New tankers for Gleaner Oils which has around 16,000 regular business customers Family-owned Gleaner Oils has reported a year of real progress during which it undertook a high level of investment in its sites, tanker fleet, IT systems and staffing as it began to implement a new 5-year growth strategy.

Phil Wright, former  chairman of the Airport Energy Group, who retired last year, takes a spin in the new 100% electric powered van The latest addition to the fleet at Airport Energy is an electric powered vehicle.

Livingbridge, a mid-market private equity business, has invested in BoilerJuice.

“The Northampton bunker site is a logistical godsend for our business”, said Dave Corden, transport manager at Panther Warehousing Following an intensive three-month redevelopment project Certas Energy has reopened its key bunkering facility on the outskirts of Northampton, increasing the number of operational bunker sites to 13.

“Our team is always available to discuss options and we remain keen to grow our retail network,” said SB Prasad,  Essar’s chief commercial officer, retail This month Essar Oil (UK) opened its fourth UK retail site at Sale in Cheshire.

Find an OFTEC registered technician at www.oftec.org.uk/Consumers/FindTechnician In the wake of an oil tank fire which destroyed a bungalow in Belvoir, Belfast last week, OFTEC has again issued safety advice to householders.

It says something about the current oil market that the conflagration between Saudi Arabia and Iran at the beginning of the year, generated little more than a slight upward blip in prices. Ditto the muted market reaction to an apparent hydrogen bomb test by comedy Teletubby leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un. As recently as 2013, these kind of events would have sent prices sky-rocketing. But such is the current level of over-supply in the oil markets that prices only momentarily headed up, before continuing their relentless drive downwards. The only clear conclusion can be that – however bad things are in the world – geo-political concerns are very much playing second fiddle to the basic dynamics of supply and demand.

The new Essar brand –  breaking into the UK’s retail market Essar Oil UK entered the UK retail market in November 2015; last month the refiner opened its third site at Middleton in Lancashire.

For full details or to book a place at Transport Manager Northern Ireland call the FTA Member Service Centre on 03717 11 22 22 The FTA’s Transport Manager seminar takes place at Titanic Belfast next week.

Four key organisations are calling for the Budget to include a key measure to help consumers cut carbon emissions and reduce fuel bills.

“Our new upgraded tanker fleet reflects our continued commitment to driver safety and operational efficiency, “ said Mary Wolf, managing director of Phillips 66 UK & Ireland Marketing Seventy per cent of the Phillips 66 total road tanker fleet has been replaced with 32 new MAN, Scania and Merc vehicles.

Vostock Capital launched its first international free online webinar earlier this month 

Reducing production of lower margin products such as fuel oil and naphtha, Essar’s Stanlow refinery has increased the yield of high margin products such as gasoline and middle distillates Essar Oil (UK), which owns and operates the Stanlow Refinery, announced its best ever performance for the first nine months of a financial year, for the year ending March 31st 2016. Since acquiring Stanlow in 2011, Essar has successfully reconfigured the refinery to operate as a single train highly optimised site.  The refinery has increased the yield of high margin products such as gasoline and middle distillates and also reduced production of lower margin products such as fuel oil and naphtha. Robust operational performance in YTD FY16 has delivered a number of notable landmarks including the highest ever monthly amount of residue being upgraded via Europe’s largest Cat Cracker, highest monthly throughput in the HDS2 upgrading unit and record daily production of high value propylene. In the nine months to December 31st, 2015, Stanlow, which produces about 15% of the UK’s road transport fuel demand, processed 6.77 MMT of crude, a 7% increase on the previous year’s 6.35 MMT.

Boris Johnson is encouraging “everyone harbouring ancient boiler artefacts” to sign up to his boiler cashback scheme now Mayor of London Boris Johnson launched a new boiler scrappage scheme for Greater London residents last week – and yes, it does include oil-fired boilers! Around 12,700 households in Greater London currently use oil for heating and an estimated 60% of these still have a standard efficiency boilers in need of replacement. The 8-week scheme will provide a £400 cashback subsidy to upgrade a standard 70% efficiency oil or gas boiler to an A-rated 890% efficiency condensing model. Boris Johnson is encouraging “everyone harbouring ancient boiler artefacts” to sign up to his boiler cashback scheme now and benefit from a brand new cost effective heating system. “This scorching scheme will help 6,500 London homes become more energy efficient and cut annual bills,” said Boris Whilst the number of oil-using homes that may benefit from the scheme is quite small, OFTEC welcomed the initiative saying: “It vindicates our long-championed view that a boiler scrappage scheme would be the most cost effective way to improve the UK’s domestic energy efficiency and substantially reduce carbon emissions.” “Our country urgently needs carbon reduction schemes that don’t cost the earth and actually work,” said OFTEC director general Jeremy Hawksley. “Boiler scrappage is an ideal way to help UK households to reduce carbon emissions from heating in a practical and affordable way.” For more information – visit www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-land/improving-quality/london-boiler-cashback-scheme

New vehicles for Certas Energy which is ‘taking the opportunity to introduce the best models available for our  business needs’ Twenty-one new Scania day cab tractor units fitted with the latest in-cab technology and tracking devices joined the Certas Energy fleet last month. The new units – built by LAG, Lakeland and Magyar with Touchstar in cab technology – are replacing older units in use at Cardiff, Ellesmere Port, Immingham, Manchester, Plymouth, Southampton, St Clears (Wales) and Thames Riverside “When it comes to replacing tankers, it’s our opportunity to ensure we introduce the best models available for our businesses needs while ensuring operational efficiency,” said head of fleet Glen Tyrie. The tractor units benefit from a lower GVW – a reduction by some 700kg – due to the use of a day-style cab.  This allows the tanker to accommodate up to 36,500 litres, an increase of between 800 to 1,000 litres on a full load compared to the previous trucks. With Touchstar in cab technology customers have effective monitoring of each delivery and increased flow of data and information  and the technology reduces in-house paperwork and also provides a useful platform for (certain) customers to view collection details and obtain delivery reports. Certas Energy will complete the ISO50001 Energy management systems accreditation process in 2016.  This standard recognises companies that implement and maintain systems for improving energy management, by applying a systematic approach to continually improve energy performance of the business, while reducing energy use and costs.www.certasenergy.co.uk

Members of the team at  Preston-based Ribble Fuel Oils took to their bikes for a Grand Day Out in Cumbria. “The event, which took place on 16th January, was organised to raise money for the many people who were victims of the December floods,” said David Hodge. “Our team took part in a bike ride from Kendal to Staveley – it should have been 25 miles but as some of us were unfit  – no names mentioned – so we only did 15 miles!” Ribble was delighted to make its contribution to this special fundraising event which raised a total of £20,450. Fuel Oil News was pleased to hear that the depots of Ribble Fuel Oils had not been affected by flooding.

The Tank Storage Association (TSA) has announced that its executive director, Hugh Bray, is to retire at the end of April 2016.   Peter Davidson, currently UKPIA’s director of safety, commercial & projects, will take over. TSA’s chairman, Martyn Lyons, commented:  “TSA’s Council wishes to thank Hugh for his significant contribution to the success of TSA and we look forward to working with Peter” TSA is an industry-based organisation whose members are dedicated to the professional provision of third party bulk liquid storage in the UK.  Products stored typically include crude oil, petroleum and chemicals as well as potable liquids, edible oils and fats.  Receipt and delivery of these products takes place by means of sea transport, inland barge, road, rail and cross country pipeline.  Tank storage thus provides an essential interface between these various modes of transport. The industry also provides additional services, such as heating, blending and transformation of these products so that the diverse requirements of customers can be effectively met in a safe and cost effective way. www.tankstorage.org.uk

Storage tanks, equipment, 55,000 litres of fuel, a quantity of cash, computers, business records, a lorry and a trailer were seized during the operation Earlier this month, eight men were arrested and 55,000 litres of fuel seized, as part of an ongoing HMRC investigation into a suspected fuel smuggling fraud worth an estimated £3 million in evaded tax. HMRC officers searched one business and four domestic addresses in Knowsley, Liverpool, Manchester and St Helens. Simultaneously, in Northern Ireland HMRC and officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland carried out searches of six domestic addresses in counties Antrim, Armagh and Down. Storage tanks, equipment, 55,000 litres of fuel, a quantity of cash, computers, business records, a lorry and a trailer were seized during the operation. Seven men have been released on bail and investigations continue. “Fuel fraud costs millions of pounds in lost duty every year, meaning the public lose out on vital funds for essential services, and it creates an uneven playing field for honest businesses,” said  Sandra Smith, assistant director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC.

Schrader – interested to see how the UK market reacts to this new prototype 6-compartment tanker A new prototype UNITAS 2020 6-compartment petroleum tanker manufactured by German company Schrader, the first of its kind in the UK is now in service at HOYER Petrolog. The trailer is designed to carry automotive fuel (UN 1202, UN 1203 & UN 1223), as well as Ethanol (UN 1170) and mixtures of petrol/ethanol (UN 3475). The unit provides a net capacity of 43,000 litres and a tare weight, inclusive of pump, of 5450kg. “The development of this new prototype is the result of a close partnership with Schrader over a number of years,” said  Allan Davison, operations director. “This ground-breaking tank joins HOYER’s fleet with a number of innovative safety and design features for increased efficiency in supply and delivery and we’re proud to be the first company to bring it to the UK.” The unique characteristics of the tank include:

The Theo T tanker sets sail from the Port of Corpus Christi bound for Europe Emco Wheaton, part of Gardner Denver Energy, played a pivotal role in the transfer of the first shipment of U.S. crude oil for export in 40 years. Using three Emco Wheaton marine loading arms (MLA) the Greek oil tanker, Theo T, was loaded on New Year’s Eve by NuStar Energy at its North Beach Terminal at Port Corpus Christi in Texas.  In 2014 Nustar Energy made significant investments in the terminal equipment  to cost effectively and safely supply crude oil to the global market. Integral in NuStar’s ability to load export-size cargoes at a rate of 30,000 barrels per hour was a state-of-the-art metering system, vapour control system, and a dock structure with three marine loading arms.  The complete MLA package for NuStar has been designed and manufactured at Emco Wheaton’s custom built plant in Kirchhain, Germany, the company’s MLA engineering and technology hub. “It’s a great achievement for Emco Wheaton’s marine loading arms to play such an important role in US history and we’re proud to be a part,” said vice president Michael O’Neil.   www.emcowheaton.com

Since its launch in 1980 FPS EXPO has become the largest event dedicated to the fuel oil distribution industry Now in its 36th year FPS EXPO 2016 will be at the new Exhibition Centre Liverpool (ECL) on 20 and 21 April. “With more exhibitors and larger stands displaying more products and services, we urge all oil and fuel industry professionals to come along,” says Dawn Shakespeare, marketing and events manager for the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS). More new names have joined the list of exhibitors including Wincanton, Suttons Group, TIP Trailer Services UK, Essar Oil UK, Liquip UK, Backwatch Safety, In Control Projects and Tyretracks. “Entry to the exhibition, which attracts over 1,200 visitors is FREE and for the first time key industry professionals from  the DVSA, HSE and CIRIA are scheduled to speak in a series of seminars,” added Dawn. “Liverpool benefits from an excellent communications network and visitors can travel to the venue easily from anywhere in the UK or overseas thanks to the motorway network, rail links, and the nearby international airport and the ferry terminals.” The exhibition will feature more than 100 exhibitors from across the UK and Europe with some of the biggest names in the industry including Scania, MAN Truck and Bus UK, Philips 66, RTN, Kingspan Environmental, Hytek, Emco Wheaton, Pen Underwriting incorporating OAMPS, Williams Tankers, Valero Energy and Mabanaft.To register to visit FPS EXPO 2016 for FREE go to www.fpsshow.co.uk