50% from 30,000 litres previously to trim down transportation cost.

Good management of seven fuel tank farms located in different parts of the country is another cost34

control.

Mr Pitak said PTG's new strategic oil stations will also target trucks and other large vehicles that consume a large amount of petrol in addition to passenger cars and pickups.

Formerly known as Paktai Chueplerng Co, the company was established in 1988 after Thailand liberalised the retail fuel business.

The company submitted a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission last week to float its shares on the Thai bourse, seeking to raise funds to open 100 petrol stations annually over the next five years. The operator of PT stations aims to sell 420 million shares in an initial public offering (IPO) this year, representing 25.15% of its existing registered capital, at a par price of one baht a share.

USA, Bi-fuel vehicles in US gaining speed

Detroit is beginning to produce vehicles that can run on both natural gas and regular gasoline.

Anyone who has natural gas service in their home can tap off the same gas line to gas up their vehicle - at least until more commercial natural gas stations are established.

Those facts make Marcellus Shale natural gas even more important to Pennsylvania. That's what Mike Narcavage, manager for corporate development for Chesapeake Energy, told members of the Manufacturers and Employers Association recently. Chesapeake Energy is the second-largest natural gas producer in the country, and the most active driller, employing 13,000 workers in 17 states, including 1,400 in Pennsylvania.

“How we got into the situation we are in now with high gas prices was because we consume a lot of petroleum in this country,” Narcavage said. “By 2020, the International Energy Association predicts world oil consumption will increase 60 percent. We're going to have to find an awful lot of oil to meet that demand.”

In 2011, the United States imported 62 percent of its oil - 362 million barrels. “We send $1 million a minute overseas to fuel our addiction,” Narcavage said. “China and India is where all of the oil is going, and why the prices are being driven up so

much.”

Marcellus Shale can be the next source for fuel, but vehicles have to be part of the equation. “Because of Marcellus Shale we will be a major player in the world for natural gas,” Narcavage said. “We (the United States) rank 14th in the world in natural gas vehicles. Countries like Pakistan and Iran outpace us in running on clean-burning fuel. “The use of natural gas driven vehicles in the world has risen dramatically.

We're languishing behind Africa, Asia and the Pacific-rim countries, even Europe and Latin America, have taken off,” he added. “The best thing about natural gas is that it is American. We can keep it here, and use it here. It's clean. It's affordable.”

USA, San Diego, California. Company adding 19 E85 pumps at California fuel stations Count Pearson Fuels, and the state of California for that matter, is among proponents of boosting ethanol content in light-duty vehicle fuel. San Diego-based Person received a $1.35-million grant to add pumps that distribute fuel with an 85-percent ethanol mix - i.e. E85 at 19 new petrol stations throughout the Golden State.

Pearson, which estimates that the number of California's flex-fuel vehicles runs into the “hundreds of thousands,” estimates that the pumps will displace more than 2.7 million gallons of traditional fuel a year and will cut greenhouse-gas emissions by more than 25,000 tons annually. The company, which received its grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC), already distributes E85 at about a dozen stations throughout the state, including locations in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose.

Selling fuel with a higher ethanol content has been a hot-button issue of sorts, with proponents saying it cuts foreign-oil dependency and helps US farms while opponents claim that it's bad for the environment, creates food shortages and can damage engines. The US Environmental

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USA, Oklahoma.

Fueling station is good for environment and Norman coffers

Public sales at Norman’s cityowned CNG facility have exceeded expectations by more than double during its first year of operation.

“Since opening, we have dispensed 72,000 gallons of fuel,” Norman Public Works Director Shawn O’Leary said. “The city used 30,000, and the general public consumed 42,000.”

Those public sales generated $110,000 in revenue. “That's new revenue. That's what's key to us. This was an amazing opportunity,” O'Leary said. “We opened in January 2012. We literally doubled our projection of sales.”

The facility is convenient for many motorists, but the price is worth driving out of the way to fuel up.

“Our price today is $1.36 per gallon and has probably been that way for a couple of months,” O'Leary said.

“When there's a shifting of prices, we try to shift with them. We tend to be on the lower-to-middle end of the range. Our cost isn't as high as some of the vendors. Rarely are we on the bottom end, and rarely are we on the top end.”

Currently, prices are ranging from $1.19 to $2 per gallon. Checking CNG prices isn't difficult these days.

There's even an app for iPhone that gives prices and locations of stations, O'Leary said. “This is an open, public facility open 24-7,” O'Leary said. “People have been very happy with it. I think our price is as competitive as any in the immediate vicinity of Norman.”

Prior to the opening, city staff

looked at area sales and projected what the city could expect to generate in public sales. “You can argue that our projection was low,” O'Leary said. “At the end of the year, we had sold twice as much fuel to the general public as we projected, so that's good news.”

City staff projections for the city fleet were right on target. Growth has come from outside the city through private sales to individuals with CNG vehicles as well as to commercial fleets.

The city owns 35 CNG vehicles and continues to add those vehicles whenever it can, but staff measures the costs versus benefits in each case. Last week, the Norman City Council members approved the purchase of a CNG trash truck to replace a damaged truck.

“Trash trucks are a fast payback on the additional cost for the CNG”, O'Leary said. “Every vehicle that is CNG costs more. That difference is coming down. We're seeing a gradual decrease, but they're still higher than conventional vehicles.”

The city must justify the additional cost of purchasing CNG vehicles and look at the long-term payoff.

“Trash trucks get about three miles to the gallon,” O'Leary said. “You can do the maths pretty quickly there. A trash truck with our kind of mileage and our kind of price will pay for itself in two to three years, and we get seven to 10 years out of an average trash truck. It doesn't take long to figure out that's a sound investment.”

But money saved isn't the only advantage. Vehicles fueled by CNG have less polluting emissions and create much less noise than diesel vehicles. O'Leary said the city has had a “very positive maintenance experience” with CNG vehicles.

“The CNG is such a clean-running fuel, we're finding we can extend oil changes by several thousand miles,” O'Leary said.

“There's noise reduction of about 90 percent from a diesel vehicle to a CNG.” O'Leary estimates that the fueling facility will have paid for itself within a couple of years. “In round numbers, the cost of this system was about $2 million,” he said. “We were successful in obtaining about $1.5 million in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Energy. That was

part of that stimulus package administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. The city was able to build this facility for about $500,000.”

USA, Should US petrol stations be required to own generators?

The suggestion by former Bernards Township Engineer and Planner was sent to Bernards Township Committee and state representatives.

Like many, many New Jersey residents, former Bernards Township Engineer and Planner Peter Messina said he was extremely frustrated by petrol stations that had fuel but were unable to pump it during the lengthy power outages following superstorm Sandy. “There were millions of gallons of gasoline in those underground tanks but people had to forage to find open stations and then wait in long lines,” Messina said in a letter with a suggestion that is on the agenda be discussed at Bernards Township Committee meeting.

Messina's idea, also sent to William Dressel of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, calls for a local ordinance in Bernards Township and a bill in the state legislature that would require all petrol stations to be equipped with a natural gas backup generator capable of powering petrol pumps.

“This simple requirement would have stemmed a lot of the frustrations and anxiety about just getting to work” for many in the state, Messina wrote in his letter.

Messina said towns in Morris County were “like a war zone,” and he had to head out to Pennsylvania to get fuel.

If the township had at least two stations operating with an independent power supply, there would be a normal supply of fuel for vehicles and home generation.

The local populace was asked, “Should one or more local petrol stations be required to be equipped with generators to prevent another fuel shortage as was induced by the last lengthy power outage after Sandy hit on Oct. 29? And if so, who should pay?”

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

35

NEWS

Protection Agency last June legalized public sales of a 15percent ethanol blend (E15), which has 50 percent more ethanol than current standard fuel. Some states such as Maine have gone as far as saying they may ban sales of E15.

Despite having the most registered vehicles in the US, California trails states such as Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa when it comes to E85 stations. Of the country's approximately 2,500 E85 stations, 88 are in California, according to the US Energy Department.

Independent forecourts rate customer service from Fairbanks as “excellent”

PRESS RELEASES

Fairbanks are delighted with the extremely positive customer feedback scores they received during a recent independent survey.

After polling the opinions of independent retailers who use their service the data revealed an incredible 85% satisfaction rating.

Third party Insight100, who conducted the study, indicated that this is one of the highest scores that they have ever recorded.

Fairbanks, the world’s leading wetstock management specialists, are based in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, employing over 150 people. They commissioned the customer survey in late 2012 to measure the satisfaction of their independent dealer customers.

Dealers were asked to list their five most important elements of the service and then rate how well Fairbanks satisfied these drivers out of ten. Of all these key factors Fairbanks has scored an impressive 85% customer satisfaction with a number of individual service elements such as Reputation, Trustworthiness, Honesty and Integrity as well as Quality of Service scoring above this figure.

Gareth Jenkins, Fairbanks’ Business Account Manager, was keen to highlight the importance of investing in great customer relations and building a service around customers in order to create the best package available. “The feedback from this survey is a fantastic reward for Fairbanks and a great reflection of the time and effort spent by everyone within the company to ensure that our customers are receiving the best service available.

We take the time to speak to our customers regularly, in fact a huge proportion of the innovative services and reports we make available were directly inspired by conversations with customers. By keeping our finger on the pulse of their needs Fairbanks can continue 36

to innovate.”

Fairbanks’ Dealer focused approach to wetstock management has been a major contributing factor to Fairbanks’ growth in the wetstock loss prevention and management service industry. Gareth Jenkins added “We provide an excellent, user-friendly wetstock solution to our customers and will be seeking new opportunities to grow our customer base in 2013.”

Fairbanks successfully implements wetstock monitoring and loss prevention services for Shell

Fairbanks is pleased to announce that it has successfully implemented a range of wetstock solutions in over 1,500 Shell forecourts across 14 countries. Services include Statistical Inventory Reconciliation, intelligent web reporting and real-time data collection and analysis using the Fairbanks ibank device.

Fairbanks has been rolling out wetstock management solutions to the Shell network since September 2012, and will be providing its services to over 3,000 sites across 3 continents once the scheme is fully implemented. Wetstock data is recorded and relayed to Fairbanks’ Lancashire offices where a team of specially trained wetstock analysts use their industry leading software systems to identify and resolve issues such as underground pipe and tank leaks, pump faults and fuel theft.

Additionally, Fairbanks’ web based reporting tools give Shell management access to accurate data, allowing their retailers to focus on their customers with the peace of mind that their wetstock data is under control.

To date Fairbanks has fitted its realtime monitoring device, ibank, in over 400 Shell UK sites. To support the international nature of Shell’s business, Fairbanks has developed a web based multi-language elearning platform. This programme has been launched in 8 countries, giving forecourt management the ability to fully take advantage of the comprehensive online wetstock reporting system that Fairbanks makes available to all of its customers.

Steve Jones, Fairbanks’ Managing Director, was keen to highlight the work involved in implementing such a large project: “We have put together a specialist Implementation Team to oversee the roll out of this project. There is no doubt that this has been a significant undertaking for the Fairbanks team, and I am very pleased that we have risen to the challenge of helping Shell meet their exacting standards and been able to deliver the project on time. We look forward to building on this successful relationship over the coming months.”

The project will continue to roll out in 2013 with an additional 1,500 sites due to go live with the Fairbanks solution.

Fibrelite Expands Vent Pipe Transition Sump Range

Fibrelite is pleased to announce they have recently completed

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tooling to manufacture an industry first, a vent transition sump to accommodate up to seven vent lines.

The new mode will be manufactured using Fibrelite’s high technology RTM production methods to produce a fully conductive, high quality component.

The new tooling is based in Fibrelite’s Malaysian manufacturing facility, which produces for its rapidly expanding SE Asia market and the sump will be initially supplied to Exxon Mobil in Thailand.

Fibrelite consistently manufacture the highest quality, fully conductive products that deliver in the toughest on-site conditions and meet international needs of customers. www.fibrelite.com

Ali Güler, KPS Turkey, email: ali.guler@kpsystem.com or Mobile phone: +90 (532) 765 47 74.

Murco’s Partnership with London Fire Brigade Producing Nationwide Benefits

PRESS RELEASES

12 months after forming a Primary Authority Partnership with the London Fire Brigade, significant benefits are being realised across Murco Petroleum’s UK network.

With service stations throughout England, Scotland and Wales, Kevin Gardiner, Murco’s Maintenance & Development Manager is constantly dealing with numerous local authorities over Petroleum Licence and many other regulatory compliance matters on our service stations.

KPS opens new To streamline and improve our relationships with local authorities subsidiary in Turkey and, at the same time, provide a Kungsörs Plast AB, the supplier of consistent approach to how the the KPS Petrol Pipe System™, many regulations that their contract announces today that a subsidiary opens in Turkey with Mr Ali Güler as managers face are dealt with, Regional Sales Manager, working Murco formed a Primary Authority Partnership with the London Fire out of Istanbul.

Brigade.

Kevin explained: “Primary Authority is the gateway to simpler, more successful local regulation, based on a new relationship between businesses and local authorities.

“Regardless of size, a business operating across council boundaries can form a Primary Authority Staffan Helleday, Sales Director KPS HQ and Ali Güler, Regional Partnership with a Sales Manager KPS Turkey single local authority in relation to regulatory compliance.

Mr Güler will further strengthen the customer support and service offer Once legally nominated by the in Turkey and he will continue the Local Better Regulations Office partnerships are training system and introduce the (LBRO), KPS Petrol Pipe System™ conductive automatically recognized by all local regulators. system all over the country.

“If a problem arises, the Primary Staffan Helleday, Sales Director of can coordinate KPS: “KPS welcomes this progress Authority and we are very positive towards enforcement action to ensure that the expansion in Turkey and we are our business is treated consistently that responses are accelerating our activities further by and setting up a local sales subsidiary proportionate to the issue.

“The benefits of Primary Authority and warehouse to serve our Partnership started as soon as our customers in Turkey better.”

For more information go into partnership was registered by LBRO. www.kpsystem.com or contact Mr. From then on, it had legal status and 38

Kevin Gardiner

is now recognized by all councils when they undertake inspection and compliance activities at our stations.”

Kevin concluded: “Some 30% of our network has already benefitted from this Partnership. Visits by Petroleum Officers are so much easier. With station information stored on a central web database, information can be looked at and prepared prior to any site visit, thus saving time for the Petroleum Officer and the station manager.”

Fairbanks awarded Investors in People Gold Status

Fairbanks is extremely pleased to announce that they have been awarded Gold Status for the prestigious Investors in People (IIP).

Just 2% of all IIP accredited companies achieve this remarkable standard which requires businesses to pass 165 out of 196 different competencies with Fairbanks hitting an incredible 191. This has helped to recognise all of the hard work that has gone into ensuring the continued development of all Fairbanks’ members of staff.

Fairbanks Invests in its People Fairbanks, the world’s leading provider of wetstock management and loss prevention solutions to the forecourt industry, employ approximately 150 members of staff.

The majority of who are based in their headquarters in Skelmersdale, Lancashire. With such a large investment in people the company knew that the development of their employees must take priority, a

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Beyond the Standard In order to achieve the Gold Award Fairbanks had to qualify 126 competencies more than the standard requirement of 39 as set out by Investors in People who issue the award. With a target of 165 out of a possible 196 Fairbanks were able to provide evidence of an incredible 191 competencies ranging from ‘Business Strategies’ right through to ‘Continuous Improvement’ highlighting the important work that Fairbanks does to improve its services through motivated employees who want to deliver a really high standard of work.

Receiving the Gold Standard puts Fairbanks into the top 2% of companies that have been accredited by IIP in the country, but attaining such a high score was not without its challenges, as Andrew Roberts explains “As a Company we

Twins Keep Fuelling Competitive

It can be hard to keep up in the ever moving world of fuel, with biodiesel and Adblue becoming increasingly popular in the current world economic climate, anyone who dispenses fuel usually requires one pump per fuel or the same fuel at two different speeds. Not anymore….

Fleet and haulage operators had asked the question, and Hytek came up with the answer. With an adaptation of the highly popular ALPHA pump came the ALPHA TWIN. With the ALPHA TWIN it is now possible to dual fill vehicles at the same time.

Traditionally if two pumps were required, two separate pumps had to be purchased, not anymore. By choosing the ALPHA TWIN, not only do you save on cost but also on space. Front nozzle holsters are optional at no extra cost where space to the side of the pump is limited.

As with the ALPHA, coming in a range of 3 pumping options for diesel 50, 70, 90L/min, now the TWIN comes with a multitude of pumping speeds 50/50, 50/70, 50/90L/min.

Hytek advise 50L/min for cars and vans, 70L/min for trucks and 90L/min for plant vehicles/articulated lorries.

Diesel one side pumping at 70L/min, Adblue the other at 35L/min the options are endless. With a dual display option you are able to pull up to either side of the pump and still be able to see the dispensed amount.

Hytek can provide their FC10 fuel management system as an optional extra that can be fully integrated into the ALPHA TWIN. A web based system with multiuser interface, means that multiple users can be logged onto the software at any one time, can be accessed from any user, anywhere in the world, via the internet. Automatic software updates, fully maintained, secure & backed up on servers.

As with many other Hytek products the ALPHA TWIN is available for quick delivery, normally within 24/48 hours.

Hytek’s products are only sold through distributors. For further information call Hytek on 01279 815600, fax on 01279 812978 or email sales@hytekgb.com.

Consumers buying less fuel at the pump despite more cars on the road

In the last 10 years, average fuel prices have almost doubled, rising from 73.68 p/l to 136.26 p/l for unleaded petrol, and 75.57 p/l to 142.39 p/l for diesel. The latest Retail Marketing Survey, conducted by the Energy Institute (EI), shows there are more registered UK vehicles on the road than ever before, yet total fuel sales have dropped by 6% since 2002.

A cutback in fuel sales suggests improvements in engine performance and fuel economy, combined with changes in driver behaviour.

This is supported by diesel sales out-performing petrol for the second year running.

The number of forecourts in the UK stood at 8,693* sites at the close of 2012. This is compared to 1967’s alltime high of 39,958 forecourts. [*It should be noted that this figure does NOT represent an increase on last

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

39

PRESS RELEASES

decision that has had a very positive impact. By giving ownership of personal development to the individuals involved, Fairbanks has seen their workforce become much more engaged and their usually excellent standards are higher than ever.

Andrew Roberts, Quality Director of Fairbanks, wanted to outline the dedication and enthusiasm shown by all members of Fairbanks staff.

“We are all delighted with the IIP Gold Award as it is reflective of the opinions of our staff and indicates the improvements which have been made in our processes and support systems as the company continues to grow. Fairbanks is constantly looking to develop its staff, promoting internally wherever possible; further demonstrating its commitment to investing in its employees and ensuring their personal development, which not only stands to benefit the individual but the company as a whole and in turn also our customers.”

attempt to make sure that all employees are given the opportunity to share their thoughts on how we can keep improving and to be involved in the direction of the business. This isn’t easy with new challenges being faced every day and keeping everyone happy all the time is always going to be tricky; but our staff are our key asset and we’ll continue to listen to, work with and engage them in order to keep moving forward”.

year’s figure of 8,480 sites as a major reorganisation of the market occurred during the reporting period (the acquisition of the Total retail network and fuel distribution business by Rontec and subsequent sale of a number of sites to Shell, GB Oils and others) leading to some undercounting for the year 2011.]

The Retail Marketing Survey, published with the EI’s April issue of Petroleum Review, provides a comprehensive, statistical overview of the UK forecourt market. Data is broken down by company, region and forecourt facilities. The survey is based on statistics relating to end2012 and does not reflect changes since that date. The figures are cross-checked with numbers from market analyst Experian Catalist.

Key findings of the survey show: • There were 8,693 operational filling stations in the UK at endDecember 2012.

PRESS RELEASES

• Petrol sales fell marginally to 13.42mn tonnes by the close of 2012 – down from 13.86mn at end2011.

• Diesel sales totalled 13.86mn tonnes by year-end – down slightly from 13.91mn tonnes a year earlier.

• Total 2012 road fuel sales fell slightly to 35.35mn tonnes – down from 35.61mn tonnes in 2011.

• By the close of 2012, unleaded petrol prices had averaged 136.26 p/l (versus 133.6 p/l in 2011); while diesel prices closed the year at an average price of 142.39 p/l (versus 138.90 p/l).

• Registered UK vehicles once again broke records, rising from 34.67mn in 2011 to reach 36.71mn by end2012, with each forecourt supplying an average of 3,993 vehicles.

• Site number breakdown by sector in 2012: - oil company sites decreased by 151 to 5,159 - main retailer sites increased by 423 to 1,233 (due to major reorganisation mentioned earlier) 40

- supermarket sites increased by 7 to 1,317 - smaller retailer sites increased by 2 to 62 - other unbranded increased by 37 to 922

sites

• The four largest oil company operations by number of branded forecourts were (2011 figures in brackets): -

BP – 1,220 (1178) up 42 Shell – 1,028 (845) up 183 Esso – 907 (890) up 17 Texaco – 787 (840) down 53

This year’s supplement also includes articles looking at security of supply and the resilience of the UK fuel retail sector, and the findings of the recent UK Office of Fair Trading inquiry into pump prices for petrol and diesel.

The 2013 Retail Marketing Survey is available, priced £98, from the Energy Institute.

To order your copy, please contact: Chris Baker, t: +44 (0)20 7467 7114; e: cbaker@energyinst.org

EI technical publication provides guidance on fire precautions measures at petroleum storage facilities

From prevention through to detection, protection systems and mitigation measures, this updated technical publication from the Energy Institute (EI) aims to reduce the risk from design event fires at installations that process and store crude oil, petroleum, intermediates and refined products. EI Model Code of Safe Practice Part 19: Fire precautions at petroleum refineries and bulk storage installations provides guidance on selecting, implementing and monitoring the continuing performance of installation-specific justified risk reduction measures.

It supersedes the second edition which was being finalised at the time of the Buncefield bulk storage installation major accident in

December 2005. Since then there have been changes in the regulatory approach to fire precautions at such installations, encompassing fire prevention measures, incident detection techniques, fire-fighting and response and emergency planning requirements. Among others, there have also been major changes in Part 19 to: guidance on • Enhance consideration of environmental impacts of fire-fighting and the need for environmental risk assessment • Provide guidance on fire response for ethanol and related polar substance handling/storage • Include guidance on potential scenarios, the role of congestion, incident consequences and examples of substances with a propensity to form large flammable vapour clouds.

• Clarify basis for determining whether scenarios are credible by referencing their likelihood to risk tolerability criteria.

• Provide guidance on passive fire protection (PFP) maintenance, fire water systems and detection systems.

• Provide guidance on vulnerability and siting of critical equipment and resources.

The guidance in this publication should assist process safety engineers/advisors, designers, emergency planners or others with responsibility for fire and explosion hazard management to meet the requirements of the European Seveso II Directive.

EI Model Code of Safe Practice Part 19: Fire precautions at petroleum refineries and bulk storage installations ISBN: 978 0 85293 634 4 Price: £165.00 Order online from www.energypublishing.org.

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EXHIBITION CONFERENCE

AWARDS DINNER 7 NOVEMBER 2013

RICOH ARENA, COVENTRY

APEA Live 2013: APEA Live 2013: your industry, your event!

APEA Live, the most important date on the trade calendar, returns to Ricoh Arena, Coventry, this November. Now is the time to ensure that you and your company are involved in this unmissable event, within it’s three key elements.

ARTICLES

This is the specialist annual event for the petroleum industry, incorporating an engaging Exhibition, Conference and Awards Dinner.

These features are tailored to enable you to grow your business and knowledge base, whilst engaging with your Industry and its key players.

Save The Date 7 No ! vem

Coming off the back of a record breaking edition in 2012, this year’s event is already set to be even bigger and better, so get in touch ASAP to secure your involvement.

Rico ber 20 13 hA Cov rena entry

APEA Live is the most informative and influential event our industry has; do not miss this opportunity to mix it up with the great and the good at Ricoh Arena.

The event preview that follows is designed to give you a taste of what to expect and to provide you with key information that enables you to plan your participation.

For additional details and to book tickets, visit www.apea.org.uk and follow the ‘APEA Live 2013’ link on the homepage.

APEA Live 2013: the programme 10:00 10:30 12:00 13:15 16:00 16:30 19:00 20:00 01:00 42

Exhibition & Conference registration opens Conference opens Lunch APEA AGM Conference closes Exhibition closes Pre-Dinner Drinks Reception (Exhibition re-opens) Awards Dinner opens Carriages APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

EXHIBITION CONFERENCE AWARDS DINNER

7 NOVEMBER 2013 RICOH ARENA, COVENTRY

APEA Live 2013: Awards Dinner The Awards Dinner is, hands down, the industry night of the year and will provide a magnificent climax to APEA Live 2013.

This elegant evening ceremony recognises industry excellence, delivers gourmet food and fine wine, and provides electrifying entertainment.

The APEA Awards are growing in stature, significance and influence, across the petroleum sector; a place where people gather to entertain their best clients and prospects, or reward senior members of their team for a ‘job well done’ in 2013!

Last year saw record breaking attendance, with over 600 guests enjoying a truly memorable evening. This year’s event will raise the bar even higher!

2013 awards list: Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by Elaflex Ltd Health and Safety Performance Award Innovation Award Environmental Protection & Improvement Award sponsored by Terence Barker Ltd Quality Award Personal Contribution to the industry in 2012/2013 Award Service Station of the Year Award*

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APEA APEA APEA APEA APEA APEA APEA

Enter for an APEA award; a ‘must’, not a ‘maybe’ Getting shortlisted, or even winning an award represents a lucrative opportunity for all APEA members, elevating your company’s industry status and showcasing your brand as one of the best in the business.

Do not leave this until the last minute; this will be one of the most important activities you undertake this year, so nominate yourself, a colleague and / or your company today! Visit www.apea.org.uk to access all the details you need to complete your online entry.

If you would prefer to make a hard copy entry form, contact APEA Business Manager, Jane Mardell at admin@apea.org.uk. Please ensure your email specifies the award category (or categories) you wish to enter so the appropriate form can be emailed to you.

Awards Entry Deadline: Monday 1st July 2013

Booking your APEA Awards Dinner table: To book your table today for this prestigious event, simply visit the booking website: booking.f2fevents.co.uk/apea

Prices Individual ticket £135 + VAT Table of 12 £1,440 +VAT

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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EXHIBITION CONFERENCE AWARDS DINNER

7 NOVEMBER 2013 RICOH ARENA, COVENTRY

APEA Live 2013: Exhibition & Conference The daytime elements of APEA Live provide an unparalleled trade experience, where the industry’s senior decision-makers congregate to network with peers and prospects, and discover the latest product developments and market trends.

The Exhibition: stay on the pulse of your market...

This is the specialist show for petroleum related installation and industry services. A unique collection of leading brands showcasing their latest products to an influential audience.

Exhibitors already confirmed (at 22 March 2013):

Adler & Allan / E&S Environmental Services - APEA - Car Wash UK CSD Sealing - Elaflex - Franklin Fueling Systems - Global-MSI - KPS UK - LCM Environmental - Ledbury Welding - L.I.S Group - Lubetech Petrocom - Suresite - Tanknology - Terence Barker - Wayne

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The Conference: all about you and your business...

Dedicated to anyone who wants to make sure their business is in synergy with their industry. The Conference debates the leading issues, led by internationally recognised speakers. Here are some highlights of what you can expect: 'Quality on the Forecourt' with Shane Brennan ACS Publicity Officer, Association of Convenience Stores

Top insight from the voice of industry convenience. Centring on the current views of forecourt retailers; examples of success and the issues affecting bottom line profits.

Who attends APEA Live?

Forecourt Owners Product / Service Suppliers Engineers Contractors Regulators Health & Safety Executives …is this you?

‘Competency on the Forecourt' with Martin Jones Operations Manager, CompEx

Martin will provide an unmissable update on the latest regulations forecourt owners need to know and understand, highlighting electrical installations and hazardous areas.

APEA Live 2013 Exhibition & Conference: attendee rates To your place at the Exhibition and / or Conference, visit: booking.f2fevents.co.uk/apea *Please note: PRE-REGISTRATION ESSENTIAL - attendance is only free if you register in advance. Tickets will be sold on the door.

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APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Prices Exhibition Free* Conference Free*

EXHIBITION CONFERENCE AWARDS DINNER

7 NOVEMBER 2013 RICOH ARENA, COVENTRY

APEA Live 2013: Exhibitor & Sponsorship opportunities Engage your brand with the most influential industry players.

Your customers are bombarded with thousands and thousands of advertising messages every single day. This is a problem; achieving marketing penetration over this ever growing advertising noise is getting increasingly difficult.

APEA Live’s sponsorship and exhibiting packages provide unique opportunities for you to deliver brand memories and drive sales, within a ‘permission marketing’ environment.

Leading marketers and sales execs understand live platforms create strong brand recognition and customer affinity, placing them above their competitors and driving company profits.

If you are serious about your industry, do not miss this unique chance to sell to:

Our high value packages provide unbeatable live platforms to…

• Forecourt owners (oil, retail, group and individual) • Product / service suppliers • Engineers • Contractors • Regulators • Health & Safety Executives

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• Sell your products and build your pipelines • Develop lucrative relationships with key decision-makers and budget holders • Maximise brand awareness; create emotional commitments within a multi-sensory environment • Launch and showcase new products • Undertake valuable market research • Be a visible solution

Exhibitor opportunities: A B C D

3x2m 3x2m 3x4m 3x4m

space only stand shell scheme stand space only stand shell scheme stand

£1,075 £1,350 £1,935 £2,140

+ + + +

VAT VAT VAT VAT

Sponsorship opportunities There is no better way to ensure your brand is embedded within the success of this rapidly expanding event. All our high value, integrated sponsorship packages provide exceptional brand exposure and deliver significant awareness.

Event sponsor packages include: • APEA Live Awards Dinner Headline Sponsor • APEA Live Awards Dinner Entertainment Sponsor • APEA Live Conference Headline Sponsor • APEA Live Exhibition Sponsor • APEA Innovation Award • APEA Quality Award • APEA Personal Contribution to the Industry in 2012/2013 Award • APEA Service Station Of The Year Award • APEA Health & Safety Performance Award • APEA Live Pre-Dinner Drinks Sponsor • APEA Live Show Guide Sponsorship • APEA Live Registration Area Sponsorship 46

E N Q U I R E T O D AY If you would like information regarding stand booking, positioning and other sponsorship packages for APEA Live, then get in touch today!

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Raj Jadeja +44 1442 289 920 raj@f2fevents.co.uk

APEA Awards 2013

By Alex Boudry and Colette Sellers, Joint Chairman of the APEA Events Committee

• The APEA Environmental Protection and Improvement Award recognises that minimising the impact on the environment is a key contributor consideration in the way work is carried out, to minimise any impact on petrol forecourts.

Sponsored by Terence Barker • The APEA Lifetime Achievement Award recognises an outstanding individual who has dedicated his/her career to our industry,

registering extraordinary achievements and demonstrating consistent excellence along the way.

Sponsored by Elaflex • The APEA Quality Award recognises excellence in the development and management of quality improvement initiatives or systems.

• The APEA Health and Safety Performance Award is conferred on the organisation with the best managed Health and Safety or Environmental programme or system.

• The APEA Personal Contribution to the Industry in 2012/2013 Award will be presented to the individual who has shown the greatest dedication and drive to improve standards, engineering practices or operational procedures.

•`The APEA Service Station of the Year Award will reward the best forecourt (either total new build or major rebuild) that has opened over the past 12 months. Owners, designers, project managers and contractors can submit joint entries conveying why their facility deserves to be recognised as the best new site of the year.

• The APEA Innovation Award is presented for the innovation which will have the most significant impact on our industry sector.

If you would like to enter for any of the awards you can do so today by visiting the APEA website – www.apea.org.uk - and following the links to the APEA awards pages.

The new online entry system is quicker and easier than ever: simply answer the questions set out on in the boxes on the page. You can email any supporting material, including graphics, presentations, sales material, photographs and testimonials to make it easier for the panel to judge your entry, to the

APEA Business Manager, Jane Mardell at admin@apea.org.uk.

International entries to the awards are welcomed, but the judges will look for them having a significant impact within the UK and Europe.

The closing date for receipt of entries is 6pm on 1st July 2013; so don’t delay, get your entry in today.

Colette Sellers (CMIOSH) formerly Health, Safety and Environmental Manager from Global MSI. Colette was winner of the Personal Contribution Award to the Industry in 2011 and Global-MSI were winners of the Business Initiative Award in 2011. Colette has commented on what effect the awards wins have had following the presentations in 2011.

“As someone who has received an APEA Award, I can only convey the positive aspects of the APEA Awards, as there were no negative aspects to report.

As a Company, Global-MSI had not entered any awards for a few years, but we decided to enter in 2011, to have a go basically. What appealed to us was the ease of the application – not too onerous and long winded, and the fact that APEA is recognised as an industry leader. Global-MSI was successfully shortlisted for the Health & Safety, Innovation Award and the Business Initiative Awards in 2011.

The category I was entered into was for the Personal Contribution to the Industry Award in 2011, and I was nominated by my Managing Director, unbeknown to me. The APEA did a great job of keeping the nomination a secret from me at the request of my MD, as I had entered the Global-MSI for various other categories for that year.

The Awards were presented at the APEA Live Awards Dinner after we had exhibited during the day. We publicised the fact that Global-MSI

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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Enter your organisation, your product or service or a colleague for an APEA award today for free using our new online system. It only takes a few minutes, and if your entry makes the final shortlist it will feature prominently for free in front of over 600 of the industry’s VIP’s at the APEA Live conference, exhibition and awards dinner in November – can you afford to turn down that kind of FREE exposure?

With over 800 individual members and 240 corporate members comprising equipment and service suppliers, fuel retailers, commercial fuel operators and regulators, the APEA is the most well known and well respected body representing the petroleum industry in the UK today.

The APEA awards set out to recognise and reward those organisations, teams and individuals within our industry who lead their field and encourage others to follow their good example. The awards are open to both APEA members and non-members.

Judging is carried out by selected industry experts, which ensures the integrity and enhances the reputation of the awarding process.

Receiving an award from the APEA is therefore a mark of true excellence and sets out the best of the industry from the rest, so why not enter yourself today?

The awards categories for 2013 are set out below – does your organisation, product, service or colleague deserve to win an award in any of these categories?

were shortlisted on our emails, website etc. and many people came over to our stand on the day to chat about our entries and to congratulate us.

I have attended the awards dinner before and it is a really good evening of entertainment, networking and letting of hair down!! The atmosphere was great on our table as we waited for the award announcements. Being nominated for the awards definitely added to the experience. We had clients on our table, but the majority of our table was made up of employees from across the business.

When Global-MSI were announced as the winner of the Business Achievement Award, our table erupted with joy. The feel good factor is not a myth, it really

did exist that night on our table.

When I was also announced as the winner of the Personal Achievement to the Industry Award, I was absolutely floored. I cannot think of another time when I felt so proud of myself and our Company.

The feel good factor continued well on into the night, but more than that, the feel good factor continued the following day back at our headquarters, with everyone from our Chairman, Michael Bell, to our manufacturing operatives, all feeling good at being recognised within the industry.

That feel good factor continues to this day, 2 years later. Every time we have a guest, I steer them towards our awards cabinet, and mention proudly the awards we have won from APEA.

Since winning in 2011, we have been more pro-active as a company in entering awards and generally publicising our achievements to the industry. It’s a win/win situation – clients become more aware of our continuing achievements, with our reputation remaining high within the industry, and within our organisation, morale and motivation remain high.

We were shortlisted for another APEA award in 2012 for the Health and Safety category, and although we didn’t win, just being shortlisted was a real boost for everyone.

You’ve seen the benefits we have gained from entering the awards, I can only encourage everyone to enter for 2013, it really is worth it.”

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Interview with Brian Humm, Head of Petroleum, London Fire Brigade and the APEA’s Immediate Past Chairman

By Brian Baker

Back in November 2012, Brian Humm of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority – as Deputy Head of the Petroleum Section completed two successful years as the Association’s Chairman.

During his tenure, among other matters, is that he oversaw the third edition of the joint IP/APEA publication within the industry known as the “Blue Book”.

Recently, like many of my “targets”, I caught up with him to get his views over his career….

Well let us try and start at the beginning; how did you find yourself in the London Fire Brigade and what attracted you to join?

Good question. Friends of mine had joined the service so I was obviously interested and whilst working for the old monolith known as the GLC I saw an advert for the London Fire Brigade (LFB) and was able to transfer across. Following exhaustive interview sessions I was offered a position.

So, over how long has your career 48

stretched and what have been some of the more interesting developments?

I joined the LFB as a trainee in May 1983 and was trained and accepted as competent and appointed on November 5th 1983, and have remained within the service ever since. I was made the Head of Petroleum (Enforcement) in 2010.

The highlights and challenges are numerous; interesting developments in my mind are the changes in equipment and hardware used in the construction and operation of petrol filling stations during my time.

When I started everything seemed so simple, even basic to a point; now everything has moved on apace The best development however is the introduction of the “Blue Book”; this has made the industry have a standard to work to.

Now with the third edition being published and adopted throughout Europe and some other parts of the world it makes me feel proud to have been part of the large group of people that are involved in this

guidance which so many people feel is invaluable.

Working in the UK’s capital must bring some special risks and unusual situations compared with much of the country. What would you say they are?

Interesting question. We have approximately 650 petrol filling stations within the Greater London area, when I first started we had 32 inspectors, 5 senior inspectors, a deputy Principal and a Principal Inspector (PPI), although we also inspected car parks and other types of storage and use of petroleum based products.

Since the introduction of DSEAR we only inspect filling stations but due to budget restraints and cuts to the service we now have six full-time inspectors and one part-time - this obviously means that we are extremely busy day to day. The

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obvious difference in London is the population; we have approximately eight million people living in London, also a large population migrate daily to work within an intensely built up area which causes problems within itself. The filling stations all get fairly busy and accidents do happen.

Another major factor that we have to attend to is the London underground system. We have 115 underground railway stations serving 12 tube lines. Historically petrol filling stations were built with no regards to what was underneath them - in the 1990’s the then PPI, Jamie Thompson, decided to investigate this situation and a survey was undertaken on all sites that could be identified that were above underground lines; those that posed the considered greatest risk were required to improve the safety of the site with the installation of double skin tanks and lines. Some were able to comply and some decided to cease trading. These sites are still subject to six monthly inspections by the team. We also have the unusual situation of petrol filling stations underneath buildings. These are historic sites and are few in number, the main complaint over the years was of smells of petrol during deliveries but since the introduction of stage 1b vapour recovery all is fine, a good example of new technology/systems working to improve the situation.

I guess there is the constant threat of leaks and spillages in such a condensed built-up area. Can you reveal a few of those incidents you personally have been involved with?

Two major ones spring to mind; the first was in 1987. Two weeks after the Kings Cross Fire I was called to the adjacent St Pancras station for a “smell of petrol in the underground line”. This was called a major incident and all the fire brigade brass were in attendance. I was tasked to enter the tunnel where the smell had been reported accompanied by a fire crew and a British Transport Police officer. As we walked along the dark tunnel towards the affected area the question was asked of the PC that “was he sure the power had been isolated?”. This was because we 50

could hear a tube train approaching in the distance; the noise grew louder and the language bluer until we all tried to find a gap in the wall to shelter form the “oncoming” train. At this point it passed over our heads on another line which had remained open because it hadn’t been affected by the smell. Interesting incident but at the end it turned out to be a diesel spillage on a building site which was causing the smell.

The most major incident I have been involved in was the large loss of petrol through a leaking tank that occurred in Shoreditch, East London.

Overnight 28,000 litres of petrol went to ground, the oil company initially thought that it had either not been delivered or stolen. They finally got round to informing the LFB 3 days after the loss; this again was a major incident which resulted in the closure of the main A1 road in London on a Friday afternoon. I was the duty inspector that week and spent a hectic weekend involved in the investigation and clean up.

The majority of the petrol was eventually found beneath the forecourt in an old basement area which housed the tank farm, and was recovered. Following this a vapour extract system was installed and ran for two years until no further readings could be taken. Once again the site was eventually rebuilt with double skin tanks etc. and is still operating today. This incident led to the first Lead Authority Partnership being formed and the oil company in question spending millions of pounds upgrading their entire nationwide network to the then current standard.

On another note, although not really an incident, the Olympics held in London in 2012 was extremely challenging with regards to fuel storage and caused some major headaches as well.

We know that the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are looking to amend petroleum legislation, sometime later this year. At the time of going to press, what are the principal changes proposed and how do you see them going?

The HSE are in consultation with many parties to generate the proposed changes. They are also

addressing, for instance, filling of containers and domestic/non workplace storage; also the ACOP’s of DSEAR are to be reviewed as well.

Early days yet and still a lot of challenging decisions to be made within a very tight timescale but the new legislation is timed to be introduced late 2014 and will be of a similar format to licensing as we have now. My personal thought is that I am glad that the domestic/non workplace aspect of storage is being addressed as we in London get numerous calls to this type of activity.

You remember our time at the licensing group together known as SELCOG, where we tried, (often in vain) to establish the extent of threatening incidents involving fuel.

What is the picture on that situation to date?

SELCOG still has the incident returns submitted to try and get a bigger picture of what is happening within the industry. We in London produce our own as well, all figures are sent onto the HSE so that a picture can emerge as to how dangerous petrol is and how important petroleum licensing authorities are in their day to day work in making what actually is a hazardous area (the PFS) into a safer one for the general members of the public.

Can you tell us within petroleum circles, what is happening in London at the moment? Are there any interesting projects?

Various, is the answer to that question! We are involved in the consultation for the new legislation and the working group for the proposed new tanker driver passport training. Also our day to day work keeps us on our toes. We are experiencing quite a high level of redevelopments at the moment and also with the current economic squeeze (we recently lost one Inspector post) we are all extremely busy. Also we get involved with other projects such as the RGF foam issues, tank lining issues etc. All in all a busy team.

Now for some years you and I have been involved with the APEA training service we offer to our members that has seen us fly many

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

You completed two years as Chairman which you must have

enjoyed immensely. Tell me what you think the highlights were and why?

Becoming Chairman of the Association was indeed a true honour and one that as you say I enjoyed tremendously. I particularly enjoyed attending branch meetings when I could, and promoting the association at various events.

A highlight obviously has to be the publication of the third edition of the “Blue Book” (sorry Gareth) on the back of which I was asked to give various presentations regarding the changes.

The APEA membership is a diverse collection of people from all aspects of this industry and in my eyes is quite unique in that many regulators are members and the forum position that gives contractors, oil companies etc. can prove to be quite invaluable to them. To have access to the knowledge and wisdom of some of the membership has certainly been helpful to me in the past.

Now I know you like your football and are a mad Charlton Athletic fan, but what else do you do to relax in your free time?

E & S Environmental Services Ltd introduce the Vapour Recovery Refiner to the Retail Forecourt Market

By Jonathan Coombes E & S Environmental Services Ltd E&S Environmental Services identified an opportunity to introduce into the retail forecourt market a UK manufactured Vapour Spirit Recovery system that can be installed on Stage 1b and 2 sites. The system is designed to convert petrol vapours into liquid fuel that would otherwise be lost to atmosphere or removed from site by the road tanker.

We looked at all available VR systems currently available on the market and, due to its unique design and with fuel recovery data

monitoring, chose the VR Refiner.

The displaced vapours created during deliveries, Stage 2 and normal site operations are converted to liquid flow to a collection tank built into the VR Refiner system. The system can be programmed to return product back into UST storage during any period.

The amount of fuel returned into storage is monitored by an internal gauge, providing fuel stock reconciliation on all refined product.

Football has taken a back seat at the moment, some say it is a good thing the way Charlton are playing, but as you are aware I got married last year to the beautiful Liz. We’re currently renovating a house and are enjoying choosing the decor etc. (one way of haemorrhaging money).

But we also became grandparents to young Tyler last year as well so all in all quite a hectic period in life for both of us.

Well that is about it unless you wish to add anything?

Thank you Brian, the only thing I would like to add is that it has been nice talking to you, and may I say how I enjoy the Bulletin and its various articles, some of which I have produced in the past - it certainly is a good “must read” when it drops on the doormat.

I know your health has suffered recently and it is great to have you back in good fettle ready as we all are for the challenges ahead and I wish you all the best.

Thanks for your time Brian and no doubt I’ll catch up with you very soon.

How the system works The VR Refiner is an advanced system that uses condensate technology to process Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) at the service station. The petrol vapours that are normally lost are recovered and converted back into fuel for immediate re-sale. The VR Refiner is installed adjacent to the petrol stations fill and vent manifold and connected into the vent lines with a processed fuel return line back to the underground storage tank or off set fill. The system is constantly fed with R404A, an environmentally friendly coolant gas ensuring the correct low temperature is maintained at all times.

The system has a built- in fuel collection tank where all liquids converted from the VR process flow into. When the collection tank has reached a certain level the fuel is then dumped into the UST. The VR Refiner has a built in monitoring

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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a mile from the shores of the UK. What do you think has been the most demanding aspects of this facility we offer and for you personally, your role as one of the longest serving trainers on the team?

I enjoy the training immensely, passing on knowledge and meeting many interesting people is a brilliant part of my remit within the APEA. I personally think the travelling to some of the far flung places that we have visited is tiresome and sometimes challenging but worthwhile in the end. Also keeping up to date with the presentations is extremely important as well as we do not want to give out of date information to our delegates on the courses. One of the courses that sticks in my mind is a three day trip to Qatar; glamorous as it sounds it is a long way to go for three days and the heat once you are there is mind blowing - all well and good in an air conditioned classroom but the half day site visit was extremely challenging at greater than 42 degrees C!

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once in operation will recover the petrol held in suspension within the vapour, ensuring the local environment is clean and free from unhealthy and environmentally harmful vapours, bringing with it the added benefit of making substantial energy savings.

Tests have indicated a large reduction in harmful VOCs entering the atmosphere including compounds such as benzene, ethyl benzene, toluene and xylene which are known to be harmful to health and are generally regarded as being the major precursors of ozone depletion.

system which confirms the quantity of processed fuel in litres being returned to storage. This allows the site operator total visibility on the gains being made and control over fuel stock reconciliation data.

A very important factor to take into account is the quantity of converted fuel returned to stock in one go. This can be calculated into the site wet stock reconciliation and will not mask any potential tank or associated line leak.

Refined fuel can be programmed to be dumped into the UST at any time after a delivery, for instance during quiet periods or at site shut down and has a built in fail safe overfill system should the collection tank be close to being over filled.

Environmental There are environmental benefits to the system. The VR Refiner has proven low power consumption and 52

Stage 2 and normal site operations, improving the environment and bottom line profitability.

The VR Refiner has been designed as a passive system; it does not create a negative or vacuum environment, all pressures generated on site through deliveries and normal site operations are naturally balanced between all tanks and associated pipework.

The VRR does not affect normal site operations or the tanker delivery process.

Water vapour The VR Refiner does not produce any water from air/vapour entering the VR manifold. The system is installed with a vent pipe to atmosphere which is fitted with the standard 35 millibar pressure valve with 2 millibar vacuum. A further valve is installed in the VR unit prior to the system inlet which is set at a low vacuum 2 millibar, any air/vapour drawn in goes via this route directly to the UST i.e. exhaust only, thus no air/vapour from

Vapour flow and pressures The VR Refiner is designed to cope with large air vapour flows during delivery (up to 2,500 litres per minute) in excess of two 4 inch hoses being used. There are no vacuum or pressure pumps built into the VR Refiner that can potentially create artificially high pressures or a vacuum within the spirit manifold and tank ullage space. The VR Refiner converts all vapours that naturally occur during delivery,

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

atmosphere is drawn into the system when the USTs need to breathe.

The system remains dry from air/vapour with the exception of petrol vapours.

VR Refiner Data Another enhancement of the system is the addition of data collection modules (optional), which monitor the system to ensure it is working to maximum capacity.

Data monitoring includes the amount of recovered fuel returned to stock, ambient temperature, overflow alarms and internal pressures. Data monitoring has remote communications capability as it is IP addressable and has the option to send data via GSM modem or TCP IP.

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Return on investment On site evaluations have confirmed an overall improvement to wet stock losses from 0.14 up to 0.2%. The results depend if the site is Stage 1b or Stage 2, the latter seeing better results. Many export markets worldwide are still to implement bottom loading tankers and other environmental controls.

The VR Refiner works with open vented station systems.

Recovery figures are subject to site location & configuration.

Life

7. The vapours pass through the low temperature coiling arrangement in the chamber condensing them into a liquid and via a return pipe connected to the UST / offset fill pipe returns the liquid back to a spirit tank 8. Reprocessed fuel returns back into tank Note. The VR Refiner can handle the high flow tanker deliveries of up to 2,500 litres/min and continues to process vapours from Stage 1B & Stage 2 additionally tank over pressurization even when the site is closed.

5. Tanker delivery pipe connected to the offset fill tank connection

Expectancy and Components • The working life of the unit is calculated at up to 20 years • Manufacturer is ISO9001 accredited • The internal frame is 50 x 50 hollow powder coated • Heat exchanger refrigerant grade copper tubing and aluminium fins • Cabinet galvanised steel powder coated • Base 125 x 65 rolled steel channel hot dipped galvanised • Fuel collection chamber 14G stainless steel • External finish unit paintwork with UV stable powder coating • Compressors are manufactured

by Danfoss a leading global compressor manufacturer

6. As tanker delivers the spirit fuel all displaced vapours are pushed out of the tank towards the vent stack and into the VR Refiner unit

Installation & Maintenance • VR Refiner is skid mounted for ease of installation & to reduce install costs

VR Refiner diagram 1. Module 1 contains a 3 phase motor, advanced high end compressor and pump 2. VR skid which mounts modules with all necessary piping for fast installation 3. Module 2, contains high Flow Coil Condensing Technology 4. Tanker connection to the inlet pipe of the vapour recovery connection

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• E&S provide in house full installation of VR Refiner, associated pipework & electrics • E&S provide dedicated service engineers covering the UK • Full range of service parts and components held • Routine & reactive maintenance support • VR Refiner can be installed on Stage 1b & 2 sites and importantly (export models) open vented sites • In the event of system shutdown site will operate as normal • VR Refiner can be supplied left or right handed to be installed either side of the vent stack • No site shut down required for VR Refiner maintenance, system can be isolated • VR Refiner is supplied with full 12 months parts & labour warranty from date of installation Precision testing of tanks & associated lines before installing VR Refiner As part of our installation procedure and before installing the VR Refiner, we precision test all spirit tanks, associated lines, vapour recovery pipework, manifold and PV valves to confirm the system is liquid and gas tight; this is to ensure the site has maximum capability for the VR Refiner to convert spirit vapours back into re-saleable fuel.

For more information email sales@eandsgroup.co.uk or telephone 01993 852152 and ask for Andrew Clarke or Jonathan Coombes.

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Clearing The Air (And Water)

By Aldo Sucaldito, Product Manager, OPW Fueling Components

CARB regulation leads to development of Enhanced Vapour Recovery systems for ASTs that help prevent hydrocarbon emissions from compromising the safety of the environment Stop and think about it for a minute or two: when was the last time you gave even a second thought to the level of cleanliness of the air you breathe or the water you drink?

How about whether that winding stream or open meadow might be contaminated by carcinogens? On any given day, we travel from one location to another without even once considering if the air is safe to breathe. From the kitchen tap to the water fountain at the gym, we consume water throughout the day without needing to verify whether or not it may be harmful to our health.

The bottom line is, we all have more important things to do and worry about during the course of the day than whether or not that deep breath we take, or that glass of water we drink, will have an adverse affect on us.

However, contaminants are all around us and have the potential to damage the safety of the air and

water that we generally take for granted. From chlorofluoro-carbons that may damage the ozone layer to the transport tanker that is delivering several thousand gallons of unleaded gasoline to the local service station, the potential for airborne contamination is everpresent. However, that potential is minimized through the creation and implementation of regulations that have been designed to restrict the release of harmful emissions into the atmosphere. These regulations result in cleaner air and water, and an overall healthier environment in which we live our lives.

One of the leaders in developing regulations that help ensure the cleanest air, purest water and greenest environment – especially in regard to controlling the release of harmful hydrocarbon emissions, vapours and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the delivery, transfer, storage and use of petroleum products – is the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Resources Board (CARB). One of CARB’s more recent edicts concerns the certification procedure for vapour-recovery systems that are installed at

gasoline-dispensing facilities (GDFs) – whether public or private – that store their products in aboveground storage tanks (ASTs).

As of July 1, 2010, all GDFs in California – a universe that includes retail outlets, fleet/commercial fueling operations, municipalities, aviation fueling sites, and agriculture, construction, maintenance and emergency response operations – needed to be compliant with Vapour Recovery Certification Procedure CP-206, alternatively titled, “Certification Procedure for Vapour Recovery Systems At Gasoline Dispensing Facilities Using Aboveground Storage Tanks.” CARB defines a vapour-recovery system as a complete system and its components, including all associated ASTs, dispensers, piping, nozzles, couplers, processing units and other equipment or components necessary for evaporation control or the control of gasoline vapours during refueling operations at GDFs. The Challenge There are two things that immediately come to mind when

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Enhanced Vapour Recovery systems for aboveground storage tanks can prevent spills and overfills of petroleum products, as well as the release of potentially harmful hydrocarbon emissions into the environment.

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thinking of CARB and its mandate: its unwavering commitment to providing the cleanest air, water and environment possible for the residents of California, and that when it talks, people listen. When CARB adopts a new environmentalcompliance regulation, regulators around the nation generally sit up and take notice because these CARB regulations, or variations thereof, are typically adopted by other states when they themselves are required to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations.

Since its establishment in 1967, CARB has systematically attempted to eliminate sources of air pollution in California. After establishing stringent emission regulations for vehicles, petroleum-product storage terminals and underground storage tanks, among others, CARB turned its attention to ASTs. As of July 1, 2010, all new GDFs with ASTs must be equipped with certified Phase I vapour recovery systems on their tanks in order to meet CARB’s enhanced vapour recovery (EVR) standards. CARB also requires certified vapour recovery equipment on the delivery trucks in order to control emissions during the filling of ASTs. Many of the counties in California argued that the vapour recovery equipment didn’t work as advertised when it was mixed and matched with equipment from a different manufacturer. As a result, they demanded that the EVR systems be tested as a unit, not just as a series of individual components.

In response, CARB ruled that these EVR systems must be 98%, or virtually, vapour-tight and that all of the state’s ASTs (of which 60% to 70% are located on private property, with the majority used in agricultural applications) in service prior to July 1, 2010, be upgraded, and that all new tanks purchased after that date be “protected,” i.e., insulated or double-walled. Protected ASTs have the capability to keep the temperature of the fuel within them stable, which eliminates standing storage (evaporative) loss, also known as breathing loss.

Evaporative loss occurs when the sun heats the tank, causing the fuel to volatilize and vent to the 56

atmosphere, meaning that as the temperature increases, so does the amount of emissions that can enter the atmosphere.

From a federal standpoint, most ASTs need to meet the EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure ( S P C C ) requirements (40 CFR, Part 112).

Locally, most AST systems are required to meet state and local AST EVR systems have been designed to eliminate emissions at all potential escape points in the fueling system fire codes, and may also need to which is a serious pollutant in cities meet state or local regulatory across the United States. Groundrequirements that safeguard human level ozone is a key component of health and the environment. ASTs smog, which is formed when the are often selected as design hydrocarbon emissions react in the choices over USTs due to various presence of the sun, together with reasons, such as rocky or shale the nitrogen oxides present in the air. environment, portability, excellent The smog that plagues many corrosion resistance, flexibility of urban areas can cause irritation and fueling location, etc. ASTs can be damage to the eyes, skin and lungs. more cost-effective than buried Some hydrocarbons are also double-wall USTs when overall life considered toxic and can cause cycle costs, real estate, recordserious health problems, including keeping and testing are considered. cancer and death, with lesser These insulated double-wall tanks symptoms being respiratory are weather and bullet resistant, problems, headaches, dizziness, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to reduced cardiovascular function, maintain. arrhythmia and brain damage.

Installing vapour tight equipment That’s why it is imperative the is a real ecological bonus, with little emissions that originate from ASTs expense, and with real payback in successfully be controlled, VOC emissions and escalating recovered and contained. associated health and safety costs.

One of the growing concerns The Solution regarding AST use is the number and With all of this in mind, it is the types of emissions that they moral obligation of petroleum produce. Emissions from ASTs vary producers, distributors, regulators, depending on their size, type and engineering firms and end-users to configuration. Making emission protect, at all costs, the public and control even more complicated for an AST is the number of areas on the any personnel who are employed at tank where vapours are liable to AST bulk-storage facilities, while escape, including vent pipes, fill safeguarding the environment, not ports, tank gauges, dispenser nozzles just for today, but for future and emergency vents. In addition, a generations. This “good neighbour” significant amount of emissions are policy leads to the creation and implementation of legislation that the result of standing storage loss.

Hydrocarbons that evaporate has been designed to protect the and challenge and vent into the atmosphere are a environment precursor to ground-level ozone, companies to create vapour

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recovery systems that meet the needs of AST emission control.

Addressing CARB’s demands for a complete EVR system for use with ASTs, OPW Fueling Components, Hamilton, Ohio, set about developing a series of components that could be used in harmony to create a fully functional AST EVR system. Those efforts were rewarded on July 12, 2010, when CARB issued “Executive Order VR-401-B: OPW Phase I Enhanced Vapour Recovery (EVR) System For Aboveground Storage Tanks (AST),” which stated that “the OPW System is certified to be at least 98.0% efficient” in controlling emissions during AST loading operations. The OPW system is not only able to produce a “tight fill,” or one that eliminates vapour emissions, but it has a vapour return that sends the produced vapours back to the delivery truck, where it can be converted back to gasoline.

OPW tested both its own and competitive offerings and found that there was no equipment, created as a single system, available to meet California’s 98% vapour-tight mandate. Since OPW engineers dismissed the possibility of designing for an allowable 2% emission leak rate, they ultimately designed the EVR system for 100% vapour-tight performance. This would allow it to withstand a wide swing in temperature, from sub-zero

to 120ºF (49ºC), with winter and summer fuel blends, in driving rain and wind conditions, and swirling California dust. They did this by incorporating superb seals, designs and a reduction in parts in order to attain long-lasting vapour tightness and maintenance-free operation for several years. All of these design parameters were part of the project, with the knowledge that there are frequent tank refillings and daily vehicle fill-ups.

The difficult challenge in this approach was to design equipment, as a system, that would cost the same to the end-user as the currently available “leaky” equipment. This would result in a definitive payback to the state by reducing VOC emissions and ultimately avoiding increased health-care costs due to airborne carcinogens. With continual growth in vehicle registrations, this is a big initiative for California as more fueling frequency will occur. More importantly, one state estimates that one tonne of VOC emissions equals $4,000 to $5,000 in taxpayer cost per year, so 30,000 targeted tonnes of California VOC emission reduction per year means a minimum of $150 million in savings year over year forever, as well as an improvement in quality of life and numerous other safety aspects.

Specifically, technological

advancements in the following EVR components helped OPW gain CARB certification: • Emergency Vent Valve – When pressure builds, lid is forced off seat to relieve pressure; when pressure is relieved, lid is automatically reset, which facilitates zero emissions • AST Direct-Fill Spill Containers – Special drain valve and onepiece casting base catches spillage to help prevent soil contamination and groundwater pollution • Poppeted Adaptor with Overfill Prevention Valve – Prevents AST overfilling by providing a positive shut-off during a pressurized-fill (pump-on) delivery • Anti-Siphon Valves – The integral anti-siphon valve isolates the tank from potential siphon due to a broken or leaking remote fill pipe • Mechanical Tank Gauge – Reads liquid levels in horizontal or vertical ASTs while providing accurate numerical counter readout, which eliminates the need for on-site manual gauging

Some AST EVR Components

Four-Signal AST Tank Alarm

Spill Container Mechanical Tank Gauge

Positive Shut-off Valve

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Vapour Caps

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• Four-Signal Tank Alarm – Can sense up to four different liquid levels with audible alarm and visual notification of an alarm event • Remote Fill Spill Container – Prevents spilled product from entering soil near remote, horizontal-fill and vapour-return connections on an AST during normal tank-filling operation • Rotatable Swivel Adaptor – Mates with vapour recovery elbow on the delivery truck when recovery of vapours is required • Caps – Have enhanced ribbed seals that increase sealing forces to provide a bubble-tight seal • Ball Valve – Used where a shut-off point is desirable to isolate a section of the piping system • Solenoid Valve – Prevents accidental siphoning of ASTs if a leak or break occurs in the fuel supply line • Spring Balance Hose Retractor – Provides smooth and steady tension throughout the hose extension and return; keeps excess hose off the ground and out of harm’s way.

As mentioned earlier, many states eventually adopt CARB standards when they are required to meet U.S. EPA regulations, meaning the use of these technologically advanced pieces of EVR equipment is ideal for more than AST applications in California. In fact, although a state may currently not require CARBcertified products, if it ever does adopt similar air-quality rules, sites that are using advanced AST EVR products will be covered without the need of an expensive retrofit.

Also, using CARB-certified products – even when not required – will demonstrate a concern about the air we breathe while providing a healthier environment now and for future generations.

Conclusion Much is made about industries that adopt “best practices” for their operations. Well, what can be a better practice than protecting the air we breathe, the water we drink and overall public health interests?

With this in mind, eliminating or reducing to their lowest level the hydrocarbon emissions produced during AST loading is a crucial consideration.

That’s why regulations like those established by CARB help set the standard for other states to follow.

These regulations also produce

opportunities for companies to create the products that help ensure compliance for the facility operator – while simultaneously doing well for the wider world.

Aldo Sucaldito is a Product Manager for OPW Fueling Components, based in Cincinnati, OH, USA. He can be reached at asucaldito@opw-fc.com. OPW is the global leader in dispensing products, environmental systems, secondarily contained fuel delivery systems, fuel management systems and clean energy fueling products, including dispensing nozzles for vapor recovery, gasoline, diesel, LPG, Hydrogen and CNG; swivels, breakaways, valves and fittings; underground and above ground storage tank equipment, spill containers, overfill prevention devices, secondary containment sumps and flexible piping; tank gauging equipment and automated fuel management systems. OPW is part of the Dover Energy™ Segment of Dover Corporation (NYSE: DOV).

For more information on OPW Fueling Components, please go to www.OPWGlobal.com.

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In 2010, all gasoline-dispensing facilities in California using ASTs for product storage needed to be compliant with CARB’s certification procedure for Enhanced Vapour Recovery.

Ask The Experts In terms of separation distances, when does it become necessary to have a “Blast Wall” for LPG Installations?

to protect the surroundings from the vessel. They need to be imperforate (without holes or gaps) and substantially constructed, usually

if the vessels with associated equipment can be installed in accordance with the normal separation distances. Only if this is not practical should firewalls be considered. The table below is an extract from UKLPG Code of Practice 1 pt 1 for vessels up to 4t and compares the distances with and without a firewall.

Other important things to note when considering the layout using a firewall is that: • The height should be not less than 2 metres from the vessel base level except for vessels of 1.1t and below when the height can be the height of the vessel.

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For a start “blast wall” is a misnomer for this application. The term used is a firewall or sometimes a radiation wall. These are defined in the UKLPG Codes of Practice as: “A wall, screen or separation partition erected in the open air to reduce the effects from radiated heat on an LPG vessel and to ensure an adequate dispersion distance for LPG leaking from the vessel”. For more detailed information see UKLPG Codes of Practice.

Firewalls are mainly to protect the vessel from outside effects and not

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from brick, concrete or solid masonry, to achieve a 30 minute fire resistance. Where a wall forms part of a domestic property then the fire resistance needs to be able to achieve a 60 minute fire resistance.

The position of the wall is important and must not interfere with natural ventilation; therefore walls are usually on one side but can be on a maximum of two sides. They must not overhang or cover the storage area.

When locating an LPG installation the first assessment should be to look

• The wall should extend so that the distance from the shell of the vessel to the feature of separation is equivalent or greater than the normal separation distance.

• The firewall can also be a boundary wall, subject to the wall being under the control of the occupier of the site containing the LPG. • No external stairway or escape route must be between the firewall and the storage.

Richard Wigfull John Wigfull & Co Ltd

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I understand there is a device called an “Excess Flow Valve” fitted to an LPG Installation. Can you explain what this is and how it works?

An excess flow valve is a safety device used on LPG installations, which is kept in the open position by means of an internal spring. When the flow through the device exceeds the designated flow rating,

premature closing under normal operations. Excess flow valves do not protect against partial breaks when the flow rate would be less than the designated flow range.

To meet the requirements of UKLPG Codes of Practice excess flow valves should be fitted into all LPG vessel outlet connections, and also in pipework or other components where downstream failure may be considered to be a risk. This could include fitting before a hose assembly, if there is no other form of protection.

Richard Wigfull John Wigfull & Co Ltd How many months tanker delivery records should be kept on site and why?

Prior to the introduction of DSEAR in 2002 a petroleum officer inspecting a retail or private filling installation would expect to have access to 12 months worth of tanker delivery records for perusal. These obviously form part of the wet stock analysis which is one of the important safety features on any petrol installation. Following the introduction of DSEAR and the production of the approved code of practice in respect of petroleum deliveries known as L133 then this figure has been reduced by the HSE to 6 months worth of records to be kept.

Excess flow closed

7.4 Marking 7.4.1 Metering pumps, dispensers and remote pumping units shall bear at least the following minimum markings: Mandatory markings • the business name and full address of the manufacturer and, where applicable, his authorised representative; • designation of the machinery; • the year of construction, that is the year in which the manufacturing process is completed; • designation of series or type; • serial number if any; • EN number of this standard; • ambient temperature range; • power rating information.

7.4.2 The information printed directly on the metering pump, dispenser or remote pumping unit shall be permanent and remain throughout the expected life of the equipment. See photo of a modern dispenser label below.

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Brian Humm Head of Petroleum (Enforcement) London Fire Brigade

Excess flow open

Excess flow section

the force of the flow is stronger than the spring causing the internal valve to close. The pressure downstream then falls and, due to the differential pressure, the valve is held closed.

Only when the pressure on the downstream side balances that on the upstream side, for example when an isolation valve is closed, does the spring reopen the valve.

Excess flow valves should be selected so the rating is below that likely to result from the complete fracture of the line it is protecting, but high enough to prevent 62

with the standard which is as follows.

I noted the reply to my question regarding the marking of dispensers where they have the EEx sign. Can you expand this meaning and is there a European Standard on Dispensers?

BS EN 13167-1 covers petrol dispensers and is a harmonised standard under the ATEX directive; this means it is not voluntary but mandatory. It provides a safety standard for dispensers used by the public and covers safety regarding pressures, suitability of materials used, hoses and nozzles etc.

Electrical safety is also covered in the standard, by including hazard zone barriers between zones, and more importantly requires the dispenser to be separately certified by a notified body, that it complies with the standard. The marking therefore should be in accordance

Jamie Thompson Chairman Technical Committee It is traditional installation methods that underground electrical cables are brought together under the forecourt surface into a trench before entering the Sales Building.

What type of sealants can be used to prevent flammable petroleum (or Autogas) vapour entering the building?

Thanks for your question and a very common question that I receive on a regular basis via the APEA or indeed in my own direct line of work.

Before I answer your question directly, it’s good to know why we are providing a seal in the first place, and as stated in both the second

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mechanical seal.

So my summary is there are demonstrated in the “Blue Book” a Hierarchy of choice how to prevent V.O.C’s entering a building and the use of foams or sealants is the last choice for the reasons given and yes there are products on the market but why was this method chosen over the others? As long as that question can be answered the site operator or contractor should not have any future worries.

Just one thing before I close please remember that force ventilated ducts or ducts associated with Autogas should be segregated from the petrol associated ductwork and that these other ducts may not necessarily be sealed.”

Gareth Bourhill Gareth Bourhill Consulting Where should internal isolation or emergency switches be located.

How many should there be?

Let’s deal with the emergency switching first, especially for the electrical equipment located in the hazardous areas of the site. In the 3rd edition of the “Blue Book” point 14.6.4 details the locations and type of devices and notices required; this point indicates: “An emergency switching device should be provided to cut off all electrical supplies, including data circuits to all metering pumps/dispensers and associated equipment, including those for autogas installations; other than certified intrinsically-safe equipment.

Means of operating the emergency switching device should be provided: a.At each control console operator position at self-service filling stations.

Where dispensers incorporate loudspeakers, the supply to the loudspeaker system has to be interrupted by the emergency switching arrangement.

The operating means (such as handle or pushbutton) for the device is to be coloured red against a yellow background. Resetting this device alone should not restore the supply. The separate single means of restoring the supply should be manual and located within the building where it is inaccessible to unauthorised persons.

A conspicuous, durable and

legible notice has to be fitted adjacent to every operating means of the emergency switch device, as prescribed in 14.9.11.”

From my own experience this point is simple for installers to understand . The issues of course are the point of sale area as far as the operators of course offer a focus to the customers and the space primarily based around the sales process and offers views of the site and the point of sale equipment. As such locating the emergency device/s at the console can be challenging to ensure it’s readily available for use by staff; all too often it’s below the counter and on occasion behind a cupboard door behind lots of other merchandise or equipment. Getting the balance correct between readily accessible and sales operation and preventing inadvertent operation just takes some dialogue and maybe something the enforcement officers can give advice on to that site.

Regarding normal electrical isolation points everything is described in point 14.6 of the 3rd Edition of the “Blue Book” but fundamentally all isolation and switching arrangements must comply with Regulation 12 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

Typically most isolation points will be at the main switchgear but other points may be closer to the equipment being supplied.

Electrical contractors will also seek guidance from the current BS7671wiring regulations for further detail.

Gareth Bourhill Gareth Bourhill Consulting What is the term “Starter Gate” layout that is used in relation to modern day petrol filling stations?

The term “Starter Gate” layout refers to the usual design for attended self-service petrol filling stations where the side of the pumps face the forecourt shop and the pump authorising positions. It also allows for the width of three standard car widths to allow drivers to leave the forecourt more easily as opposed to waiting for a vehicle in front to leave first. This layout is the most common for new sites and those up to 20 years old.

Brian Baker Brian Baker & Associates

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and now third editions of the “Blue Book” the idea is to ensure that the underground ductwork in hazardous areas are designed and constructed to ensure that fuel or vapour does not enter other areas.

Duct systems should be designed to positively prevent Volatile Organic Compounds (V.O.C’s) entering any building.

In fact 14.9.5 and 14.9.7 suggest that a “Hierarchy” of control is considered and the first example given is that ductwork rises from the ground external to the building and cables enter at an indicated height through an appropriate building seal thus no vapour can ever enter a building if the duct/s never go under the building in the first place. Our next choice is the use of mechanical seals in the ducts. There are plenty of manufacturers and various types of mechanical seals available in the market can be bought for both circular, square and rectangular shaped ducts that give a fantastic seal and can be provided with sealing types resistant to V.O.C’s.

These do take up more room and cable capacity and the number of ducts required on site does need to be considered, but it’s a trusted and proven system and been used on ships, refineries and other petrol facilities for a long number of years and will guarantee, a applied and installed correctly, a fully tight seal around and between cables and against the duct itself.

The last suggestion and direct response to your question is suitable compound or sealant; there are again products on the market but remember the sealant or compound must have been tested and test results must be available from the manufacturer of the sealant to say it’s resistant to V.O.C’s in both vapour and liquid form.

For this simple reason Polyurethane expanding or “Builders” foam never has met this requirement and as such should not be used on a forecourt duct sealing situation. Although the required resistance to V.O.C’s may be met by some types of sealant, the user/installer must be aware that to completely seal around all the cables and the duct liner itself is not so easily achieved compared with that demonstrated by mechanical sealing. In fact in 14.9.7 if sealant or compound is used then all empty or unused ducts are indicated that they should be sealed by a blind

Corrosion Protection and Prevention: The sti-P3® Tank

By Lorri Grainawi, Steel Tank Institute Sti-P3®, a cathodically-protected tank technology design, was invented in 1969 by a group of STI members. It was the first national corrosion control standard in the United States and has guided fabrication of sti-P3® tanks for more than 40 years.

on the steel, creating a difference in energy levels on the surface of the steel. When the steel is placed in the ground, current is able to flow through the soil on to the tank, creating a small circuit. Where the current leaves the tank, corrosion occurs.

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Figure 1

The first prevention barrier is a The “P3®” in sti-P3® tanks stands for “prevention” by a three-way dielectric coating that covers each system that effectively prevents blast-cleaned steel tank surface.

Each coating is tested to ensure that external corrosion (Figure 1).

Corrosion occurs on buried metal it will protect the tank’s surface for its structures because of the naturally expected life under the rigorous occurring differences in energy conditions the tank will experience levels on the steel. A great amount of energy is put into the steel when it is made. Picture the extreme heat generated by the furnace used to create steel and it’s easy to understand where the energy is coming from.

Energy is also put into the tank from the processes used to create tank shape, namely rolling the steel into a cylinder. More energy still is used to weld the cylinder into a solid tank, capable of holding liquids safely.

Corrosion occurs because all of this energy is not distributed uniformly Figure 2 Dry Cell Battery 64

underground. Approved coatings must pass laboratory immersion tests in fuels and other chemicals. Testing to simulate field conditions, such as possible impact by equipment and backfill material hitting the tank is also required. There are currently three types of coating system options approved for sti-P3® tanks: epoxy, urethane and fiberglass.

Electrical isolation is the second prevention barrier in the sti-P3® technology.

Dielectric nylon bushings or flange isolators are installed in each tank opening, isolating the tanks from connection or contact with other steel structures, such as pipes. To prevent installation errors, these isolators are installed in every tank opening prior to shipping the tank.

Isolation material is also placed between the tank’s exterior and its hold down anchor straps.

Isolating the tank is necessary to focus all of the anode power exclusively on the tank.

Finally, sti-P3® tanks utilize sacrificial anodes to protect any bare surfaces on the tank due to damage to the coating. Zinc and magnesium, the anode materials used for sti-P3 tanks, have a slightly more negative charge than steel.

The anodes use their natural energy to generate a small electrical current to the steel, called the galvanic process.

This current protects the tank from external corrosion.

An everyday example of cathodic protection is a common flashlight battery. The battery consists of a carbon rod (cathode) surrounded by a conductive paste (electrolyte), all within a zinc casing (anode).

The cathodic protection

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is activated when the metallic ends are connected together, typically by being inserted into an electronic device. When the connection is made, the circuit is completed and an electrical charge flows (Figure 2).

The same thing happens with cathodic protection on steel tanks.

Anode materials have a more negative charge than the steel tanks. Because of this, current will naturally flow from the anode on to the steel tank. If you remember our explanation above on why corrosion occurs, you know that corrosion occurs where the current flows from an object. This means that the anode corrodes, thus the name sacrificial anode, while the steel tank is protected.

This small electrical charge can actually be measured on a cathodically protected tank and corrosion engineers routinely use these measurements to assure the cathodic protection system is functioning properly. Of all the corrosion protected tanks available, only cathodically protected tanks such sti-P3® can be monitored in this way.

Today, anodes installed on the tank are a combination of both zinc and magnesium anodes.

Magnesium has more energy than steel, therefore providing more energy for protecting the tank.

However magnesium can also have a shorter life. That’s when the zinc anode goes to work, providing the desired life of the system. This combination helps to ensure long life for the tank in a variety of soil conditions. Anodes on the sti-P3® tank are designed for anticipated soil conditions and provide for at least a 30 year tank life.

Documented sti-P3® life-span Until a few years ago, double wall tanks were optional in the States.

Today, however, almost all underground storage tanks are manufactured with secondary containment. Tanks in the US today are also larger than tanks installed in years past, averaging over 20,000 gallons and often being built with multiple compartments, each to store a different type of fuel (Figures 3 and 4). Using one tank for multiple fuels can be more economical for the tank owner, providing a more APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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efficient use of space as well as reducing installation costs.

These trends have led to some older sti-P3® tanks being removed from service, providing a unique opportunity to judge the success of the three-way protection system. For example, eleven tanks were removed after 22 years of service underground. During that time, these tanks held a variety of products, from solvents to heavy oil.

As noted above, sti-P3® tanks are designed to be electrically isolated.

Yet each of these tanks was retrofitted in the field with a large metallic chamber which rested directly on top of the tank. The installer had also placed electrical conduit through the metal chambers, creating even more metal surface for the anodes to protect. Still, even with these challenges, the tanks were documented to be in excellent condition in what was proven to be a corrosive environment.

The sti-P3® tank has an excellent performance record. With over 250,000 tanks built with the STI label,

Figure 3

Figure 4

retain water, that is, until the fuel reaches its saturation point and no more water can be absorbed. At that point, the water will separate from the fuel, something called phase

we are confident in stating that external corrosion of steel tanks is a thing of the past.

Steel tanks and new fuels One of the newest trends in motor vehicle fuels is the biofuels that are now being used nationwide. Both ethanol and biodiesel fuels require even greater vigilance on the part of the tank owner to keep the fuel system clean. Anyone that has ever had a cocktail knows that alcohol, in this case ethanol, mixes quite readily with water. Alcohol fuels will 66

copies may be downloaded free of charge on our web site, www.steeltank.com.

Another helpful publication developed by industry experts is the RP for Storage Tank Maintenance, which is also available on the STI website.

The great advantage to using steel tanks to store biofuels is that steel is completely impermeable to any liquid.

STI has conducted extensive testing on the compatibility of steel with both ethanol and biodiesel blended fuels.

Testing has also been sponsored by the US Department of Energy.

All testing has verified that steel is compatible with these new fuels. STI and its member companies have posted Statements of Compatibility and these letters, along with links to the research reports, are also available on STI’s website.

Over the past several years, STI has conducted a number of tests that once again prove the strength of steel. For example, a ten foot (3.05 m) diameter steel tank was filled with water and then pressurized until the tank failed. The test started with water pressure at 25 psi (172 kpa).

Observers watched in amazement while the water pressure was increased, monitoring both the tank

separation. To help prevent this, and other problems that occur with fuels from water, such as degradation of fuels, it is important to keep the fuel system as clean as possible. To help owners and operators of tanks storing biofuels, STI has developed a publication, “Keeping Water Out of Your Storage System”. Single

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Managing the Risk of Gas Migration

By Phil Westerman, UK Onshore Sales Manager Managing the Risk The petroleum process industry represents a significant contribution to the global economy and is regarded as one of the largest energy industries. It is an extremely high-risk industry, with its downstream sector causing no less of a concern in regards to its Health and Safety and environmental risk.

Throughout the refining process a variety of chemicals are produced such as; petrol, kerosene, jet fuel, diesel oil, heating oil, fuel oils, lubricants and liquid petroleum gas (LPG). These chemicals obviously need to be carefully handled and stored, more so when these products touch the consumer sector within petrol forecourts.

Although the industry has made significant improvements with the construction of petrol forecourts and the underground storage of fuel on these sites, my role sees further challenges in areas needed to help prevent gas migration and minimise the risk of injury or even an explosion.

During my many years of experience within this sector and specifically the water and gastight sealing of underground cable ducts

and building entries, I have become aware of the importance of implementing the right process at each stage of the project to ensure any risks are minimised. Many incidents take place resulting in asphyxiation, injuries or loss of life from flammable substances accidentally catching fire or exploding and incidents leading to gas migration in the industry currently remain higher than they should. Taking a more robust approach to identify potential areas of risk and developing strategies to mitigate issues will help the industry

combined external pressure of more than negative -15 psi (-103.4kpa), the steel tank still hadn’t failed. At that point, the testers stopped the test and declared it a success. STI’s tanks exceeded by more than three times the testing required for fiberglass tanks built in the United States – an outstanding achievement.

STI currently licenses more than 55 plants to build sti-P3® tanks all over the world, with licensed plants as far away as Egypt. The sti-P3® technology’s corrosion prevention and protection systems—along with the inherent strength of steel— demonstrate that steel is the material of choice for underground fuel storage.

become more consistent operational excellence.

in

Supporting Improvements Employers not only have a moral duty to protect their employees but are also required by General Health and Safety Legislation to provide their workers with protection in line with the details described by the Dangerous Substances and Explosives Atmosphere Regulations 2002 (DSEAR/ATEX). This also includes members of the public who are also deemed to be at risk.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will enforce the regulations in Industrial premises, with the regulations being enacted upon under the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1974. Local authorities, Fire Brigades and Petroleum

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

67

ARTICLES

and the gauges for any indication of failure. Finally, when the internal tank pressure reached 110 psi (758kpa), water burst through and the test was ended. The end pressure was 22 times greater than

the required 5 psi (34.5kpa) production test.

Similar results were declared in a water load test. A steel tank was buried with seven feet of backfill material over the top of the tank. Next, the excavation was flooded with water to grade level, completely submerging the tank. At this point, the steel tank was already experiencing a significant load, but the test didn’t stop there.

As a final step, an internal vacuum was pulled on the primary tank.

Originally, testers intended to continue pulling vacuum on the primary tank until the tank failed.

However, even with a total

Licensing Authorities will also be closely involved in ensuring compliance.

In my experience, dealing with these issues, the introductions of strict regulations and written specification documents have significantly increased standards. I have seen many examples both good and bad in attempting to prevent the migration of hazardous substances. Some of the bad include the use of inappropriate materials and methods of sealing; newspapers and plastic bags have been notoriously used as “bungs” in penetrations during an attempt to create an effective cable duct seal.

Some of the other recent issues I have seen on site include:• Too many cables running through a cable duct - over populated ducts can prevent the adequate separation of cables which is essential when ensuring a gas tight seal.

ARTICLES

• Cables not separated within a cable duct – this will lead to leak paths running through the void when cables are bunched together. Even three cables within a duct can cause this issue (see image below.)

• Inappropriate sealing materials used to seal a duct – these can degrade over a relatively short period of time, especially when in contact with volatile organic content (VOC’s).

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We can see the improvements in specifications when we look at, for instance, the current APEA (Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration) specification, which provide detailed guidelines and specifically describing the requirements within the sealing material installation, i.e.

“Where sealing compound is used to seal a duct, the inner wall of the duct and the cable sheath(s) should first be cleaned to ensure that the sealant adheres to the surfaces.

Suitable spacers should then be inserted to space the cables apart to ensure that the compound is able to completely fill the spaces around the cables and also to minimize penetration of compound further into the duct”. Other specifications indicate how long a product is age tested for i.e. “ the sealing material should be age tested to 20+ years” or how much cable capacity is allowed within a duct to help with cable separation (which is one of the key requirements in trying to seal penetrations) i.e. “All ducting shall have no more than 30% cable capacity within them to enable a sealing system to be installed”. This level of direction is a great step forward from previous specifications, which simply referred to “all ducts should be sealed”.

Since 2010 the ‘EI Technical guidance for filling stations’, also known as the ‘Blue Book’ is the established technical guidance on providing information about storage and dispensing of petroleum products used as fuels for motor vehicles (including petrol, diesel and autogas).

This information is aimed at minimising the risks from fire and explosion, to health and to the environment.

Products that comply with regulations such as DSEAR/ATEX and the “Blue Book” provide peace of mind for clients to include within the project at specification stage. All this said any sealing solution is only as good as its installation. One of my main aims

within this industry is to educate contractors and end users of their responsibility and to help them understand how important achieving a compliant seal can be in reducing the risk and potential danger associated with gas migration. At the end of the day people’s lives could be put at risk.

Who’s Responsible?

For gas migration safety to improve, the industry must acknowledge the risk and effects of using non-compliant sealing products. Enforcement by the regulator HSE under the DSEAR and ATEX regulations can only go so far.

Many industry workers are unaware if gas safety detectors in their workplace function correctly. In a gas migration incident employees could remain unaware that they have been exposed and put at risk as many of the gases released are odourless and colourless. The Control of Hazardous Substances to Health (COSHH) includes regulation: “7:1; that the employer should ensure exposure is prevented or if this is not possible, adequately controlled.”

If you are involved in the provision of a fire protection package, at any level, then you share liability for its usefulness, operation and provision of information under Building Regulation 16B that tells the user of the building about the fire prevention measures provided in the building. Otherwise the user cannot make an effective risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Where a system also provides fire protection and prevents gas migration into hazardous areas, it is now a legal obligation for the specifier, owner or main contractor to ensure a contractor can prove competency for the materials used, or the works to be carried out.

All cable and pipe penetrations or building entries should be sealed according to the degree of fire resistance (if any) for both integrity and insulation, and any water tight and gas tight integrity must be reinstated to the same level required for the boundary before the penetration was made. In addition for bund walls and plinths

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

any penetration seal must continue to provide protection from any leakage of transformer oil.

Under pressure The raising of standards and introduction of specification also helps to create a level playing-field within the commercial aspects of sealing. We live in a highly commercial world and in my experience, historically, profit and the competition of business hasn't helped with regards to sealing and safety. When the profit-safety equation is thrown into the commercial world, without specification & regulation profit usually wins. This can lead to substandard sealing materials being used as contractors look at savings and ways to be competitive on price and achieve success with tenders. Unfortunately in some cases this cost cutting has the potential to put assets at risk and also endanger

the health and safety of any people on site. It's now commonly acknowledged across a number of industries that builders expanding foam is not compliant when trying to create a gas tight seal, but before regulations, specifications and guidelines were introduced it was a common practice to squirt foam into a penetration in the vain hope it would create a seal.

As things move forward and business, associations and authorities start to find a balance, specification and regulation makes it much easier in my drive to educate and help resolve on-going problems and difficulties associated with all aspects of sealing on a variety of different projects.

It’s good to see installation contractors now taking a bigger interest in the different types of sealing products that are out in the marketplace with companies not just looking to see if a product meets

Further information For further information surrounding DSEAR, gas detection and the prevention of gas migration in the workplace please read the useful information provided by the Health and Safety Executive on their website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexpl osion/dsear.htm. www.csdealingsystems.co.uk

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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ARTICLES

specification but also looking at criteria such as ease of installation or if a contractor has the responsibility of maintenance work on a site after the build, how easy or difficult it is to re-enter a sealing system to add, remove or replace a cable or pipe.

This in turn drives the education process forward, something that I am proactively involved with at CSD Sealing Systems, supported by the company providing instructional installation videos on its website and also getting involved with numerous industry toolbox presentations. In the past it was sometimes perceived negatively if you offered help, often presuming you were intimating that a contactor were incompetent if you had to help show them how to seal; nowadays companies are much more willing to participate in toolbox talks and training sessions to support their employees training and development as well as quality control and continuous improvement processes.

I have recently had some extremely productive toolbox events with a number of Fire Officers discussing various different aspects of sealing, especially the difference of sealing against gas and liquid migration which comes under the banner of fire prevention rather than the sealing against fire which is fire containment! These toolbox talks are a great way to pass and share information between us and as I mentioned before, the better educated we are the better standards will become.

The cost and time it takes to implement risk prevention processes and strategies will be insignificant when compared with the actual and reputational costs facing companies who have responded to a crisis situation.

Southern The Winter Southern Branch meeting/AGM took place on Tuesday 19th February 2013 at Deanwood Park Golf Club, Newbury, Berkshire, with 26 members present.

The Chairman, Paul Reyner, opened the meeting and thanked everyone for their attendance.

The AGM was held, followed by the first speaker of the day, Ian Roos of Scarletts Fuel on fuel remediation.

Ian explained that contaminants in fuel is not a new issue; it was widely predicted a long time ago that diesel fuel injections systems would require a much higher efficiency filtration below 5 micron.

The value of testing is: • To catch a small problem to avoid a big disaster.

• Treat the right problem and treat the cause.

BRANCHES

Ian stressed that early testing saves time and money, and avoids angry customers.

Some surprising things found in organic fuels are insects, pollen, yeast, human hair and clothing fibres.

Is fuel contamination on the increase?

In some cases yes; biofuels etc. play a role, as well as reclaimed fuels, but in general terms no; what was acceptable five years ago isn’t fine anymore.

Customer complaints tarnish the site owner’s reputation, as well as causing revenue loss.

Regular testing of fuel helps to pinpoint problems, and allow control measures to be introduced.

Prevention is better than cure, so a correct planned preventive maintenance process is crucial, which would incorporate regular filter changing.

EN regulations do not protect the end user or retailer; the retailer must find a basic indicator to monitor contamination.

Ian then discussed the following aspects :

management model?

• Is there a planned preventive maintenance process in place?

• Does the site have adequate facilities and trained staff?

Find the cause: • Treating cause gives effective resolution.

• Waiting until heavy contamination needs treating destroys : - Risk management model.

- Customer perception.

- Profit margins.

Treating the problem: • A single solution is not available; any solution has to : - Deal with all the contaminants.

- Remove the risk.

- Restore the fuel.

- Reduce the waste.

Ideal preventative measures on a new site include: • Test every delivery.

• Test tanks/lines every six months.

• Detailed test every two years.

The second speaker of the day was Major James Marshall of the MOD on the role of the MOD fuel and gas safety regulator.

Fuel and gas is regulated by the MOD primarily to protect all users and to provide assurance of good order.

The MOD is exempt from the P e t r o l e u m (Consolidation) Act 1928, although similar processes do exist in the form of Joint S e r v i c e Publications, and DSEAR is adhered to.

The MOD have 224 licensed sites and 489 sites worldwide; some of their more exotic locations include Belize, Cyprus and the Ascension Islands.

Operation theatre examples Major James Marshall

What test suits best?

• How frequent?

• Monitor incoming fuel?

• Monitor change in a risk APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk 70

were shown in Iraq and Afghanistan showing a Chinook helicopter being re-fuelled; stringent filtration methods are adopted, to prevent water/dust entering the fuel chain.

James explained the extent of their site inspections, and showed various photos of common findings, such as aco channel repairs required.

James advised that their ground fleet can use aviation standard fuel, for logistical simplicity, with extra lubricity being added as required.

Following lunch, the first speaker of the afternoon was Phil Monger of PSAC, giving a new legislation framework presentation.

Phil explained why the current regime was changing, and proposals for review, based on : 1. Does it work well?

2. Does it conflict with other legislation?

3. Is it in keeping with the principles of the HSWA? 4. The Lofstedt review.

The Lofstedt recommendation is that the HSE undertakes a programme of sector specific consolidations, to be complete by April 2015.

This has been accepted by Government, with a completion date of 2014.

The DSEAR 2002 partly repealed the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 and replaced many pieces of outdated legislation and simplified the regulatory system.

published; drafts are available from Ray if required.

Paul Reyner concluded the meeting by thanking all the speakers for their i n f o r m a t i v e presentations, and wished everyone a safe journey home.

The next branch meeting will be in late May in the Hampshire area.

Aspects already agreed: • Repeal Petroleum (Consolidation) Act. • Remove current licensing regime.

• Introduce supplementary (to DSEAR) petroleum regulations.

• Retain current enforcement regime.

Sue Meadowcroft Branch Secretary

A new legal framework will be: • Petroleum storage certificate.

• DSEAR • Petroleum safety regulations.

Next steps.

• Task group to finalise framework.

• Prepare consultation document and draft regs.

• Obtain relevant clearances.

• Publish consultation document and review comments.

• Finalise impact assessment and regulatory process.

It is envisaged that the revised regulations will be introduced at the end of 2014.

The last speaker of the day was Ray Blake of the London Fire Brigade, giving an enforcer’s update.

Ray spoke about a consultation on a proposal for a National Local Authority Enforcement Code. He said that in his view the code should apply to all enforcers of Petroleum Legislation, whether they were employed by a Fire Authority, as Trading Standards Officers or Environmental Health Officers, also that the proposed code as drafted did not identify petrol stations as being potentially a high risk. He urged all people that had an interest to make comments on the consultation that ends on 1st March 2013.

He went on to say that from October 2013, legislation will be enhanced to set up Prime Authority Partnerships with business groups, that have a ‘shared approach to compliance’, such as members of

Ray Blake

trade associations. Also changing will be the status of inspection plans, from stating ‘due regard’ must be taken, to ‘no deviation without the prior approval of the Primary Authority’.

Ray stated that the LFB have been working for some time with one of their partners on using new technology to be compliant for the operation of their unmanned petrol stations. The last outstanding issue of how can a competent person be summoned from the forecourt has been addressed by introducing the Pinpoint contactor system, which was presented by a 7/7 survivor at the APEA conference. The system as a whole is to be tested within the next few weeks.

On the issue of RGF foam, PELG tasked the London Fire Brigade to look at the blue book guidance; the outcome is that the RG22 foam was never considered to be as strong as stated.

The strength is only critical if the filled tanks are being left in situ and built on. It is intended that PELG will issue a PETEL enhancing the Blue Book guidance until it can be amended when the Blue Book is next revised.

The latest version of the Red Guide and 8 x PETELs have still not been

The Irish Branch C o m m i t t e e recently held a meeting on 28th February 2013 in the Huntsman Inn, Gormanstown, County Meath. There was a good attendance and representatives from the North and South of Ireland were present, representing the various stakeholders. This was the first meeting of the new committee and the chairman Tom Daly welcomed the new members.

At the meeting there was a general discussion on our successful AGM, which was held in September.

The committee thanked the Secretary Ronnie McArdle for all the hard work that he had done in order for AGM to be such a success.

As a committee we discussed what the objectives for the Irish Branch should be for the year ahead. Several items were raised and we agreed to target three objectives which are: • Try a different approach to tackling the issue of Regulation and uniformity of standards in Ireland and to try to influence and assist any outcomes.

• Review the format for AGM together with topics of interest membership with a delivering a worthwhile

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

this year’s exploring to our view to day.

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BRANCHES

Ireland

• Because the seminars we held last year were so successful it was proposed that we run similar events for 2013. We are again proposing to hold at least two seminars in 2013, one North of Ireland and one/two South of Ireland. The seminars will be to encourage new membership, promote the APEA in Ireland and the “Blue Book” and also to have topics of interest delivered to the delegates attending.

Three sub-committees from within the branch have been set up to work on these objectives.

Tom Daly gave an overview of the APEA AGM which he had attended in the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, together with a breakdown of the various topics covered.

Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday the 9th of May in the Huntsman Inn.

The new committee for 2013: Chairman - Peter Saunders Secretary - Clive Drake Branch Rep - David Clement Treasurer -Jean Algie Committee members: Louise Morgan John Crouchley

BRANCHES

Clive Drake Branch Secretary

Thomas Daly Irish Branch Chairman and Representative

Scotland

North West AGM and Branch Meeting held on 21st March 2013 at Anson Engine Museum, Poynton.

The meeting was opened by Chairman John Crouchley and the minutes from the last meeting were read and approved.

Election of Officers saw John Crouchley resign from his post and Peter Saunders elected to Chairman, also Louise Morgan resigned as Branch Rep with David Clement taking over her role. All other Officers were re-elected.

Our first speaker was Neil Simms from Lancashire Trading Standards who brought everyone up to date with current and future legislation for Petroleum Licensing and Firework Storage, the illustrated with some unbelievable photo’s of how not to store fireworks!!!

Second speaker of the day was the always entertaining Brian Humm of the London Fire Brigade who presented a very insightful look at fuelling the Olympics.

His involvement in the project started weeks after London had won the 72

initial bid and lasted throughout the whole Games.

Our final speaker was Balbinder Garcha, H & S officer of Clovemead Ltd who took us through safe systems of work on filling stations including their safety line system whilst working at height.

The meeting was officially closed and after a superb lunch we were treated to a fascinating tour of the Anson Engine Museum which, if you ever get a chance to see is an absolute must.

APEA Scottish Branch AGM March 14th 2013 Inchyra Grange Hotel Grange Road Falkirk FK2 0YB The meeting was chaired by Peter Lennon. He thanked the organisers of the Scottish Retail Forecourt Show for their assistance with the provision of accommodation. Peter also thanked all 20 members who attended the AGM. A discussion took place regarding future meetings and it was decided to continue with the idea of combining the Scottish Retail Forecourt show with the branch AGM. A branch training meeting will be arranged for the autumn.

The chairman congratulated Martin White from Renfrewshire Council on his Award for Personal Contribution to the industry in 2011 – 2012 received at APEA Live 2012.

Martin received the award for the creation of The Petroleum Officer Group on the Knowledge Hub website. This group which now has members from throughout the UK

allows enforcement officers to share knowledge, ideas and documents.

The treasurer presented his report which was duly accepted as an accurate record of the branch’s finances for 2012 – 2013.

The secretary reported on the work of the branch committee over the past year and called for more volunteers.

The branch representative was not in attendance but had indicated that he was willing to remain as branch rep. He attended every council meeting since last years’ AGM and has joined the APEA training committee and HSE’s explosives legislation review group.

All committee members stood down and the following officers were elected Chair: Secretary: Treasurer: Branch Rep: Vice Chair: Immediate Past Gareth Bourhill

Peter Lennon Paul Devine Peter Farmer Ian Hillier Alan Hamilton Chair -

Committee Members: Andy King Gary Wemyss Anne Marie Spalding Martin White John Lafferty Jim Haston stood down from the committee and Martin White was elected.

Appointment of Auditors: Alan Hamilton was appointed as Auditor of accounts.

The next meeting was agreed to take place in the autumn and the details will be sent to all members.

Paul Devine Branch Secretary

Eastern The Eastern Branch Events committee met in March to discuss and make plans for the year ahead.

Please make a note in your diary that the next Eastern Branch AGM and training meeting will take place on May 22nd at Historic Thames Barge, Ipswich waterfront. The event

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

Anton Martiniussen Branch Secretary

Midlands Nothing to report.

Nothing to report.

Yorkshire & Humberside Nothing to report.

Branch Representative and Secretary Contact Details Eastern Alex Boudry - Rep Franklin Fueling Systems Limited Olympus Close Whitehouse Industrial Estate Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 5LN Tel: +44 (0)1473 243 322/ Mob: +44 (0) 7825 798 953 email: Boudry@franklinfueling.com

North East Mike Silmon - Rep and Sec W O Silmon Ltd Industry Road, Heaton Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne & Wear NE6 5XB Tel: 0191 224 0777 Fax: 0191 224 0707 email: associationtreasurer@apea.org.uk

Graham Adcock - Sec Adcock Associates Falstaff House Birmingham Road Stratford upon Avon CV37 0AA Tel: 01789 414202 Fax: 01789 267741 email: enquiries@adcockassociates.co.uk North West David Clement - Rep James Hall and Co Ltd Spar Distribution Centre Bowland View Preston PR2 5QT Tel: 01772 706666 ext 2561 Mobile: 07917-834079 email: Dave.clements@jameshall.co.uk

North East

Anton Martiniussen - Sec ELAFLEX Ltd Riverside House, Hoddesdon Herts EN11 0PA Tel: 01992 452 950 Mob: 07831 595620 email: elaflex@aol.com

Midlands Rob Tunnicliff - Rep 37 Victoria Park Road Tunstall Stoke on Trent ST6 6DX Tel: 07909 141232 email: rob.tunnicliff@stoke.gov.uk

Clive Drake - Sec LIS (North Western) Ltd 322 Haydock Lane Haydock Lane Industrial Estate St Helens Merseyside WA11 9UY Tel: 01942 722244 Mobile: 07834 540636 Fax: 01942 722266 email: clive@lisgroup.co.uk Scotland Ian Hillier - Rep 26 Melrose Avenue Balgonie Estate Paisley PA2 9JA Tel: 01505 352004 email: i.hillier@ntlworld.com Paul Devine - Sec South Lanarkshire Council Consumer and Trading Standards North Stand, Cadzow Avenue Hamilton ML3 0LU Tel: 01698 476170 Fax: 01698 476180 Mobile: 07795 090903 email: paul.devine@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

Southern Philip Monger - Rep Petrol Retailers Association Meadowside West EndSherbourne St John Basingstoke, Hants RG24 9LE Tel: 01256 850164 Fax: 01256 851273 email: phil.psac@gmail.com Sue Meadowcroft - Sec 1 Rock Cottage South Cornelly Bridgend CF33 4RN Tel: 07780 475050 email: sue.meadowcroft@mssr.co.uk Ireland Thomas Daly - Chairman and Branch Rep Dublin Fire Brigade HQ, 165-169 Townsend Street Dublin 2 Ireland Tel: 00 353 (0)1 673 4059 email: thomas.daly@dublincity.ie

BRANCHES

will also include a 2-3 hour sail down the beautiful River Orwell in the afternoon. We expect high demand for seats so please let us know now to reserve your place. Other branch members are also welcome.

Contact the secretary Anton Martiniussen 07831 595620 email elaflex@aol.com The winter meeting will be in December, date yet to be confirmed.

Ronnie McArdle - Sec McArdle Doyle Limited Shanard House, Ardpatrick Louth Village Dundalk County Louth Ireland Tel: 00353 42 9384792 Fax: 00353 42 9384792 email: mail@mcardle-doyle.ie Yorkshire & Humberside Craig Brocklehurst - Rep Brulines Fuel Solutions The Former Post Office Station Road, Sowerby Bridge Halifax West Yorkshire HX6 3AA Tel: 07703336264 email: Craig.brocklehurst@vianetfs.com Terry Guthrie - Sec South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue The Lifewise Centre, Kea Park Close, Hellaby, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S66 8LB Tel: 0114 2532592 email: tguthrie@syfire.gov.uk

APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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LPG Awareness. Training course information

problems

By Richard Wigfull, John Wigfull & Co

same principles apply to small liquid

Over the years, along with the other courses, the contents have evolved to keep up with changes.

The earlier courses emphasised the design and installation on forecourts. Although this is still

for private vehicle use or Fork Lift

with

confined

spaces/asphyxiation.

Whilst

the

course

is

primarily

related to forecourt installations the

covered the emphasis is now more for operations and procedures. The course also covers related topics including the storage of limited quantities of LPG cylinders, the use of gas detectors and potential

LPG installations such as those used Truck refuelling installations.

The title of the course has been changed

from

“Forecourt

LPG

Installations” to “LPG awareness”.

TRAINING

Delegates from the recent one day Workshop for Petroleum Officers in Warwick Delegates from the recent Petrol Filling Stations 3 day Combined Construction & Environmental Protection and Audit and Inspection training course in Staffordshire

Left: Delegates from the recent Petrol Filling Stations 3 day Combined Construction & Environmental Protection and Audit and Inspection training course in Solihull

Right: Delegates from the recent Petrol Filling Stations 3 day Combined Construction & Environmental Protection and Audit and Inspection training course in Sligo, Ireland

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APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

2013 Training Course Dates 3 Day Combined Petrol Filling Stations – Construction, Audit and Inspection Course 11 - 13 June (new dates)Glasgow 16 - 18 Sept

Manchester Airport

Explosives and Fireworks 10 Sept

Luton

24 Sept

Manchester Airport

DSEAR

Electrical Installations - An Awareness 5 June

Glasgow

4 Sept

Manchester Airport

20 June

Glasgow

5 Sept

Manchester Airport

Forecourt LPG Installations

Petrol Filling Stations - Enforcement Procedures An Awareness

13 June

Glasgow

10 June

Glasgow

18 Sept

Manchester Airport

9 Sept

Manchester Airport

Wetstock Management

Petrol Filling Stations - Vapour Recovery Installations

Glasgow

17 Sept

Manchester Airport

Course Fees (all plus vat) 3 day course with accommodation 3 day, day delegate rate 1 day course More information and booking details at

APEA Training Team

12 Sept

APEA Member £1020.00 £810.00 £260.00 www.apea.org.uk

Non member £1120.00 £910.00 £310.00

Brian Baker Consultant

Jamie Thompson Independent Consultant Bob Conlin Director, Fairbanks Environmental

Ipswich

Gareth Bourhill Gareth Bourhill Consulting

TRAINING

17 June

Kim Bennett Senior Environmental Health Officer Milton Keynes Council

Brian Humm Head of Petroleum, LFEPA

Richard Wigfull Consulting Engineer J. Wigfull & Co Ltd

Joe Maerz Operational Manager Rural & Public Protection Team Essex Trading Standards

Louise Morgan Managing Director, Petrocom

John Dallimore, Consulting Engineer John Dallimore & Partners

Jean Fincken Petroleum Inspector, LFEPA

Courses will be designed around the (3rd edition) Blue Book Guidance for the Design, Construction, Modification, Maintenance and Decommissioning of Filling Stations (June 2011).

You can purchase a copy directly from the Publications page of the APEA website at www.apea.org.uk, log on to the website first to benefit from the APEA member discount.

APEA members can purchase a hard copy at the discounted rate of £70 (non member rate £140).

A PDF download from the APEA web site www.apea.org.uk 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.

It is strongly recommended that attendees have access to this document during courses.

All courses can be booked online at www.apea.org.uk on the ‘Training’ page.

Bespoke courses are available where discounts can be applied by provision of the venue.

For details of this and any other training enquiry, please contact: Jane Mardell - APEA Business Manager, email: admin@apea.org.uk, Tel: + 44 (0) 845 603 5507 or Brian Baker Tel: +44 (0) 07798 765958 email: bakerb4@sky.com APEA tel/fax 0845 603 5507 www.apea.org.uk

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