AUSTIN, Texas -- With ethanol-blended fuel soon on its way to more gas stations nationwide, retailers are beginning to face the realization that their underground storage tanks (USTs) must be in suitable condition before the changeover or they could face a variety of costly problems, according to Tanknology Inc.
Regulatory and industry standards require that a tank receiving new ethanol-blended fuels be free of all water, debris and accumulated sodium salts. These standards exist for good reason, experts say; the presence of these constituents in ethanol-blended [image-nocss] fuel have serious consequences for retailers and their customersthey are not compatible with ethanol.
Austin, Texas-based tank testing and compliance services company Tanknology has been involved with creating specific protocols for tank inspection and ethanol preparation services, it said.
While the federal mandate for ethanol blended fuel is being phased in across the country, much of the U.S. Eastern Seaboard is expected to be receiving ethanol-blended fuel within the next 90 days, said the company.
Our customers are realizing that the consequences of not being prepared for the introduction of ethanol into their tanks make this a very serious matter, said Allen Porter, president and CEO of Tanknology. And they are wise to take it so seriously. Our experience to date indicates that more than 50% of the tanks we inspect require some level of preparation services before ethanol-blended fuel can be introduced. Add to that that all gasoline storage tanks have some level of water, none of which can be present in ethanol-blended fuels, and it becomes very clear that this is an issue of significant importance to any operator preparing for the transition to ethanol-blended fuel.
Tanknology's ethanol preparation service provides complete water removal and tank preparation without any interruption in service. Tanks remain in operation throughout the process, it said.
Zane Miller, Tanknology's manager of fuel filtration services for the eastern U.S. region, said it is extremely important that retailers take this issue seriously and have a thorough tank inspection by a qualified technician prior to the introduction of ethanol.
Retailers would be making a mistake to simply rely upon their automatic tank gauge or dipstick to tell them that they don't have water in their tank and then proceed with the addition of ethanol-blended fuel, Miller said. Those tools are simply not reliable when it comes to ensuring that there is no water in the tank, a condition that is required for the introduction of ethanol. In our experience, more than half the time, unlevel tanks result in water collecting in an area of the tank that is not detected by the tank gauge.
He added, You simply don't put ethanol-blended fuels into a tank that contains any water.
When water or debris mixes with ethanol-blended gasoline, the fuel will emulsify, creating a variety of significant fuel system problems. These costly issues include degradation of fuel octane ratings to levels below specification, filter clogging, requiring frequent filter replacement; spoiled fuel and, ultimately, customer vehicle drivability complaints or damage.
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