Oil & Fuel Fuel Storage Questions

[SteveInMD]

Diesel storage:

( Diesel contains some sulfur and water. Combining the two can form sulfuric acid, which will etch metal parts. )

Since new diesel fuel now contains almost no sulfur, it seems like using galvanized containers should no longer be problem.

 

[daTeacha]

Around here, the onroad diesel is low sulfur, but the offroad stuff is not necessarily so. In addition to the red dye, offroad may contain elevated amounts of sulfur compared to onroad. So, you don't just deal with the tax man if you get caught running offroad in your truck, but also the EPA.

Ohio is kind of fuel dumping ground compared to other states. Our gasoline is checked only for compliance with anti-knock standards. The additives can vary quite a bit from station to station or week to week, depending on where you get your gas. I don't know if that's true for diesel, but I don't see why it should be any different than the gas. So, if someone blends up a batch of diesel that has too much sulfur or whatnot in it, we are likely to get it here.

I was in Missouri a few weeks ago and on the way back had occasion to buy some Shell gas -- advertised as top-tier gasoline. Despite the fact that I buy name brand gas, this stuff was definitely better than what I usually get at home. The car ran better, mileage was up a little (I have on-board mpg readings), and it seemed to have more power than with the Gulf I usually burn. There is no Shell station around home for me or I'd use it all the time.

 

[SteveInMD]

I thought all diesel, on road and off, was now the new ultra low sulfur stuff. 15ppm max.

 

[cowpie1]

I thought all diesel, on road and off, was now the new ultra low sulfur stuff. 15ppm max.

Not yet, but will be eventually. The ULSD goes for the road use. It will be hard enough for the refineries to keep up with that for a while. Eventually, the only diesel being refined will be the ULSD. 2010 is when all diesel will be of the ULSD variety. Only a select few small refineries will be allowed to make anything over 15ppm. That will be primarily directed to special use and some railroad applications.

Just getting the ULSD into the system for the October 2006 deadline for on road use is proving to be a real pain. So, don't look for ULSD in the off road variety too soon.

 

[MadReferee]

Only a select few small refineries will be allowed to make anything over 15ppm. That will be primarily directed to special use and some railroad applications.

That is already the case today. Only small low volume refineries can produce anything over 15 ppm. I don't know what defines "small low volume" but by the end of the year when stockpiles diminish, anything other than ULSD for either on or off road will be hard to find and will probably be more expensive.

The big refineries have been making only ULSD since June 1. You should start to see it at the pumps any day now if you haven't already.

 

[cowpie1]

That is already the case today. Only small low volume refineries can produce anything over 15 ppm. I don't know what defines "small low volume" but by the end of the year when stockpiles diminish, anything other than ULSD for either on or off road will be hard to find and will probably be more expensive.

The big refineries have been making only ULSD since June 1. You should start to see it at the pumps any day now if you haven't already.

There are a few small scale refineries that will continue to make higher sulfer diesel for railroad use per the Govt. The rails got that exception into the legislation.

What you said otherwise is correct. Even though ULSD getting into the system, it will take some time before the pipes and tanks are cleansed out from higher sulfer residues. The Govt mandate is that 80% of onroad diesel be 15ppm by October 2006. That being said, the ppm is dropping across the board. Actual 15 ppm is not at the pump yet except for tanks that came online recently.

In all honesty, I cannot understand the concern some are showing over this change. Lower sulfer is a good thing both mechanically and environmentally. There will be mandated lubricity levels and cetane ratings. Any one of the popular fuel additives should take care of any concerns some have.

I use over 25K gallons of diesel each year in my business and personal vehicles, and I am not sweating it, except the price increase.

 

[MadReferee]

There are a few small scale refineries that will continue to make higher sulfer diesel for railroad use per the Govt. The rails got that exception into the legislation.

Unless you live in California where ULSD is the ONLY fuel that can be sold anywhere after Jan 1, 2007, including railroad.

Actually starting in Jan 2007 the railroads and marine users have to move from HSD (S5000) which had >500 ppm of sulphur to LSD (S500) which has <500 ppm sulphur. LSD (S500) is the current on-road fuel.

In all honesty, I cannot understand the concern some are showing over this change. Lower sulfer is a good thing both mechanically and environmentally. There will be mandated lubricity levels and cetane ratings. Any one of the popular fuel additives should take care of any concerns some have.

Neither can I. All diesel fuel TODAY and all ULSD meet the SAME lubricity standard. I have posted the actual standard before.

 

[daTeacha]

On road diesels in cars are going by the wayside fairly soon due to the newer emissions standards. If you want a new diesel car, better act soon. VW and Mercedes will stop importing them since the standards are so tough to meet, even with the new fuel. I think it's the particulate regs that are going to kill them. Any thoughts about this impacting tractors eventually? That plume of black smoke on the horizon above a hardworking farm tractor will soon be going the way of the smoke belching coal burning steam locomotive.

 

[CurlyDave]

...I have a 10.7 gallon metal container I got from northern. It's gravity feed with a hose on the bottom. It's made for gasoline, but I'm currently using it for diesel. The only disadvantage to it is that my pickup bed is not quite high enough to fuel the tractor from, and of course, it's pretty heavy to lug around when full.

It seems to me that a 10.7 gallon tank is just the wrong size. Too heavy to lift, and not really big enough to save trips to the station.

WalMart sells the yellow plastic containers for $6 in the 5 gallon size. Two of these and you are all set.

I would find some other use for that container.

 

[Doc_Bob]

WalMart sells the yellow plastic containers for $6 in the 5 gallon size. Two of these and you are all set.

I have 4 of these containers. I just fill them up when I borrow my BIL truck. I throw them in the bed of the truck and get them all filled. I don't use alot of fuel, so it works for me.
Bob