How is Gasoline Made?

How is Gasoline Made?

It's a rare sight to drive by a gas station and notice vacant pumps - which is great for your business. All of the drivers streaming in and out of your forecourt with their tank top-offs most likely didn’t ponder what exactly is going into their vehicle. Sure, the aroma of gasoline entices some while it nauseates others, but how many people actually think about how their gas was processed? Those of us involved with fuel pump repair in San Antonio, Texas are more aware of general overall facts, but have you ever dug into the gasoline manufacturing lifecycle?

The Overall Process

If you asked random people what comprises gas, crude oil likely tops the response list. And it’s true, the bulk of gasoline’s contents consist of crude oil originating from underground wells. But that’s not what you see at places utilizing fuel pump repair in San Antonio, Texas. Gasoline is actually the base of products derived from petroleum. Jet fuel, diesel fuel, and even asphalt join the list of products created from petroleum.

After the crude oil is transported to refineries, these places use a distillation process to refine the oil. Various boiling points are used to extract the oil during a distillation stage depending on the end product. Heat changes the oil over to a vapor where it is collected in a distillation tower. At 150 degrees Celsius, the vapors transform into liquid, and gasoline’s collection process begins.

Blending Terminals

Though fuel comes from the vapors during distillation, the gasoline isn’t quite ready yet. Though some refineries finish the process with ready-to-go gasoline, blending terminals usually take over. In the majority of places operating with fuel pump repair in San Antonio, Texas, gasoline finishes up at these blending terminals before making its way to you.

The blending stations complete the lifecycle for gasoline blend stocks, fuel ethanol, and gasoline. These places create them with different blends and grades for consumers to fill up their tanks. Other additives and detergents may also enter the mix at blending terminals. The blending terminals are designed to be able to fill up tanker trucks that own the correct equipment to get the fuel transported.

What’s Exactly Involved with Additives?

Any station related to fuel pump repair in San Antonio Texas will see ethanol labeled everywhere. Ethanol serves as the main additive introduced to the gasoline prior to transporting it through the pumps at a station. In order to improve emissions and performance, additives are introduced during the manufacturing process. Once the main additive, lead stepped away from the spotlight after health and environmental concerns cropped up. Ethanol and other compounds now dominate the end product. Ethanol aims to reduce greenhouse emissions as well as lower the amount of oil needed for each consumer.

Octane

Ah yes, those typically bright yellow buttons with the black text at the pump… the ones that say ’87, 89, 91’. Those buttons can be seen even when we close our eyes. Some drivers consciously select the octane that best suits their vehicle while others go for the cheapest option without considering what’s recommended for their transportation. So, what is octane and why is it important? You’ll see that at any station utilizing fuel pump repair in San Antonio, Texas. Many consumers likely won’t know exactly what this all means. Ultimately, the grade of gas indicates the level of anti-knock properties and stability of the gasoline. The octane levels indicate the level of stability of each gas grade. As you often see at the pump, you’ll notice –

  • Regular/unleaded (that yellow button with a big ‘87’ on it) … it’s the lowest octane fuel (and is the cheapest of the gasoline options).
  • Midgrade/super (also seen as ’89-90’) sits in the middle of the options.
  • Premium/super-premium (seen at the pumps with a 91-94 on the label). This one will cost you the most but provide the highest stability.

Though these grades indicate stability and controls on ‘knocking’, you likely will never even notice your car ‘knock’. Since the advent of computerized ignitions, vehicles have become advanced and the knocking is addressed by your car’s computer system before you’d ever notice. Though you may not hear the knocks, by not using the recommended grade of gasoline for your vehicle, the engine will run less efficiently. You also may not notice a difference in which octane you select at the pump, your vehicle may. On this front, all stations are created equal, including those that need fuel pump repair in San Antonio, Texas. Octanes are scientific and the formulas are universal.

You may gain some appreciation from knowing how your car’s fuel is processed and where it came from. By working at a place that utilizes fuel pump repair in San Antonio, Texas, you’ll be best educated to tell your customers and family/friends precisely what comprises their vehicle’s fuel needs. The evolution of what it takes to drive us forward continues as we learn how to optimize our resources and travel along to our destinations.

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PumpTex, Inc. was founded in 1997 in the back of a garage with the dream of bringing a new level of customer service to the retail petroleum service industry. Over the years, we have grown to become a valuable resource to our customers. Many consider us to be the first responders of the retail petroleum service industry!

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