New BC Law-Diesel

[JK]

On Jan 1, 2010 a new law comes into effect in BC that 5% bidiesel will be added to all diesel sold in the province.
I only found out Thursday, to my dismay, I mean come on..are the politicians smoking too much of the main BC moneymaker??
PetroCan will be selling it as of Jan 4.
The memo from PetroCan states that it has poor performance in the marine field because of it's tendancy to take up water.

It also cleans all of the FO lines, meaning filter use will go up. It causes a power drop, driving up consumption of fuel.
What is not clear is what will happen to the tanks because this stuff biodegrades or what will happen when the ships go north, and will the purifiers dump constantly?


Anyone here in the local shipping idustry who has any thought on this?

[The Dieselduck]

That is the first time I have heard of that. But then again I am not working there much these days. I do have two diesel fueled vehicles, so I will need to keep an eye on them. It is very strange that they would do that without advising industry. I am not sure who they told it to, but it generally will surface somewhere in the media. Hummmm very strange.

[JK]

Petro-Canada
2nd Floor 15015 123 Ave
Edmonton. Alberta T5V 1J7
November 25 2009

Dear Customer,

Preparing for the Govemment of British Columbia's Biodiesel Fuel Requirements

As previously communicated to you, the Govemment of British Columbia has mandated that all diesel sold in British Columbia after January 1, 2010 must contain an annual average of five per cent renewable content (such as biodiesel).

Although the legislation does not come into effect until next January, in most cases this means that our diesel will contain up to five per cent biodiesel at or before the end of this year. We have begun this early transition to assist us in meeting the annual requirement and to facilitate a smooth implementation across our network in British Columbia.

This letter is to advise that Petro-Canada will begin delivering up to five per cent biodiesel to your
site beginning January 4th, 2010. After that time. it will be impossible to supply conventional
diesel on a consistent basis.

All diesel handlers must ensure their equipment is suitably equipped to handle regular diesel
containing up to five per cent biodiesel. It is your responsibility as the equipment owner to take
any corrective measures necessary to ensure your tank materials are compatible with biodiesel.

If you have not already done so, we strongly advise that you assess your current regular diesel storage and dispensing facilities and contact a suitable contractor to ensure that your facilities are able to handle biodiesel. Biodiesel has a solvency effect and can cause water pick-up. If the debris or water from tanks were to be picked up it could cause premature fitter plugging, corrosion and vehicle damage. Therefore it is imperative all tanks
be clean and dry. Since biodiesel may pick-Up residues and may also contain low level of insolubles from plant matter it should be considered mandatory to use dispenser filtration. Fitters used for conventional diesel are typically inadequate for biodiesel blends containing 5% biodiesel

Biodiesel has had a poor track record in marine applications. The problem manifests as premature plugging of fuel filters. This is caused by a variety of reasons including the solvency effect of the biodiesel but is especially problematic in moist marine environments because of the ability of biodiesel to absorb water. SunCor recommends that regular diesel (Without biodiesel) be used in marine applications. With the provincial mandate involving biofuels Suncor (and others) may not be able to supply a marine fuel without biodiesel. If marine customers must use biodiesel, due to the lack of availability of regular diesel. it is recommended that those customers change their filters to a filter compatible with biodiesel, change filters more often, and carry spare filters onboard.

At this time, we are not aware of a Government of British Columbia website or call centre that provides information regarding the implementation of biodiesel in the province. Alternatively, you can visit the sites below for information regarding biodiesel conversions in other jurisdictions:

http:/www.biofleetnet/documents/Fleet%20Manag ... 01%20Apr05 .pdf

http:/www.biofleetnet/documents/BC%20Transit% ... 0Final.pdf

http:/www.nrel.gov/vehiclesandfuels/npbf/pdfs/43672.pdf

http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/repo ... ra-56t.pdf

Once we have a schedule for deliveries of biodiesel blended diesel finalized, we will contact you with that information.

We appreciate your assistance as we introduce this new product and will work to minimize the disruption to your site and the impact on our customers as much as possible. To that end, throughout this process, we remain committed to providing you with updates on our progress with product conversion. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call Jeff Young at 250-962-8309 or our customer service network at 1-800-668-0220.
Sincerely,

Murray Osbaldeston
Petro-Canada Wholesale Market Manager


http://www.leg.bc.ca/38th4th/amend/gov16-2.htm

http://www.bclaws.ca/Recon/document/fre ... 4_2008.xml

[Big Pete]

It is interesting that the "Law" states 5% renewables while the oil company states 5% Bio-Diesel.
Here in Europe, "Renewable" includes recycled waste oil etc, which can cause it's own problems.

It is very poor business practice to give you such short notice of a major change in the quality of the fuel, especially as they admit you will have to do a lot of work to be able to handle it safely. Over Xmas and the New Year too!!

Do you have any consumer legislation over there that covers this?

In the UK we have a "sale of goods act" that says products must be fit for the purpose for which they are sold.
Your suppliers are admitting they are supplying Marine Fuel that is unfit for Marine use!!!!!
You should have a legal case for a Tort against them if you can show you have incurred any financial loss as a result.

When low sulphur Diesels were introduced there were warnings that the chemical process of removing Sulphur from the Diesel reduced its lubricity, and would cause rapid wear of the fuel injection pumps and injectors. Obviously, Diesel from low Sulphur crudes would not be affected by this. Has anyone had any experience of this?

It could be worse. I remember an MaK service Engineer telling me that he had been called out to a ship that could not start their main engine. After a lot of work on the engine he noticed that the fuel did not "feel right" when he worked on the fuel pumps. He sent off a sample for rapid analysis. It came back that the "fuel" on the ship was a "By product of the plastics industry, with no known combustion properties". I bet the Bunker Agent got a good price on it though!!

Rotterdam used to have a bad reputation for supplying HFO with a high content of old engine oil recycled from ships waste oil/ Bilges and garages doing oil changes on road vehicles.

I have sailed on a ship that Bunkered MDO that caused the fuel filters to plug every 10 minutes, even though the fuel has been through the settling tank and purifiers. FOBAS revealed that it had a massive Bitumen content and they said it was unusable even if we cut it heavily with Gas Oil. We ended up pumping it all ashore and bunkering again (from a different supplier).

Merry Xmas BP

[JK]

It is interesting that the "Law" states 5% renewables while the oil company states 5% Bio-Diesel.
Here in Europe, "Renewable" includes recycled waste oil etc, which can cause it's own problems.

I was wondering about that renewable bit, I haven't had a chance to follow up on it.

We had problems with lubricity on our bigger ships. The Werkspoors really don't like it.

Yep it is a hassle finding out so late, I stamped my lit'le feet and threw a hissy fit.

[Big Pete]

I thought all Engineers had at least size 10 (English) Feet, for real good stamping!!!

BP

[JK]

LOL,
Comes from wearing work boots and carpert slippers the rest of the time!

[JK]

The best part is it will not be introduced to the Northern Part of the Province until at least July or August 2010. Why it is not effective January is because in the early stages of implementation they don't know what kind of effect the adverse winter weather would have on the BioDiesel. But I am sure they will experiment on the consumer.

[Big Pete]

Hey, JK,

What happenned to your Avatar? It looks as if it is sufferring a black out from too much Bio Diesel!!

BP

[JK]

Might as well be prepared. It is what you look like in the dark when you hold a flashlight up under your chin.!

[Mikkelsborg]

Does anyone have any fresh experience with the 5 % bio diesel in operation ?
Clogged filters ? Higher watercontent..... etc etc ?
If so please share, the same goes alternative "bio" contents, if established....

[jamesweinn]

Petro-Canada
2nd Floor 15015 123 Ave
Edmonton. Alberta T5V 1J7
November 25 2009

Dear Customer,

Preparing for the Govemment of British Columbia's Biodiesel Fuel Requirements

As previously communicated to you, the Govemment of British Columbia has mandated that all diesel sold in British Columbia after January 1, 2010 must contain an annual average of five per cent renewable content (such as biodiesel).

Although the legislation does not come into effect until next January, in most cases this means that our diesel will contain up to five per cent biodiesel at or before the end of this year. We have begun this early transition to assist us in meeting the annual requirement and to facilitate a smooth implementation across our network in British Columbia.

This letter is to advise that Petro-Canada will begin delivering up to five per cent biodiesel to your
site beginning January 4th, 2010. After that time. it will be impossible to supply conventional
diesel on a consistent basis.

All diesel handlers must ensure their equipment is suitably equipped to handle regular diesel
containing up to five per cent biodiesel. It is your responsibility as the equipment owner to take
any corrective measures necessary to ensure your tank materials are compatible with biodiesel.

If you have not already done so, we strongly advise that you assess your current regular diesel storage and dispensing facilities and contact a suitable contractor to ensure that your facilities are able to handle biodiesel. Biodiesel has a solvency effect and can cause water pick-up. If the debris or water from tanks were to be picked up it could cause premature fitter plugging, corrosion and vehicle damage. Therefore it is imperative all tanks
be clean and dry. Since biodiesel may pick-Up residues and may also contain low level of insolubles from plant matter it should be considered mandatory to use dispenser filtration. Fitters used for conventional diesel are typically inadequate for biodiesel blends containing 5% biodiesel

Biodiesel has had a poor track record in marine applications. The problem manifests as premature plugging of fuel filters. This is caused by a variety of reasons including the solvency effect of the biodiesel but is especially problematic in moist marine environments because of the ability of biodiesel to absorb water. SunCor recommends that regular diesel (Without biodiesel) be used in marine applications. With the provincial mandate involving biofuels Suncor (and others) may not be able to supply a marine fuel without biodiesel. If marine customers must use biodiesel, due to the lack of availability of regular diesel. it is recommended that those customers change their filters to a filter compatible with biodiesel, change filters more often, and carry spare filters onboard.

At this time, we are not aware of a Government of British Columbia website or call centre that provides information regarding the implementation of biodiesel in the province. Alternatively, you can visit the sites below for information regarding biodiesel conversions in other jurisdictions:

http:/www.biofleetnet/documents/Fleet%20Manag ... 01%20Apr05 .pdf

http:/www.biofleetnet/documents/BC%20Transit% ... 0Final.pdf

http:/www.nrel.gov/vehiclesandfuels/npbf/pdfs/43672.pdf

http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/repo ... ra-56t.pdf

Once we have a schedule for deliveries of biodiesel blended diesel finalized, we will contact you with that information.

We appreciate your assistance as we introduce this new product and will work to minimize the disruption to your site and the impact on our customers as much as possible. To that end, throughout this process, we remain committed to providing you with updates on our progress with product conversion. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call Jeff Young at 250-962-8309 or our customer service network at 1-800-668-0220.
Sincerely,

Murray Osbaldeston
Petro-Canada Wholesale Market Manager


http://www.leg.bc.ca/38th4th/amend/gov16-2.htm

http://www.bclaws.ca/Recon/document/fre ... 4_2008.xml

Nice and informative.
Thanks for your concern.

Regards,
James.


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