Shell Checks Sulfur Levels In Gas (Ruins Vehicle Fuel Gauges)

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/28/national/main620220.shtml

Just before the Memorial Day weekend, Shell Oil Co. stopped the sale of gasoline at more than 500 stations in Florida and Louisiana because of high levels of sulfur that could alter and possibly ruin fuel gauges.

In addition to getting the false notion that their vehicles have more fuel than they do, drivers stuck with the high-sulfur gas may have to replace their fuel gauges — a small, but complicated device that can easily run $400 to $600.

Shell said it had received 1,800 queries and 825 claims from people who said their fuel gauges had been affected. Gauges typically have silver circuits and the metal degrades quickly when it comes into contract with sulfur.

Shell said it is investigating the high sulfur levels, which originated at the Motiva Enterprises refinery in Norco, La., and were discovered at Shell's distribution center in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner, apparently after drivers in the area began complaining.

And parts of OH and WV. I think it was calcium in the gas and it was gumming up the fuel filters and fuel injectors. Near $1000 of damage to cars that were affected.

and skimping on the refining processes.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-golden20may20,0,6601873.column

Shell's Refinery Shutdown: Standard Business Practice

snip

Shell is conspiring to squeeze the car-driving public because it knows that crimping overall supply will force up prices on the gasoline it does sell.

"Should they have the right to reduce a treasured and valuable refining capacity simply to make more money?" asks Jamie Court, a consumer advocate challenging the shutdown.

Highly recommend reading this article.

the fuel sensor has failed. My Pontiac dealer says mine is one of at least 100 that they are dealing with. It is being corrected at GM's expense. I live in extreme western New York State.

For what it is worth.

180

My brother in New Orleans, two days ago, had to have his fuel gauge replaced on a vehicle which is just a bit over a year old. I just sent him this news article............perhaps Shell needs to pay his repair bill.

from: http://news.tbo.com/news/MGB2PRZ6TUD.html

>snip<
The high concentration of sulfur can cause fuel gauges to malfunction and read ``full'' even when the vehicle is running on empty. It could cost car owners from $400 to $600 to replace their fuel gauges, although Shell has said it will reimburse motorists for the repair.
>snip<

Customers who bought gas from local Shell or Texaco stations in the last three days are advised to watch their fuel gauges over the weekend. Motorists who suffer damage may call the Shell Customer Service Center at 1-866-562-6690 or file a claim online at http://www.interactclaims.com/shell.

This doesn't seem like a mistake that is very easy to make.

Here's what I'm wondering: If you have a refinery that's used to refining 'sweet' oil (ie., low in sulfur), and someone dumps in load or two of 'sour' oil (ie., high in sulfur), isn't this the situation you'd end up with -- gasoline high in sulfur?

Sweet oil is the most expensive petroleum out there right now, and it's in very high demand. Sour, or sulfurous, oil is cheaper and easier to get, since you need to perform more expensive processing on it to remove the sulfur.

What if they skipped the extra processing, or if somebody sold sweet oil and actually delivered oil high in sulfur?

Hmm...:tinfoilhat:

for a dip in gas prices and a boost in the polls...

May 20 (Bloomberg) -- The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries may as soon as this weekend approve Saudi Arabia's plan to boost oil output quotas because of concerns that near record-high prices will slow economic growth.
<snip>

OPEC acknowledges that it's pumping 2 million barrels a day more than its quota of 23.5 million, raising doubt that a 1.5 million-barrel quota increase would boost supply much. The bulk of OPEC's idle capacity consists of sour crude, which is higher in sulfur than sweet grades easier to make into gasoline.
``It's an increase in quota barrels, not real barrels,'' said Nauman Barakat, senior vice president at Refco Energy Markets in New York, who predicts prices there may reach $50 by September. ``Assuming they do give us additional real barrels, it's sour crude and we need sweet crude.''


http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=aRP6MP8Y.7nA&refer=europe

Marathon Ashland shipped a barge of gas containing higher than normal levels of sulphur. They're picking up the tab for the thousands of cars and trucks that needed repairs without being forced to.

It seems to me that in previous times, cars had floats in the gas tank that were hooked up to an analogue gauge. No problem. Now, this has gone digital, and is subject to these problems.

Hot sulfur and moisture = sulfuric acid...not good for cars. Not only is gasoline going to be a problem, what about the heavier distillates, like motor oil, diesel, etc. Whoever said "scraping the bottom of the barrel" is not far from the truth when it comes to refining high sulfur-content petrochemicals.