All-Season Conditioner for ULSHO Reduces Fuel-related Service Calls

MacFarlane Energy | Eastern Massachusetts

A full-service heating and cooling company founded in 1946.

Scott E. MacFarlane, President/Owner

Background:

Family-owned and operated since 1946, MacFarlane Energy has built its reputation on long-term customer relationships, dependable fuel delivery, and responsive service across Eastern Massachusetts. As a full-service heating company, customer experience is directly tied to fuel performance, especially during peak heating season.

The transition to ULSHO blended with Bioheat® fuel

During the transition to ultra-low sulfur heating oil (ULSHO) blended with biodiesel (Bioheat® fuel), industry-wide problems emerged, including plugged filters, legacy sediment in older tanks, and concerns about storage stability—especially in the warm summer months.

The subsequent rise in emergency service calls disrupted MacFarlane Energy’s workflow, frustrated its customers, and increased its operational costs. The company quickly learned that proactive fuel quality management was essential to maintaining reliability and reducing avoidable, fuel-related service issues.

“Any time we can prevent a fuel-related service call before it happens, it improves the experience for both our customers and our service team.”— Scott E. MacFarlane, Owner

Fuel Testing and Analysis 

MacFarlane worked with AFS to test his company's fuel and develop a premium conditioner specifically designed for ULSHO and Bioheat® blends.

“The goal was not reactive troubleshooting, but rather preventive fuel conditioning to keep fuel clean, stable, and compatible with a wide range of customer storage systems,” explains AFS New England Territory Manager Barry Aruda.

Adding HeatDoc ASC to Delivered Fuel

MacFarlane Energy began treating its Bioheat® fuel with HeatDOC™ All-Season Conditioner (ASC), an advanced additive engineered for modern heating fuels to improve fuel stability and cleanliness.

Applied directly to delivered fuel, ASC works quietly in the background:

• Protecting customer equipment

• Improving fuel stability in the off-season

• Keeping fuel filters clean

• Decreasing legacy sediment in tanks

• Reducing emergency service calls and associated risks

“By addressing the real-world issues we see with today’s ultra-low-sulfur, biodiesel-blended heating fuels, ASC helps dealers like MacFarlane Energy provide cleaner, more stable fuel and avoid preventable service problems,” Barry explains.

Results

Since adding HeatDoc™ ASC to its product line, MacFarlane Energy has reduced fuel-related service issues that commonly lead to emergency calls. Cleaner, more stable fuel has helped minimize filter-related problems and support consistent burner performance, contributing to a smoother heating season for customers and technicians alike.

Continued Service

AFS continues to support MacFarlane Energy with technical guidance and fuel-quality expertise, ensuring its Bioheat® fuel performs reliably across seasonal weather changes and varying storage conditions.

>If you are experiencing issues with your biodiesel blends, contact  Advanced Fuel Solutions for a complimentary fuel analysis.

About Advanced Fuel Solutions

Founded in 1994, Advanced Fuel Solutions formulates proprietary, high-performance fuel additive technologies for diesel, gasoline, biodiesel, marine fuels, and home heating oil. Our customers include fuel terminals, fuel wholesalers and distributors, heating oil dealers, and end users throughout the United States.