SulNOx, the hydrocarbon fuel emulsification specialist, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Technology Licence Agreement with Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Speciality Chemicals). “We are delighted to have joined forces with Nouryon and look forward to working together to provide more environmentally conscious solutions to the market,” commented Gary Bostock, CEO and co-founder of SulNOx The agreement concerns technology developed by SulNOx that will be added to Nouryon’s portfolio as Berol® 6446 and Berol® 6430, which have been developed by SulNOx and are designed to emulsify hydrocarbon fuels to ensure more efficient combustion resulting in reduced harmful gases, particulate matter and other air pollutants. These unique chemical formulations have been tested and are shown to reduce maintenance costs on engines, extend the life of engine oil and lower the viscosity of heavy fuel oil (HFO). Nouryon is a global specialty chemicals leader that provides essential chemistry to industries worldwide, including power generation and transportation. The Berol product range is well established with a pedigree stretching back many years. SulNOx technology will be added to this trusted range and will benefit from Nouryon’s huge worldwide manufacturing and distribution capabilities. “Our main focus in the market is helping customers formulate fuels and lubricants that meet next-generation legislation and OEM requirements,” added AB Ghosh, managing director surface chemistry at Nouryon. “By forming strategic partnerships and working collaboratively we’re able to deliver on this even faster.” Central to the agreement is that SulNOx has been appointed as the exclusive agent to promote and solicit orders for the licensed products, Berol® 6446 and Berol® 6430 on behalf of Nouryon worldwide. This will be driven by an in-house team of experienced sales and marketing specialists who already report substantial interest in the power generation, shipping, transport and fuel delivery sectors.

Research from diesel fuel supplier, Speedy Fuels, shows that following 10 weeks of week-on-week price rises, taking the countries which track prices, the UK is the ninth most expensive country when it comes to buying diesel.  

Transport and business sectors are the UK’s largest/third largest contributors of greenhouse gases according to the most recent data in the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy’s  2017 UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions report writes Crown Oil’s Pana Markides. In that year, which saw 460.2 million tonnes of CO2 emitted, business and transport were among the slowest sectors to reduce their carbon footprint.  Transport showed no reduction in greenhouse gasses whilst the business sector registered a 2% CO2 decrease. “We live in a world where we need to balance the industrial possibilities that hydrocarbon fuels offer, whilst also recognising that we only have this one planet to live on,” remarked Matt Greensmith, managing director of Crown Oil, a company which has ‘a dedicated research & development team working hard to come up with more efficient fuels for its customers’. “The benefit of this is two-fold: more efficient fuels are cost-effective and deliver better value for money, but the main benefit is lower CO2 emissions. “Most businesses use red diesel or kerosene for heating and power generation requirements, while road transport relies on regular diesel to fuel its fleets. However, many operators are unaware that more efficient and environmentally friendly alternatives to diesel and kerosene are available, with these alternatives often being fully interchangeable. “Businesses which rely on fuel should consider alternatives to heating oils, such as carbon offset red diesel; biofuel; clean-burning kerosene; industrial heating oil (IHO) – when 20% of our customers made the switch to IHO in 2018, they haven’t looked back, showing there are benefits to be reaped. And, for trucks that have been retrofitted, biodiesel is a renewable alternative to regular diesel “There’s no room for complacency – any avenue for creating a cleaner planet must be explored.  At Crown Oil we want to be at the forefront of creating our greener planet,” added Matt.  

Last week Certas Energy opened a new bunker refuelling site at the ‘fechan Truckstop (Eardley International) in Scotland. Earlier this month the company held a ground-breaking ceremony for another new HGV bunker site in the heart of the Golden Triangle of logistics in Northamptonshire.

Suttons Tankers has agreed a deal to acquire DHL Supply Chain’s domestic bulk commodity chemical business. The acquisition predominantly covers chemical transportation from sites in Billingham, County Durham and Runcorn, Merseyside.

OFTEC is encouraging households in Ireland to spring into action this National Home Improvement Month. With 4 in 10 Irish households using oil as their main heating source, homeowners are being urged to ‘spring clean’ their heating system to avoid missing out on potential savings to their fuel bills. National Home Improvement Month calls for homeowners to love the home they live in. Recognising that the internal workings of your house help to make it a home, OFTEC has produced a ‘spring cleaning’ guide which outlines the key home heating improvements to make: