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GENERATORS: THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE By Barry Aruda SPRING 2020 If you’re reading this article, I can say with some certainty that life has probably changed for you over the last two weeks. Since the emergence of the world pandemic, Covid-19, life has been anything but normal for every individual on our planet and, like a line of dominoes meticulously stacked, every single portion of our lives has been affected by the virus. It starts with a cough, leads to sickness, schools

Oil storage facilities should be as diligent in keeping water out of petroleum as they are in keeping petroleum out of water. When oil and water mix, oil is always portrayed as the contaminant. While certainly true that large volumes of oil can be catastrophic to aquatic environments—that’s why the EPA requires every major oil storage facility to have an up-to-date Spill Prevention Countermeasures and Containment (SPCC) plan—what about when water is the contaminant? The situa

With winter fuels and colder temps ahead of us, it’s a prudent time to revisit the weather patterns of winter’s past, when  cold snaps can create problems in the New England and the Mid-Atlantic states during prolonged extreme cold, leaving a trail of sidelined diesel vehicles in its wake. It was just a short, two years ago when every major city in New England experienced below-normal temperatures for at least 13 consecutive days — 10 of which were at least  10°F colder than

AFS CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT: BRIDEAU ENERGY By Barry Aruda, October 2019 Mark Brideau is an oil man. When I meet him in his office this morning, the evidence is clear: Oil is his life. Framed pictures on the wall of days gone by—globe topped gas pumps, antique oil trucks, hard working men of the trade that gave their daily lives over to one thing and one thing only. Delivering quality fuel to their customers, and building trust in the family name. Mark takes that promise to heart

By Barry Aruda, Northeast Regional Account Manager, AFS During a recent visit with one of my customers, we got caught up in the past! I’m sure we all remember the Three Stooges bit where Curly discovers a leaky pipe, and the laughter that ensued when he stuck chewing gum over the leak in order to stop the water from spraying him in the face. Of course, it didn’t work, but it’s a classic moment in television idiocy. That comedic moment, my customer and I agreed, isn’t too far

An article in a reputable fleet management publication revealed that engine manufacturers are increasingly endorsing additives to help close the compatibility gap between today’s ultra-low-sulfur fuels and advanced engine technology. While the article provided some valuable insight, it repeatedly seemed to suggest that diesel additives have little or no bearing on fuel economy. The author quotes one industry professional as saying, “There are no magic formulas out there that

A fleet fueling company in the Northeast recently contacted us regarding a black, coffee ground-like substance suffocating a number of their fuel filters. After a fuel sample analysis revealed no evidence of water or microbial contamination, our initial suspicions were confirmed; it was a classic case of thermal oxidation. Thermal oxidation is technical way of saying that the fuel broke down into carbonaceous particulate matter, or soot, after essentially being cooked by the

By Barry Aruda, AFS Northeast Regional Account Manager In an age where every child earns a trophy, some for simply participating, we’ve come to accept that any level of performance (even arriving to the stadium) is worthy of crowning that performance successful. The truth, is that there are top performers at every level of competition, from amateur to pro, but there are always those that consistently underachieve. Don’t let underachievement cost your the game should a CVSA Ro

The historic cold snap that gripped New England and the Mid-Atlantic to kick off 2018 challenged fuel handlers throughout the region, causing sporadic operational issues for diesel fuel and heating oil professionals and their customers. One phenomenon our team has been seeing more of recently is the formation of a white grease-like substance that suffocates fuel filters and doesn’t melt at room temperature—as one might expect—nor does it have anything to do with biodiesel. Wi

Fuel storage facilities should be sampling and analyzing their fuel three to four times a year—the start of spring being one of them. As frigid winter air gives way to cool spring nights and warmer days, the alternating temps will conspire to create condensation within the tank, a leading cause of water contamination. Click to read more .

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A NORA-funded study of 150 fuel samples pulled from storage tanks containing ultra-low-sulfur heating oil (ULSHO) found that moisture and microbial contamination, the primary sources of corrosion and fouling, should be a foremost concern to heating oil dealers and their customers. Our premium heating oil additive treatment  has successfully treated millions of gallons of fuel, combating contamination and corrosion, while improving fuel stability, efficiency, and performance.

AFS president Paul Nazzaro’s latest article in Commercial Fuel Buyer magazine: “In order to improve the operational and economic efficiency of their fleets, many companies are investing in expensive route optimization and idle reduction technologies, driver tracking systems, fuel card integration and other emerging fuel management strategies. But few address the far more important factor: the quality of the fuel itself. Read more .

“Today’s Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) is very different from the diesel of just a few years ago. Among other things, it is subject to change and contamination as it moves from the refinery to the engine, making storage, temperature, age and filtration highly critical factors in maintaining fuel quality.” – William Bernhard, Technical and Safety Services Manager for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). While AEM has identified some of the problems that occur whe

In a recent field visit with a new customer, Eastern Shore Transport, we had the pleasure of speaking with the owner and mechanic about the results of a Proof of Concept designed to improve their fuel economics and reduce their maintenance costs. They were delighted with improved cleanliness of their fuel filters and EGR valves. Click the link below to read the full testimonial. OPT Performance Testimonial final

Heating Oil has been sitting idle for six months in your Customers Tanks waiting for colder temperatures. Or has your Customer’s Oil been Idle? High Sulfur Heating Oil has always been a naturally corrosive fuel that causes corrosion and pitting of tanks, pipes, and yellow metals. With oil tank fill and vent lines being typically piped to the outside ,moisture laden air is allowed to flow freely thru the vent and can cause condensation on the inside of the tanks. Together with

By Paul Nazzaro, Advanced Fuel Solutions, Inc. It won’t be long before municipal fleets are out hauling salt spreaders to de-ice the roads. The general principle is simple: salt lowers the freezing point of water; the more salt you add, the lower the freezing point; the colder the temperature, the more salt (or salt solution) it takes. Those behind the wheel of the vehicle often assume that the same rule applies to the low temperature operability of their fuel—the colder the