Originally Posted By: AZjeff
So are you guys saying the slight difference I see in performance using the Chevron gas is an anomaly that will disappear with a different load of fuel to the station? It seems like I've noticed this difference in power enough times in direct relation to filling up with Chevron for there to be something to it.
Again, base fuel is a commodity. I'm not sure what you think can account for differences in fuel that can be consistently attributed to the brand name at the gas station. There can certainly be differences in energy content or perhaps minor variations in octane rating, but all these refiners are operating with exchange/delivery agreements and they put it in the same pool of fuel (they call it commingling). If it's going long distances, there's almost certainly going to be commingling. There's also thermal expansion, and that drives the bean counters nuts.
Detergent additives aren't going to do it unless you're talking long run. The chance of the fuel actually coming from a Chevron refinery is small, although some could be mixed in.
If you're living in Arizona, most of your gasoline is probably being piped in from Southern California (probably not the CARB RFG) or West Texas/New Mexico.
Quote:
http://www.azenergy.gov/doclib/energy/az_motor_fuel_and_supply_distribution.pdf
Where does Arizona’s motor fuels come from?
Arizona’s supply of motor fuels comes from two basic sources: 1) Southern California refineries; and 2) New Mexico and West Texas refineries. Gasoline may also be delivered to Southern California ports, for shipment to Arizona, via super tankers or barges from refineries in the Northwest and the East Coast, as well as from countries such as Venezuela, Finland, and Saudi Arabia.
So are you guys saying the slight difference I see in performance using the Chevron gas is an anomaly that will disappear with a different load of fuel to the station? It seems like I've noticed this difference in power enough times in direct relation to filling up with Chevron for there to be something to it.
Again, base fuel is a commodity. I'm not sure what you think can account for differences in fuel that can be consistently attributed to the brand name at the gas station. There can certainly be differences in energy content or perhaps minor variations in octane rating, but all these refiners are operating with exchange/delivery agreements and they put it in the same pool of fuel (they call it commingling). If it's going long distances, there's almost certainly going to be commingling. There's also thermal expansion, and that drives the bean counters nuts.
Detergent additives aren't going to do it unless you're talking long run. The chance of the fuel actually coming from a Chevron refinery is small, although some could be mixed in.
If you're living in Arizona, most of your gasoline is probably being piped in from Southern California (probably not the CARB RFG) or West Texas/New Mexico.
Quote:
http://www.azenergy.gov/doclib/energy/az_motor_fuel_and_supply_distribution.pdf
Where does Arizona’s motor fuels come from?
Arizona’s supply of motor fuels comes from two basic sources: 1) Southern California refineries; and 2) New Mexico and West Texas refineries. Gasoline may also be delivered to Southern California ports, for shipment to Arizona, via super tankers or barges from refineries in the Northwest and the East Coast, as well as from countries such as Venezuela, Finland, and Saudi Arabia.
