Fuel specialist OTS TankCare has created an independent fuel certification scheme for fuel distributors that has been authorised by the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers.
The TankCare Fuel Quality & Certification (FQC) Scheme is designed to mitigate against the alleged delivery of dirty fuel, which is more likely caused by a customer’s dirty storage tank. A distributor certificated under the new Scheme would be able to prove that its fuel was clean when it left their depot.
Steve Gain, managing director at OTS TankCare, said, “This will protect everyone in the fuel supply chain and improve the quality of fuel across the board. It also makes good business sense for distribution companies to be able to prove, through participation in the FQC Scheme, that they are a clean fuel supplier as it is a marketing advantage over any competitors not certified.”
The scheme will work by testing oil and diesel storage tanks at six weeks, and then at six months for particulate, water content and biological contaminants. Fuel is certified at six months if it passes, then these tests are repeated every six months to ensure quality is maintained and allowing time for measures to be taken if fuel quality starts to drop.
Around half of all fuel now sold in the UK is imported. Some of these fuels have additives to bring them within the required standards for sale in the UK. There is no requirement for companies producing these fuels abroad to declare what additives have been used, and most are not independently tested to prove their long-term effect on engines or emissions.
