Gas

By: amber_rose Mood: disappointed Date: 09/20/2007 23:29:55 Music: Gas Prices

We all need to save a dollar - here are some Gasoline Saving Tips

New Gas Tips (Every penny counts).

I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline....Here in California
we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gal.. 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 Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver
about 4 million gallons 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
service 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 of
the 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