Some Shell/Chevron gas station sell unbranded fuel
- Thread starter gaspo
- Start date
- Status
They're franchises
I've seen the same tanker service many different branded gas stations. They actually add the Techron on-site in the premium tank so the regular gas has none and the mid grade has half. Not sure about Shell stations but 76, Texaco, Sinclair ,Exxon serve generic gasoline all day and night.
Last edited:
and what EXACTLY do you mean by "unbranded gasoline"
i can only speak to my area, but i'm sure others are no different, but around here, ALL the Gasoline sold, regardless of the "brand" on the pump, comes from the Local Husky Refinery.
they make 25% of the gas sold in the state of Ohio.
every single tanker goes out to the Fuel Depot (right next to the refinery, but IIRC run by Marathon) and fills with the same gas, plus their companies "secret sauce" of additive cocktails.
same was true whether the refinery was owned by Standard Oil, SOHIO,BP, Clark, Valero, and now Husky....
i can only speak to my area, but i'm sure others are no different, but around here, ALL the Gasoline sold, regardless of the "brand" on the pump, comes from the Local Husky Refinery.
they make 25% of the gas sold in the state of Ohio.
every single tanker goes out to the Fuel Depot (right next to the refinery, but IIRC run by Marathon) and fills with the same gas, plus their companies "secret sauce" of additive cocktails.
same was true whether the refinery was owned by Standard Oil, SOHIO,BP, Clark, Valero, and now Husky....
As said over and over, all gas sold had an epa regulated amount of addative added to it as it is loaded on the truck.
Last edited:
Originally Posted by sloinker
I've seen the same tanker service many different branded gas stations. They actually add the Techron on-site in the premium tank so the regular gas has none and the mid grade has half. Not sure about Shell stations but 76, Texaco, Sinclair ,Exxon serve generic gasoline all day and night.
and there's really not such a thing as "mid Grade" it's mixed at the dispenser from the Regular and Premium Tanks.
I've seen the same tanker service many different branded gas stations. They actually add the Techron on-site in the premium tank so the regular gas has none and the mid grade has half. Not sure about Shell stations but 76, Texaco, Sinclair ,Exxon serve generic gasoline all day and night.
and there's really not such a thing as "mid Grade" it's mixed at the dispenser from the Regular and Premium Tanks.
In Calif the gas formulas are all controlled by CARB and have seasonal changes. Even off-brand gas is exactly the same. I hauled gas for years. Go to the Southern Pacific pipeline, fill the tanker, deliver. The refineries push a certain amount into the system and take the same amount out the other end. But no ones knows whose gas is in any individual load...
The only way you know if you are getting 100% branded gas is if they load at the respective refinery and deliver to a branded station. That works within a reasonable distance of the main refineries. But it does not work for outlying areas. They are all served by pipeline companies and mostly indy drivers and rigs.
Tahoe basin is a classic example. The air quality is the tightest control in the nation that I know of. They can not bring in gasoline from Nevada because it's formula is wrong. The gas all has to be CARB approved. Most trucks load at the Southern Pacific pipeline terminal in Sacto and haul uphill to the delivery point. The in-ground tanks are periodically tested at the stations. Unless the owner tried to sneak some gas out of Reno, he'll pass. You can't tell me which refiner actually made most of any individual load. It's all mixed at the tanks at the pipeline terminal ...
And it's been that way for 50 years at least. The gas that Rotten Robbie in Richmond gets is spot market from the pipeline. The gas that a Chevron station gets in Vallejo is from Chevron because that station is within 75 miles of the Chevron refinery and can be serviced by a company owned truck. Any station in Susanville is a pipeline mix and serviced by a tanker you may never have heard of.
Just because you see a Williams, Diamond, Renn, Western Petro, or other tanker in a station, does not mean squat. You can't tell whether the gasoline came from the major branded refinery or the pipeline terminal w/o actually seeing the loading tags. The indy's all load at the majors and carry to their company owned stores if the refinery trucks are too busy to keep up.
I have Chevron company tanker at COSTCO stations, ditto for Shell, and I have seen a slew of indy's delivering at COSTCO. You can't tell me who's fuel is in the tanks under ground ...
The only way you know if you are getting 100% branded gas is if they load at the respective refinery and deliver to a branded station. That works within a reasonable distance of the main refineries. But it does not work for outlying areas. They are all served by pipeline companies and mostly indy drivers and rigs.
Tahoe basin is a classic example. The air quality is the tightest control in the nation that I know of. They can not bring in gasoline from Nevada because it's formula is wrong. The gas all has to be CARB approved. Most trucks load at the Southern Pacific pipeline terminal in Sacto and haul uphill to the delivery point. The in-ground tanks are periodically tested at the stations. Unless the owner tried to sneak some gas out of Reno, he'll pass. You can't tell me which refiner actually made most of any individual load. It's all mixed at the tanks at the pipeline terminal ...
And it's been that way for 50 years at least. The gas that Rotten Robbie in Richmond gets is spot market from the pipeline. The gas that a Chevron station gets in Vallejo is from Chevron because that station is within 75 miles of the Chevron refinery and can be serviced by a company owned truck. Any station in Susanville is a pipeline mix and serviced by a tanker you may never have heard of.
Just because you see a Williams, Diamond, Renn, Western Petro, or other tanker in a station, does not mean squat. You can't tell whether the gasoline came from the major branded refinery or the pipeline terminal w/o actually seeing the loading tags. The indy's all load at the majors and carry to their company owned stores if the refinery trucks are too busy to keep up.
I have Chevron company tanker at COSTCO stations, ditto for Shell, and I have seen a slew of indy's delivering at COSTCO. You can't tell me who's fuel is in the tanks under ground ...
Last edited:
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted by gaspo
So i noticed that some Shell and Chevron gas stations sell unbranded / generic gas without gas additives as been advertised by their company. ( Don't ask how i know) My question is how they can get away with this?
I'm going to ask you how you know because it's entirely relevant to your claim.
If you mean you see the fuel being delivered by an unbranded truck or coming from a common terminal, that's perfectly normal behaviour. The fuel is generally blended with the brand's additives at the terminal as it is put into the truck of whomever has the transport contract.
So i noticed that some Shell and Chevron gas stations sell unbranded / generic gas without gas additives as been advertised by their company. ( Don't ask how i know) My question is how they can get away with this?
I'm going to ask you how you know because it's entirely relevant to your claim.
If you mean you see the fuel being delivered by an unbranded truck or coming from a common terminal, that's perfectly normal behaviour. The fuel is generally blended with the brand's additives at the terminal as it is put into the truck of whomever has the transport contract.
Originally Posted by earlyre
Originally Posted by sloinker
I've seen the same tanker service many different branded gas stations. They actually add the Techron on-site in the premium tank so the regular gas has none and the mid grade has half. Not sure about Shell stations but 76, Texaco, Sinclair ,Exxon serve generic gasoline all day and night.
and there's really not such a thing as "mid Grade" it's mixed at the dispenser from the Regular and Premium Tanks.
Right, there is a mid-grade produced by mixing half high test with half regular and producing mid grade. Not sure what you mean?
Originally Posted by sloinker
I've seen the same tanker service many different branded gas stations. They actually add the Techron on-site in the premium tank so the regular gas has none and the mid grade has half. Not sure about Shell stations but 76, Texaco, Sinclair ,Exxon serve generic gasoline all day and night.
and there's really not such a thing as "mid Grade" it's mixed at the dispenser from the Regular and Premium Tanks.
Right, there is a mid-grade produced by mixing half high test with half regular and producing mid grade. Not sure what you mean?
This again?
Originally Posted by earlyre
Originally Posted by sloinker
I've seen the same tanker service many different branded gas stations. They actually add the Techron on-site in the premium tank so the regular gas has none and the mid grade has half. Not sure about Shell stations but 76, Texaco, Sinclair ,Exxon serve generic gasoline all day and night.
and there's really not such a thing as "mid Grade" it's mixed at the dispenser from the Regular and Premium Tanks.
It is not necessarily generic Gas. It still meets whatever the brands spec for their gas. Trading does go on but it can also be made to a certain brand specs right out of the refinery. And just because a terminal is next to a refinery and sell products coming out of that refinery doesn't mean that there aren't other lines into the terminal. There are far more pipelines running in and out of everywhere than anyone realizes.
Mid grade is not blended at the pump. That is done at the fuel terminal also.
Originally Posted by sloinker
I've seen the same tanker service many different branded gas stations. They actually add the Techron on-site in the premium tank so the regular gas has none and the mid grade has half. Not sure about Shell stations but 76, Texaco, Sinclair ,Exxon serve generic gasoline all day and night.
and there's really not such a thing as "mid Grade" it's mixed at the dispenser from the Regular and Premium Tanks.
It is not necessarily generic Gas. It still meets whatever the brands spec for their gas. Trading does go on but it can also be made to a certain brand specs right out of the refinery. And just because a terminal is next to a refinery and sell products coming out of that refinery doesn't mean that there aren't other lines into the terminal. There are far more pipelines running in and out of everywhere than anyone realizes.
Mid grade is not blended at the pump. That is done at the fuel terminal also.
Short answer, they can't (legally) do that.
To be branded, they are contracted through a branded jobber, who is contracted to only deliver branded gas to the station. Tracers are added at the terminal level, and they can and do check the sites occasionally. And honestly, they can usually tell just based on sales volume if they've been cross hauled unless its a super high volume site.
If terminal allocations get messed up unbranded gas can be delivered, usually with the brand knowing it is happening.
Most jobbers and most trucking companies aren't stupid enough to cross haul a branded station and will flat out refuse if they know what they're being asked to do.
Oh, and some "brands" don't actually sell branded gas - Clark, Phillips66, Gulf to name a few.
To be branded, they are contracted through a branded jobber, who is contracted to only deliver branded gas to the station. Tracers are added at the terminal level, and they can and do check the sites occasionally. And honestly, they can usually tell just based on sales volume if they've been cross hauled unless its a super high volume site.
If terminal allocations get messed up unbranded gas can be delivered, usually with the brand knowing it is happening.
Most jobbers and most trucking companies aren't stupid enough to cross haul a branded station and will flat out refuse if they know what they're being asked to do.
Oh, and some "brands" don't actually sell branded gas - Clark, Phillips66, Gulf to name a few.
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
If you mean you see the fuel being delivered by an unbranded truck or coming from a common terminal, that's perfectly normal behaviour. The fuel is generally blended with the brand's additives at the terminal as it is put into the truck of whomever has the transport contract.
Exactly. The only stations here that get gasoline delivered by "company" trucks here seem to be Petro-Canada and Co-op, and not even always with the former.
Now, as to the original point made in the original post, I can't see it flying under Top Tier rules, much less company policy. Co-op and Petro-Canada and Esso in Canada both have their own policies to ensure that their own proprietary additive package is in each litre of gasoline sold. With Esso, and this is from Imperial Oil themselves, your sold quantity doesn't match your quantity purchased from Imperial Oil, you're going to be in a world of hurt.
If you mean you see the fuel being delivered by an unbranded truck or coming from a common terminal, that's perfectly normal behaviour. The fuel is generally blended with the brand's additives at the terminal as it is put into the truck of whomever has the transport contract.
Exactly. The only stations here that get gasoline delivered by "company" trucks here seem to be Petro-Canada and Co-op, and not even always with the former.
Now, as to the original point made in the original post, I can't see it flying under Top Tier rules, much less company policy. Co-op and Petro-Canada and Esso in Canada both have their own policies to ensure that their own proprietary additive package is in each litre of gasoline sold. With Esso, and this is from Imperial Oil themselves, your sold quantity doesn't match your quantity purchased from Imperial Oil, you're going to be in a world of hurt.
Originally Posted by jhellwig
Mid grade is not blended at the pump. That is done at the fuel terminal also.
In the ten states that I'm familiar with, most retail stations only have two underground storage tanks (for gasoline). One for regular and one for premium. There is no mid-grade storage tank on site.
Isn't it still the colonial pipeline as the major source of gasoline supply in the SE U.S. ?
Mid grade is not blended at the pump. That is done at the fuel terminal also.
In the ten states that I'm familiar with, most retail stations only have two underground storage tanks (for gasoline). One for regular and one for premium. There is no mid-grade storage tank on site.
Isn't it still the colonial pipeline as the major source of gasoline supply in the SE U.S. ?
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Cressida
Originally Posted by jhellwig
Mid grade is not blended at the pump. That is done at the fuel terminal also.
In the ten states that I'm familiar with, most retail stations only have two underground storage tanks (for gasoline). One for regular and one for premium. There is no mid-grade storage tank on site.
Isn't it still the colonial pipeline as the major source of gasoline supply in the SE U.S. ?
It is done at the terminal at all of the terminals in my companies system in the Midwest. We have an arm that does 87 e10 and then a blender arm that does all the grades with and without ethanol (no e85 though). If you are in Joplin Missouri and you are at one of those green trimmed brand station that is how it is done. Outside of the Midwest I don't know and as far as I knew blender pumps are rare.
Originally Posted by jhellwig
Mid grade is not blended at the pump. That is done at the fuel terminal also.
In the ten states that I'm familiar with, most retail stations only have two underground storage tanks (for gasoline). One for regular and one for premium. There is no mid-grade storage tank on site.
Isn't it still the colonial pipeline as the major source of gasoline supply in the SE U.S. ?
It is done at the terminal at all of the terminals in my companies system in the Midwest. We have an arm that does 87 e10 and then a blender arm that does all the grades with and without ethanol (no e85 though). If you are in Joplin Missouri and you are at one of those green trimmed brand station that is how it is done. Outside of the Midwest I don't know and as far as I knew blender pumps are rare.
Guys, im not talking about delivery methods or gas grades. There are shell/ chevron stations who sell theirs gas without single drop of vpover nitro or techron additives. They buy some generic gasoline which probably meet all top tier requirements and sell it under shell/chevron brands.
How do you know it doesn't have the addative? There isn't even an option for a truck to get gas without addative generic or not. It is added automatically. This stuff is regulated and spot checked. If the station is getting gas without the brands addative they aren't going to have a brand for very long.
Have you reported those stations to Shell and Chevron? What are the responses?
If the gas would fail to meet Top Tier, that would be a major violation. Think they'd lose their brand. A local franchisee lost Citgo by cheating, not that Citgo is much of a brand. This was pre top tier. Think his stations are now ZX (Zephyr--JD Streett), one of the few non Top Tier gas suppliers in St Louis which is not TT.
Last edited:
So you read my post? How do you know it's unbranded? Have you seen the loading slips and the delivery order?
- Status
