UK bad petrol at Tesco and Morrisons

mike65

It may not be relevent here but BBC radio is reporting hundreds of cars breaking down as soon as they fill up with unleaded at various Supermarket
pumps. The O2 sensor is damaged it seems (may have heard that wrong).

Where does Tesco Ireland get its fuel from?

Mike.

Captain Trips

Tesco gets it fuel from STatoil in Ireland.

There are reports from the UK that the different companies use different additivies for engine cleaning, etc., .

When you buy beans, do you buy Heinz? Bachelors? Or the Tesco brand? They are all beans, but I think there is a difference.

In the UK, there are many reports of higher water content in the petrol and reduced MPG with supermarket petrol.

JHMEG

AFAIK all petrol in this country comes from the one refinery at Whitegate in Cork. So there is potentially even less variation in quality than in the UK.

mike65

Tesco are denying everything and anything. Sounds like its thousands by now, garages can't get thier hands on enough O2 sensors. Looks like its been unfolding for a few days but no-one had joined the dots until this afternoon.

Mike.

ballooba

JHMEG wrote:

AFAIK all petrol in this country comes from the one refinery at Whitegate in Cork. So there is potentially even less variation in quality than in the UK.

Whitegate only produces 40% of our fuel needs. There used to be a statutory requirement that a certain amount of our fuel had to come from there but this is no longer the case.

Elessar

Do you have an online source for this? I might be heading to the UK soon to get a new car and would want to avoid these places!

wingnut

Use Tesco fuel all the time here in Wales, never had any problems.

Captain Trips

Quite a few links on Google News now after doing a news search:

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=tesco+petrol

JHMEG

ballooba wrote:

Whitegate only produces 40% of our fuel needs. There used to be a statutory requirement that a certain amount of our fuel had to come from there but this is no longer the case.

40% of fuel, not necessarily petrol. I wouldn't imagine a lot of petrol is transported by sea faring tankers.

testicle

JHMEG wrote:

I wouldn't imagine a lot of petrol is transported by sea faring tankers.

How else do you propose that it gets here?

unkel

JHMEG wrote:

AFAIK all petrol in this country comes from the one refinery at Whitegate in Cork

I wasn't aware of that. Any link by any chance, JHMEG?

unkel

testicle wrote:

How else do you propose that it gets here?

JHMEG's point is that it doesn't get here

mike65

This is going to cost someone big time, O2 sensor 200 a pop, clean out fuel tank, pump, lines and injection system, replace cats on some cars. Ouch.

Intrigue!

http://www.24dash.com/localgovernment/17246.htm

Trading standards officials have launched an investigation after complaints that some service stations, and possibly some supermarkets, have been selling "contaminated" petrol.

There have been reports that some outlets in Kent and East Sussex have been including ethanol in their petrol without informing consumers.

"It is illegal to do this and trading standards authorities in the affected areas have begun an inquiry," said Ian Hillier, a petroleum spokesman for the Trading Standards Institute.

He went on: "I understand that there have been around 75-100 complaints from people in south east England. Including ethanol in petrol is not really contaminating it, but there has be a clear warning to people who buy petrol as to exactly what is in it.

"Ethanol is actually seen as a `green' measure but if it is sold without any warning then offenders are in breach of biofuel labelling regulations."

Mike.

JHMEG

unkel wrote:

I wasn't aware of that. Any link by any chance, JHMEG?

No, unfortunately. It's the only refinery in the country so I'm presuming, and going on what my Geography teacher told us 20 years ago.

testicle wrote:

How else do you propose that it gets here?

Not as petrol. As part of a heavier (and less flammable) oil that's refined in Whitegate.

ballooba

JHMEG wrote:

40% of fuel, not necessarily petrol. I wouldn't imagine a lot of petrol is transported by sea faring tankers.

Bottom of page 11.

http://www.forfas.ie/publications/forfas060404/webopt/forfas060404_irelands_oil_dependence_report.pdf

smcmanus

I check my petrol consuption regurlary. Tesco petrol has always been the best. Now, my car is old and it probably doesn`t has the O2 gadget.:)
I hope Tesco gets a petrol station set up close to Navan.
I get 10 miles per litre with Tesco petrol and other petrol stations get me under 9.5 miles per litre. I.e. 5% cheaper than around here and 5% more efficient...

Wishbone Ash

smcmanus wrote:

Tesco petrol has always been the best

:eek: I used to get diesel at Tesco when it came out first but I discovered over time that I get about 50 miles less per tank (70 litres) when I fuel there. It's better to go to a Shell/Esso etc. that is near a Tesco as their prices will be almost as competitive and the fuel will have detergent added.

maidhc

JHMEG wrote:

No, unfortunately. It's the only refinery in the country so I'm presuming, and going on what my Geography teacher told us 20 years ago.

Not as petrol. As part of a heavier (and less flammable) oil that's refined in Whitegate.

Campus Oil brought a case all the way to the European Court of Justice over their statutory obligation to buy fuel from whitegate, so it must be coming from somewhere else. They lost, but IIRC the obligation was subsequently abolished.

I wouldn't fancy being in an oil tanker full of refined petrol, but it must come from somewhere.

unkel

ballooba wrote:

Bottom of page 11

Good find, ballooba!

For all too lazy to look for themselves:

Forf&#225 wrote: »

Ireland relies mainly on the importation of refined petroleum and related products, with some refining of imported crude oil at the Whitegate refinery in Cork

JHMEG

ballooba wrote:

Bottom of page 11.

http://www.forfas.ie/publications/forfas060404/webopt/forfas060404_irelands_oil_dependence_report.pdf

Well spotted ballooba. I'd wonder what %, and into what ports does it arrive (so I can stay away!)

Wishbone Ash

maidhc wrote:

I wouldn't fancy being in an oil tanker full of refined petrol

Heavy smoker maidhc?

JHMEG

A bit of further googling shows that in 2002 we imported $1.28 billion worth of petrol and $282 million worth of crude.

zilog_jones

Just caught the end of the report about this on the ITV news. Apparently, according to Quentin Willson (who was interviewed on the news) there was a tanker that came to the UK which was previously used for some sort of chemicals, but was not cleaned out properly before the petrol was in. Allegedly. No mention of any of this contaminated fuel coming to Ireland.

maidhc

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Heavy smoker maidhc?

No, but I'd prefer to be in a ship full of wood. Or cuddly toys, or something that wouldn't blow you to kingdom come without giving warning.

mike65

So you'd prefer to roast slowly?

Mike.

shagman

Has anyone else had the symptoms of contaminated petrol today?
i.e. losing power, backfiring, cutting out.
I had lots of problems with these this morning but it could easily be the car as it's 35 years old.

Spit62500

shagman wrote:

Has anyone else had the symptoms of contaminated petrol today?
i.e. losing power, backfiring, cutting out.
I had lots of problems with these this morning but it could easily be the car as it's 35 years old.

Maybe a change of diet?

zilog_jones

They seem to be blaming it on silicone contamination now, though the suppliers of this alleged dodgy petrol are claiming it is BS compliant.

v10

smcmanus wrote:

I check my petrol consuption regurlary. Tesco petrol has always been the best.......I get 10 miles per litre with Tesco petrol and other petrol stations get me under 9.5 miles per litre. I.e. 5% cheaper than around here and 5% more efficient

How does Statoil Petrol compare to Tesco petrol in your experience ?

TJJP

Captain Trips wrote:

Tesco gets it fuel from STatoil in Ireland.

Have seen both Statoil and Esso trucks filling up Tesco. Have an idea that Statoil sold out Irish interests recently though...

UK issue seems to be focusing on Greenergy though which only operates in UK market.

Seth Brundle

The BBC news website has a location map.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6407447.stm
Scotland (and strangely Northern Ireland) seem to have suffered from it.