News 50

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Low carbon fuels are deliverable

At last month’s OFTEC conference the agenda was dominated by decarbonisation, with delegates keen to hear the results of OFTEC’s biofuels research. Closing the conference on a positive note, OFTEC CEO Paul Rose confirmed that BEIS still has all low carbon options on the table.

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A key role to play in the energy transition

Certas Energy has just released a new report entitled The Future of Liquid Fuels – the first in the New Energy Reality Series, the paper outlines how alternative fuels have a key role to play in the transition to a zero emissions future. Authored by Certas Energy product manager Rebecca Swann, the paper also explores what the current liquid fuel mix looks like and offers an insight into how these fuels can support the transport sector with the commercial challenges of reducing emission levels. This new series builds on Certas Energy’s Alternative Guide to Navigating the New Energy Mix published last year. “At present, our research shows that only 1% of commercial businesses that could be benefitting from the social, environmental and commercial advantages of a drop-in alternative liquid fuel, are currently doing so,” said Rebecca. “Certas Energy is clear that liquid fuel, whether oil for domestic or commercial heating or fuel for ‘on’ and ‘off-road’ applications, must play its part in moving towards cleaner air – and ultimately – a zero emission end point for the UK economy. Download the report at https://www.certasenergy.co.uk/my-business/future-of-liquid-fuels    

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Fourth acquisition for RSK

RSK, the integrated environmental, engineering and technical services consultancy, has formally acquired the business, operating assets and employees engaged in the business of RAW Technology Ltd. The acquisition is RSK’s fourth of this financial year. RAW, which specialises in inland oil spill response and remediation, operates worldwide from 16 offices in the UK and Ireland. Its clients include insurance companies NFU Mutual, Legal & General, RSA, Aviva, AXA, Direct Line and LV=, Speedy Hire and National Trust. In 2016, RAW won a RoSPA Gold Award. In addition, UKSpill named RAW its domestic responder of the year in 2016 and 2017. The business will operate as RSK Raw Ltd and trade as RSK Raw. Neil Stothert, who has been RAW’s managing director for six years and has 25 years’ experience in the industry, will continue to manage the company. The business and its 85 employees will become part of RSK’s contracting division under the direction of RSK divisional director Claire Knighton. “RSK Raw shares many of RSK’s core values, and its service provision complements ours,” said RSK’s founder and chief executive officer Alan Ryder. “Like RSK, it is a people-orientated business that focuses on building strong client relationships. Our shared ethos will stand us in good stead. I am looking forward to working with our new colleagues.” “I am delighted that we have joined the RSK group and have the support of extensive environmental services that will enable RSK Raw to thrive,” added Neil Stothert. “Our services are closely aligned with existing RSK services, so we will see numerous synergies as we begin collaborating.”

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Low carbon liquid fuel – centre stage at this month’s OFTEC conference

“We must focus on solutions that will address the unique issues associated with hard to treat rural properties,” says OFTEC’s CEO Paul Rose On Tuesday 18th June, OFTEC will be unveiling the results of its independent research into how oil-heated homes can best transition to a low-to-zero carbon heating solution and reduce their overall emissions.    The unveiling will take place at OFTEC’s annual conference when industry leaders unite to discuss the progress made and the next steps towards securing a sustainable future for the off-grid sector.

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New appointments at Greenergy

Christian Flach, who takes over as Greenergy’s chief executive on 1st September 2019 Greenergy has announced that co-founder Andrew Owens is making his planned move from chief executive to non-executive chairman following the sale of the business in 2017. After an 18-month search and selection process, Christian Flach joined Greenergy last Monday (3rd June).

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FPS Clean Growth Future Vision

The Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS)* has unveiled its vision for cutting carbon through the development of biofuels for the 1.5 million homes in the UK and 686,000 homes in Ireland which currently rely on liquid fuels for their heating. “Having always supported the principle of decarbonisation, clean growth and clear air, our Clean Growth Future Vision brochure sets out all we are aiming to achieve in both in the near and far future, as well as highlighting the opportunities for the industry as a whole,” said chief executive Guy Pulham.

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Major investment at ExxonMobil jetty

An aerial view of Braefoot Bay Marine Terminal in Fife where ExxonMobil is investing in its life extension Linlithgow-based Asset Integrity Maintenance (AIM) has been awarded a major contract to help extend the life of the ExxonMobil jetty facility at Braefoot Bay Marine Terminal in Fife. The tanker terminal exports liquefied petroleum gas to Europe and the USA after being produced at Fife Ethylene Plant, using feedstock from the North Sea.

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Watson depot wins FPS Green Award

Taking responsibility to minimise the company’s impact on the environment has led to Watson Fuels being presented with the inaugural FPS Green Award at this year’s FPS EXPO Watson Fuels has won the inaugural FPS Green Award for its flagship Ledbury depot.  Hosted at FPS Expo in Liverpool, the FPS Green Award recognised Watson Fuels’ Ledbury depot as the best green initiative in the industry. Watson Fuels, which designed its Ledbury depot to be the most advanced fuel distribution depot in its network, used an innovative approach that utilises both natural and advanced solutions.  The site mitigates environmental risk, reduces fuel usage and pollution, all while fitting in with its natural surroundings. Pioneering this holistic approach, the site features an innovative reed bed, an attenuation pond to ensure water purity and help wildlife flourish, while adopting more traditional, advanced techniques. Building a robust drainage process, and safeguarding against contamination, Ledbury also uses deep drainage gullies with interceptors, block paving with underground membrane and electric stripper pumps. To best blend in with its surroundings, Watson Fuels also adopted an eco-friendly tree-planting initiative at the site. “We take our responsibility to minimise our impact on the environment very seriously,” said Bob Taylor, managing director of Watson Fuels. “Whilst this attitude is reflected at our various sites across the country, our Ledbury depot is a site of which we are particularly proud. “Watson Fuels is always looking to implement new approaches to the challenge, and it is wonderful to be recognised by the industry in this way. As a sector we can always do more, but we are taking steps to evolve our business to the benefit of our customers and the environment.”

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Fuelling the D Day 75th anniversary

Accompanied by his sons Sam and Will, Ben Kaye receive barrels of oil from Andrew Goddard with the Scammell Pioneer R100 and AEC Matador in the background Shrewsbury-based Morris Lubricants has donated heavy duty engine and gear oils to one of its loyal customers with a passion for restoring vintage military vehicles. With the help of family and friends, customer Ben Kaye restored a 1940 AEC Matador medium artillery tractor and a 1940 Scammell Pioneer R100 heavy artillery tractor in time for the 75th anniversary of the D Day landings on 6th June. Making the 300-mile journey to the Normandy beaches at Arromanches for this historic anniversary, the Scammell Pioneer R100 was transported on a low loader. Having arrived in France, the Kaye family took part in a series of parades and events and also laid a wreath at sea on behalf of Ben’s wife Emma’s grandfather, Charles Owen, a former Royal British Legion parade marshal.  A rare and valuable white ensign, which was displayed on a gunboat captained by the father of Ben’s former primary school teacher on D Day 1944,  also made the trip. Ben, who runs a Range Rover and Land Rover repair and diagnostics business, was just 19 when he began collecting military vehicles to restore. Using a student loan, he bought his first Scammell Pioneer SV25 recovery vehicle for £2,000. Ben and his father, who shares his passion, now have 15 vehicles, including two tanks and five Scammells. His latest restoration project – a Scorpion tank – is nearing completion after 14 years. Thanking Morris Lubricants for donating the oils, Ben said: “I buy all the oil for my hobby and business from Morris Lubricants because it’s good quality and the back-up service is excellent. You can ring their technical department with a query and speak to a human being which means a lot when you are working on cars that can be worth up to £100,000.” “Recommended for use in veteran, classic and vintage vehicles, where engine design and tolerances prohibit the use of modern multigrade, high additive level oils, these engine and gear oils are perfect for Ben’s vehicles,” added Andrew Goddard, Morris Lubricants’ chairman.

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Greenergy acquires William C. Hockin (Tankers) Ltd 

Last week Greenergy announced its acquisition of William C. Hockin (Tankers), a specialist haulage company located in the south west of England.  The Hockin tanker business will be integrated into Greenergy Flexigrid, Greenergy’s existing in-house haulage business, as a specialist long-distance operation.   

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A secure supply in the north east

Award-winning* Essar –  the principal sponsor of the 2019 Forecourt Trader Awards –  has entered another phase of its exciting retail growth with the successful conversion of MPK’s high volume Chester Road station in Stanley, County Durham. 

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Five new renewable biomethane refuelling stations

Last Thursday CNG Fuels announced that it had commenced the construction of two new public access renewable biomethane compressed natural gas (Bio-CNG) refuelling stations ‘to cater  for soaring demand from HGV operators switching from diesel’.  

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Tech company of the year

Award success for OnlineFuels – for more details of recent developments to the OnlineFuels platform, see the June 2019 issue of Fuel Oil News Having been nominated for Tech Company of the Year and Reseller of the Year, OnlineFuels recently attended the National Technology Awards in London. The company, which faced stiff competition from big names such as Xero and DataRails, was delighted to take home the trophy for Tech Company of the Year. “We are all still in shock at our first award especially being up there with other winners including Sky, BY, and V by Vodafone,” ‘said James Stairmand, founder and CEO of OnlineFuels. “We’re still a relatively small team so to achieve an award such as this is an unbeatable feeling. It’s been a stressful few months as we prepared for everything which seemed to have the same deadline – this award is not only testament to the team’s efforts but also to our clients who have supported us. “I’d like to take this opportunity to say thanks to everyone who has used the OnlineFuels platform.  Your feedback as to how the platform looks and works, and of course where it didn’t work, has enabled us to create a product that has been acknowledged for its uniqueness and problem-solving capabilities. “The vision has always been to build a product that encaptures the time-consuming tasks of buying and selling refined fuels, and to create a digital solution that dramatically streamlines the experience.”

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Encouraging energy efficiency

OFTEC has launched a competition to help share the importance of energy efficiency with school children across Northern Ireland, with school pupils in Primary 5 being invited to join OFTEC Energy Enterprise. (Closing date 14th June).  

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Celebrating 30 years at UK Road Tanker Inspection

After 30 years in business, UK RTI is proud to still offer the first-class service for which it is well-recognised.  Still family-run the business, which started life as Williams Tankers, was founded in 1989 by Bruce Williams.

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Net Zero report – FPS and OFTEC respond  

The industry’s key trade associations – the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) and OFTEC – were quick to respond to the Net Zero report published by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).

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Environmentally conscious solutions for the fuel market

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.

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Happy 65th anniversary to Gleaner

Gleaner, which recently changed its name from Gleaner Oils, to represent the company’s ongoing development and diversification, supplies fuels to some of the most scenic locations in the UK – pictured here at Loch Tuath Founded by Robin Young on 24th April 1954, Gleaner recently celebrated its 65th anniversary. Robin’s granddaughter Jane Scott and her husband Stephen now own this family business which has seen considerable expansion over the years. Now the owner of 13 service stations and 11 depots, the company also supplies many filling stations under contract. Headquarter in Elgin, Gleaner’s supply offering includes lubricants, bulk fuel products for agriculture, domestic, industrial and marine oil, petrol, diesel and LPG, AdBlue and boiler maintenance services. Fuel Oil News sends congratulations to the company and its 200 employees.

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Will summer fuel prices skyrocket in the UK?

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.  

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Oil Tank Supplies rebrands to OTS Group

As part of a wider corporate rebranding and repositioning strategy, Oil Tank Supplies Ltd announced its name change to OTS Group Ltd in late April.

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TEAM INEOS and the Tour De Yorkshire

Following the acquisition of Tour Racing Ltd from Sky and 21st Century Fox, INEOS has committed to honouring all existing commitments to riders, staff and partners.

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NWF Fuels acquires Consols Oils

In a move to support continued growth in the south west of England, NWF Fuels has acquired Redruth-based Consols Oils, a 25 million litre fuel Cornish business.

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Crown Oil – encouraging customers to use cleaner fuels

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.