Gas Savings

Interesting article.  Here in Tulsa where we have been fighting air quality problems they have been encouraging filling up in the evening after it has cooled down because that puts fewer vapors into the air during the sunshine hours of morning and afternoon which cause problems with ozone… it’s always a tradeoff.  I also wonder how much temperature variation there is in the below ground tanks at the station compared to the above ground tanks that he talks about. The bit about buying from companies based on where they get their oil is a bit misleading.  Gasoline is what they call a “fungible” product… it’s all the same and can be exchanged, so the product gets moved around according to supply and demand.  So if everyone started buying from the companies who don’t get oil from a country you don’t want to buy from, say Phillips, then Phillips would just have to start getting products from one of the other companies that do buy from that country.   

I also noticed the part listing where companies get their oil from is a bit dated… It shows Conoco separate from Phillips, Phillips (now merged with Conoco) listed with BP, and Amoco and Arco (now part of BP) listed separately.

snopes.com has quite an analysis of the gas savings tips and concludes even if they are effective the benefit is probably small, and less than things such as combining trips, engine tune-up, tire pressure, etc.  Apparently some states are considering requiring temperature compensating pumps, including Missouri.http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/gastips.asp

TIPS ON PUMPING GAS 
 I don’t know what you guys are paying for gasoline…. but here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.96 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money’s worth for every gallon.. 
 Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipelinewhere I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million ga llons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons. 

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold.

Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening….your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. 

A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the serv ice stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps. 
When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode.

If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money. 

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY.

The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.  

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up–most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.    

DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS! 

WHERE TO BUY USA< FONT face=Arial color=blue size=4> GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON
Gas rationing in the 80’s worked even though we grumbled about it. It might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return the favor. 

An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS. 

Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into the coffers of Saudi Arabia. Just buy from gas companies that don’t import their oil from the Saudis. 

Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I fill-up the tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me, my family, and my friends. 

I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies are the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle Eastern oil. 

These companies import Middle Eastern oil: 

Shell……………………… 205,742,000 barrels 
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Chevron/Texaco……… 144,332,000 barrels 

Exxon/Mobil…………… 130,082,000 barrels 

Marathon/Speedway… 117,740,000 barrels 

Amoco……………………….62,231,000 barrels 

Citgo gas is from South America, from a Dictator who hates Americans. If you do the math at $30/barrel, these imports amount to over $18 BILLION! (oil is now $90 – $100 a barrel) 

Here are some large companies that Do Not import Middle Eastern oil: 

Sunoco………………0 barrels 

Conoco………………0 barrels 

Sinclair………………0 barrels 

BP/Phillips………….0 barrels 

Hess………….. ……..0 barrels 

ARC0…………………0 barrels 

If you go to Sunoco.com, you will get a list of the station locations near you. 
 All of this information is available from the Department of Energy and each is required t o state where they get their oil and how much they are importing.