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Wikipedia

Filling station

March 13, 2023

Not to be confused with charging station or fuelling station.

[1]

Vehicle activity at a gas station In Purwakarta Regency, West Java in Indonesia

A Shell filling station in Sabah, Malaysia
The Skovshoved Filling Station, in operation since 1935, in Copenhagen, Denmark
An MOL filling station in Luduș, Transylvania, Romania
Orlen station for refueling boats, Poland
A Royal Dutch Shell filling station and garage in Mijnsheerenland, The Netherlands, late-1970s

A filling station, also known as a gas station (US) or petrol station (UK), is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel.

Gasoline pumps are used to pump gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas, CGH2, HCNG, LPG, liquid hydrogen, kerosene, alcohol fuel (like methanol, ethanol, butanol, propanol), biofuels (like straight vegetable oil, biodiesel), or other types of fuel into the tanks within vehicles and calculate the financial cost of the fuel transferred to the vehicle. Besides gasoline pumps, one other significant device which is also found in filling stations and can refuel certain (compressed-air) vehicles is an air compressor, although generally these are just used to inflate car tires.

Many filling stations provide convenience stores, which may sell confections, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, lottery tickets, soft drinks, snacks, coffee, newspapers, magazines, and, in some cases, a small selection of grocery items, such as milk. Some also sell propane or butane and have added shops to their primary business. Conversely, some chain stores, such as supermarkets, discount stores, warehouse clubs, or traditional convenience stores, have provided fuel pumps on the premises.

Terminology

In North America the fuel is known as "gasoline" or "gas" for short, and "gas station" and "service station" are used in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. In some regions of Canada, the term "gas bar" (or "gasbar") is used. In the rest of the English-speaking world the fuel is known as "petrol", and the term "petrol station" or "petrol pump" is used. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa "garage" and "forecourt" is still commonly used. Similarly, in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, the term "service station" describes any petrol station; Australians also call it a "servo". In India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, it is called a "petrol pump" or a "petrol bunk". In Japanese, a commonly used term is gasoline stand[Note 1] although the abbreviation SS (for service station) is also used.

Worldwide numbers

  • The UK has 8,385 filling stations as of 2019,[2] down from about 18,000 in 1992[3] and a peak of around 40,000 in the mid-1960s.
  • The US had 114,474 stations in 2012, according to the US Census Bureau, down from 118,756 in 2007 and 121,446 in 2002.[4][5][6]
  • In Canada, the number is on the decline. As of December 2008, 12,684 were in operation, significantly down from about 20,000 stations recorded in 1989.[7]
  • In Japan, the number dropped from a peak of 60,421 in 1994 to 40,357 at the end of 2009.[8]
  • In Germany, the number dropped down to 14,300 in 2011.[9]
  • In China, according to different reports, the total number of gas/oil stations (at the end of 2018) is about 106,000.[10]
  • India—60,799 (as of November 2017)
  • Russia—there were about 25,000 stations in the Russian Federation (2011)
  • In Argentina, as of 2021, there are more than 5000 stations.

The largest filling station networks in Europe (2017)

History

 
The world's first "filling station", the City Pharmacy in Wiesloch, Germany

The first filling station was the city pharmacy in Wiesloch, Germany, where Bertha Benz refilled the tank of the first automobile on its maiden trip from Mannheim to Pforzheim back in 1888. Shortly thereafter other pharmacies sold gasoline as a side business. Since 2008 the Bertha Benz Memorial Route commemorates this event.[12][13]

Brazil

The first "posto de gasolina" of South America was opened in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil, in 1920. It was located on Ana Costa Avenue, in front of the beach, in a corner that is located by the Hotel Atlântico, which occupies its area nowadays. It was owned by Esso and brought by Antonio Duarte Moreira, a taxi entrepreneur.[14]

Russia

 
Modern gas station column. Russia

In Russia, the first filling stations appeared in 1911, when the Imperial Automobile Society signed an agreement with the partnership "Br. Nobel". By 1914 about 440 stations functioned in major cities across the country.

In the mid-1960s in Moscow there were about 250 stations. A significant boost in retail network development occurred with the mass launch of the car "Zhiguli" at the Volga Automobile Plant, which was built in Tolyatti in 1970. Gasoline for other than non-private cars was sold for ration cards only. This type of payment system stopped in the midst of perestroika in the early 1990s.

Since the saturation of automobile filling stations in Russia is insufficient and lags behind the leading countries of the world, there is a need to accommodate new stations in the cities and along the roads of different levels.[15]

United States

The increase in automobile ownership after Henry Ford started to sell automobiles that the middle class could afford resulted in an increased demand for filling stations. The world's first purpose-built gas station was constructed in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1905 at 420 South Theresa Avenue. The second station was constructed in 1907 by Standard Oil of California (now Chevron) in Seattle, Washington, at what is now Pier 32. Reighard's Gas Station in Altoona, Pennsylvania claims that it dates from 1909 and is the oldest existing filling station in the United States.[16] Early on, they were known to motorists as "filling stations". These filling stations were known to wash your windows for free.

The first "drive-in" filling station, Gulf Refining Company, opened to the motoring public in Pittsburgh on December 1, 1913, at Baum Boulevard and St Clair's Street.[17] Prior to this, automobile drivers pulled into almost any general or hardware store, or even blacksmith shops in order to fill up their tanks. On its first day, the station sold 30 US gallons (110 L) of gasoline at 27 cents per gallon (7 cents per litre). This was also the first architect-designed station and the first to distribute free road maps.[18] The first alternative fuel station was opened in San Diego, California, by Pearson Fuels in 2003.[19]

Maryland officials said that on September 26, 2019, RS Automotive in Takoma Park, Maryland became the first filling station in the country to convert to an EV charging station.[20]

Design and function

 
A Shell station near Lost Hills, California, US
 
An IndianOil filling station near Dera Bassi in Punjab, India

Most filling stations are built in a similar manner, with most of the fueling installation underground, pump machines in the forecourt and a point of service inside a building. Single or multiple fuel tanks are usually deployed underground. Local regulations and environmental concerns may require a different method, with some stations storing their fuel in container tanks, entrenched surface tanks or unprotected fuel tanks deployed on the surface. Fuel is usually offloaded from a tanker truck into each tank by gravity through a separate capped opening located on the station's perimeter. Fuel from the tanks travels to the dispenser pumps through underground pipes. For every fuel tank, direct access must be available at all times. Most tanks can be accessed through a service canal directly from the forecourt.

Older stations tend to use a separate pipe for every kind of available fuel and for every dispenser. Newer stations may employ a single pipe for every dispenser. This pipe houses a number of smaller pipes for the individual fuel types. Fuel tanks, dispenser and nozzles used to fill car tanks employ vapor recovery systems, which prevents releases of vapor into the atmosphere with a system of pipes. The exhausts are placed as high as possible. A vapor recovery system may be employed at the exhaust pipe. This system collects the vapors, liquefies them and releases them back into the lowest grade fuel tank available.

The forecourt is the part of a filling station where vehicles are refueled. Gasoline pumps are placed on concrete plinths, as a precautionary measure against collision by motor vehicles. Additional elements may be employed, including metal barriers. The area around the gasoline pumps must have a drainage system. Since fuel sometimes spills onto the pavement, as little of it as possible should remain. Any liquids present on the forecourt will flow into a channel drain before it enters a petrol interceptor which is designed to capture any hydrocarbon pollutants and filter these from rainwater which may then proceed to a sanitary sewer, stormwater drain, or to ground.

If a filling station allows customers to pay at the dispenser, the data from the dispenser may be transmitted via RS-232, RS-485 or Ethernet to the point of sale, usually inside the filling station's building, and fed into the station's cash register operating system. The cash register system gives a limited control over the gasoline pump, and is usually limited to allowing the clerks to turn the pumps on and off. A separate system is used to monitor the fuel tank's status and quantities of fuel. With sensors directly in the fuel tank, the data is fed to a terminal in the back room, where it can be downloaded or printed out. Sometimes this method is bypassed, with the fuel tank data transmitted directly to an external database.

Underground filling stations

The underground modular filling station is a construction model for filling stations that was developed and patented by U-Cont Oy Ltd in Finland in 1993. Afterwards the same system was used in Florida, US. Above-ground modular stations were built in the 1980s in eastern Europe and especially in Soviet Union, but they were not built in other parts of Europe due to the stations' lack of safety in case of fire.

The construction model for underground modular filling station makes the installation time shorter, designing easier and manufacturing less expensive. As a proof of the model's installation speed an unofficial world record of filling station installation was made by U-Cont Oy Ltd when a modular filling station was built in Helsinki, Finland in less than three days, including groundwork. The safety of modular filling stations has been tested in a filling station simulator, in Kuopio, Finland. These tests have included for instance burning cars and explosions in the station simulator.[21][22]

Marketing

North America

In the United States and Canada, there are generally two marketing types of filling stations: premium brands and discount brands.

Premium brands

Filling stations with premium brands sell well-recognized and often international brands of fuel, including Exxon/Mobil and its Esso brand, Phillips 66/Conoco/76, Chevron, Mobil, Shell, Husky Energy, Sunoco (US), BP, Valero and Texaco. Non-international premium brands include Petrobras, Petro-Canada (owned by Suncor Energy Canada), QuikTrip, Hess, Sinclair, and Pemex. Premium-brand stations accept credit cards, often issue their own company cards (fuel cards or fleet cards) and may charge higher prices. In some cases, fuel cards for customers with a lower fuel consumption are ordered not directly from an oil company, but from an intermediary. Many premium brands have fully automated pay-at-the-pump facilities. Premium stations tend to be highly visible from highway and freeway exits, utilizing tall signs to display their brand logos.

Discount brands

Discount brands are often smaller, regional chains or independent stations, offering lower prices on fuel. Most purchase wholesale commodity gasoline from independent suppliers or from the major petroleum companies. Lower-priced stations are also found at some supermarkets (Albertsons, Kroger, Big Y, Ingles, Lowes Foods, Giant, Weis Markets, Safeway, Hy-Vee, Vons, Meijer, Loblaws/Real Canadian Superstore, and Giant Eagle), convenience stores (7-Eleven, Circle K, Cumberland Farms, QuickChek, Road Ranger, Sheetz and Wawa), discount stores (Walmart, Canadian Tire) and warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's Wholesale Club). At some stations (such as Vons, Costco, BJ's Wholesale Club, or Sam's Club), consumers are required to hold a special membership card in order to be eligible for the discounted price, or pay only with the chain's cash card, debt card or a credit card issuer exclusive to that chain. In some areas, such as New Jersey, this practice is illegal, and stations are required to sell to all at the same price. Some convenience stores, such as 7-Eleven and Circle K, have co-branded their stations with one of the premium brands. After the Gulf Oil company was sold to Chevron, northeastern retail units were sold off as a chain, with Cumberland Farms controlling the remaining Gulf Oil outlets in the United States.

State-controlled stations

 
Station on the road from the Thai border to Siem Reap, Cambodia

Some countries have only one brand of filling station. In Mexico, where the oil industry is state-owned and prices are regulated, the country's main operator of filling stations is Pemex.[may be outdated] In Malaysia, Shell is the dominant player by number of stations, with government-owned Petronas coming in second. In Indonesia, the dominant player by number of stations is the government-owned Pertamina, although other companies such as TotalEnergies and Shell are increasingly found in big cities such as the capital Jakarta or Surabaya.[23]

Global and local branding

 
An ENEOS filling station near Mount Fuji in Japan

Some companies, such as Shell, use their brand worldwide, however, Chevron uses its inherited brand Caltex in Asia Pacific, Australia and Africa, and its Texaco brand in Europe and Latin America. ExxonMobil uses its Exxon and Mobil brands but is still known as Esso (the forerunner company name, Standard Oil or S.O.) in many places, most noticeably in Canada. In Brazil, the main operators are Petrobras Distribuidora and Ipiranga, but Esso and Shell are also present. In the United Kingdom, the two largest are BP and Shell. The "Big Four" supermarket chains, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Asda and Tesco, all operate filling stations, as well as some of the smaller supermarkets such as The Co-operative Group and Waitrose. Indian Oil operates approximately 15,000 stations in India. In Japan, the main operators are Cosmo Oil, Idemitsu (under the brand names apollostation and Idemitsu), ENEOS Corporation (under the brand names ENEOS, Express and General) and Mitsubishi Group (operates self-service stations under the Lawson convenience store branding), although foreign brands such as Shell (operated by Idemitsu since its acquisition of Showa Shell Sekiyu in 2018–2019), and formerly Esso and Mobil (previously operated by ENEOS Corporation under license from ExxonMobil, all rebranded to ENEOS in 2019) are also present.

Payment methods

Australia and New Zealand

Most service stations allow the customer to pump the fuel before paying. In recent years, some service stations have required customers to purchase their fuel first. In some small towns, the customer may hand the cash to the attendant on the forecourt if they are paying for a set amount of fuel and have no change; but usually customers will enter the service centre to pay a cashier. Some supermarkets have their own forecourts which are unmanned and payment is pay-at-pump only. Customers at the supermarket will receive a discount voucher which offers discounted fuel at their forecourt. The amount of discount varies depending on the amount spent on groceries at the supermarket, but normally starts at 4 cents a litre.

In New Zealand BP has an app for smartphones that detects a user's location, then allows one to select the type of fuel, which pump, and how much to spend. The amount is then deducted from the user's account.

Canada

In British Columbia and Alberta, it is a legal requirement that customers either pre-pay for the fuel or pay at the pump. The law is called "Grant's Law"[24] and is intended to prevent "gas-and-dash" crimes, where a customer refuels and then drives away without paying for it. In other provinces, payment after filling is permitted and widely available, though some stations may require either a pre-payment or a payment at the pump during night hours.

Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, most stations allow customers to pump fuel before paying. Some stations have pay-at-the-pump facilities.

United Kingdom

 
A small independent filling station in Boston Spa, West Yorkshire, England

A large majority of stations allow customers to pay with a chip and pin payment card or pay in the shop. Many have a pay at the pump system, where customers can enter their PIN prior to refueling.

United States

Pre-payment is the norm in the US and customers may typically pay either at the pump or inside the gas station. Modern stations have pay-at-the-pump functions: in most cases credit, debit, ATM cards, fuel cards and fleet cards are accepted. Occasionally a station will have a pay-at-the-pump-only period per day, when attendants are not present, often at night, and some stations are pay-at-the-pump only 24 hours a day.

Types of service

Filling stations typically offer one of three types of service to their customers: full service, minimum service or self-service.

Full service
An attendant operates the pumps, often wipes the windshield, and sometimes checks the vehicle's oil level and tire pressure, then collects payment and perhaps a small tip.[25]
Minimum service
An attendant operates the pumps. This is often required due to legislation that prohibits customers from operating the pumps.
Self service
The customer performs all required service. Signs informing the customer of filling procedures and cautions are displayed on each pump. Customers can still enter a store or go to a booth to give payment to a person.
Unmanned
Using cardlock (or pay-at-the-pump) system, these are completely unstaffed.[26]

Brazil

 
Royal Dutch Shell station in Feira de Santana, Brazil

In Brazil, self-service fuel filling is illegal, due to a federal law enacted in 2000. The law was introduced by Federal Deputy Aldo Rebelo, who claims it saved 300,000 fuel attendant jobs across the country.[27]

Japan

 
A Lawson self-service station with attached convenience store in Shingū, Fukuoka, Japan

Before 1998, filling stations in Japan were entirely full-service stations. Self-service stations were legalized in Japan in 1998 following the abolition of the Special Petroleum Law, which led to the deregulation of the petroleum industry in Japan. Under current safety regulations, while motorists are able to self-dispense fuel at self-service stations, generally identified in Japanese as serufu (セルフ),[28] at least one fuel attendant must be on hand to keep watch over potential safety violations and to render assistance to motorists whenever necessary.

North America

 
In the United States, areas in red prohibit self-service

In the past, filling stations in the United States offered a choice between full service and self service. Before 1970, full service was the norm, and self-service was rare. Today, few stations advertise or provide full service. Full service stations are more common in wealthy and upscale areas. The cost of full service is usually assessed as a fixed amount per US gallon.

The first self-service station in the United States was in Los Angeles, opened in 1947 by Frank Urich.[29] In Canada, the first self-service station opened in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1949. It was operated by the independent company Henderson Thriftway Petroleum, owned by Bill Henderson.[30]

 
A typical US filling station, like this Mobil station in Belmont, California
 
A typical Canadian station, like this Petro-Canada station in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
 
A Sheetz station with several pumps in Breezewood, Pennsylvania, US

In New Jersey, filling stations offer only full service (and mini service); attendants there are required to pump gasoline for customers. Customers, in fact, are prohibited by law from pumping their own gasoline. The only exception to this within New Jersey is at the filling station next to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Wrightstown. New Jersey prohibited self-service in 1949, with the passage of "Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act," after lobbying by service station owners. That laws states that "Because of the fire hazards directly associated with dispensing fuel, it is in the public interest that gasoline station operators have the control needed over that activity to ensure compliance with appropriate safety procedures, including turning off vehicle engines and refraining from smoking while fuel is dispensed."[31] Proponents of the prohibition cite safety and jobs as reasons to keep the ban.[32] Of note, the ban does not apply to the pumping of diesel fuel at filling stations (though individual filling stations may prohibit this); nor does it apply to the pumping of gasoline into boats or aircraft.[33]

Similarly, Oregon, with few exceptions, also mandates full service at most service stations. The exception to this regulation is that a filling station may be self-service if located in a county with a population of 40,000 or less.[34] The only exception to this within Oregon is at the filling stations next to the Indian reservation casinos in Pendleton and Grand Ronde, which are permitted to be self service. Oregon prohibited self-service in a 1951 statute prohibiting that listed 17 different justifications, including flammability, the risk of crime from customers leaving their vehicles, toxic fumes, and the jobs created by requiring mini service.[35] Like New Jersey, the Oregon self-service prohibitions do not apply to the pumping of diesel fuel at filling stations (though individual filling stations may prohibit this).[36] Motorcycle owners may pump their own with the service station attendant present, and non-retail customers may also pump their own gas.[37]

Oregon's ban on self-service gasoline is also seen as part of Oregonian culture. One commentator noted, "The joke is when babies are born in Oregon, the doctor slaps their bottom, 'No self-serve and no sales tax'... It's as much a cultural issue as an economic issue. It's a way of life."[38] However, recent years have shown that this opinion might be changing, as a 2014 Public Policy Poll showed that although self-serve was favored by a narrow margin of all Oregonians, Oregonians under 45 favored self-serve gas by 53 percent to 33 percent.[39] In 1982 Oregon voters rejected a ballot measure sponsored by the service station owners, which would have legalized self-service.[40] Oregon legislators passed a bill that was signed into law by the Governor in May 2017 to allow self-service for counties with a total population of 40,000 or less beginning in January 2018.[34]

The constitutionality of the self-service bans has been disputed. The Oregon statute was brought into court in 1989 by ARCO, and the New Jersey statute was challenged in court in 1950 by a small independent service station, Rein Motors. Both challenges failed. Former New Jersey governor Jon Corzine sought to lift the ban on self-service for New Jersey. He asserted that it would be able to lower gas prices, but some New Jerseyans argued that it could cause drawbacks, especially unemployment.[citation needed]

The town of Huntington, New York has prohibited self-service stations since the early 1970s firstly to prevent theft and later due to safety concerns.[41][42]

Contrary to popular belief, lit cigarettes are not capable of igniting gasoline. However, several states outlaw smoking at gas stations as the fire from the ignition source used to light the cigarette can ignite gasoline vapors. Most gas stations and many municipalities will also explicitly ban any smoking activity within certain distances of gasoline pumps. [43][44]

Other goods and services commonly available

 
A Spar express convenience store in a Shell station in Wattens, Austria.

Many stations provide toilet facilities for customer use, as well as squeegees and paper towels for customers to clean their vehicle's windows. Discount stations may not provide these amenities in some countries.

Stations typically have an air compressor, typically with a built-in or provided handheld tire-pressure gauge, to inflate tires and a hose to add water to vehicle radiators. Some air compressor machines are free of charge, while others charge a small fee to use (typically 50 cents to a dollar in North America). In US states, such as California, state law requires that paying customers must be provided with free air compressor service and radiator water.[45]

In some regions of America and Australia, many filling stations have a mechanic on duty, but this practice has died out in other parts of the world.

Many filling stations have integrated convenience stores which sell food, beverages, and often cigarettes, lottery tickets, motor oil, and auto parts. Prices for these items tend to be higher than they would be at a supermarket or discount store.

Many stations, particularly in the United States, have a fast food outlet inside. These are usually "express" versions with limited seating and limited menus, though some may be regular-sized and have spacious seating. Larger restaurants are common at truck stops and toll road service plazas.

In some US states, beer, wine, and liquor are sold at filling stations, though this practice varies according to state law (see Alcohol laws of the United States by state). Nevada also allows the operation of slot and video poker machines without time restrictions.

Vacuum cleaners, often coin-operated, are a common amenity to allow the cleaning of vehicle interiors, either by the customer or by an attendant.

Some stations are equipped with car washes. Car washes are sometimes offered free of charge or at a discounted price with a certain amount of fuel purchased. Conversely, some car washes operate filling stations to supplement their businesses.

From approximately 1920 to 1980, many service stations in the US provided free road maps affiliated with their parent oil companies to customers. This practice fell out of favor due to the 1970s energy crisis.[46][47]

Fuel prices

See also: Gasoline and diesel usage and pricing

Europe

 
Fuel prices in Germany (cents per liter)
 
Many supermarkets in Europe have branched into gasoline retailing, as shown by this Morrisons filling station in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England

In European Union member states, gasoline prices are much higher than in North America due to higher fuel excise or taxation, although the base price is also higher than in the US. Occasionally, price rises trigger national protests. In the UK, a large-scale protest in August and September 2000, known as 'The Fuel Crisis', caused wide-scale havoc not only across the UK, but also in some other EU countries. The UK Government eventually backed down by indefinitely postponing a planned increase in fuel duty. This was partially reversed during December 2006 when then-Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown raised fuel duty by 1.25 pence per liter.

 
National prices representative of gasoline price (Eurosuper 95) on 24 September 2018, as provided by EU member states
Legend:
   < €1.25 /L <    < €1.35 /L <    < €1.50 /L <   
   Non member state
source European Union DG ENER [48]

Since 2007, gasoline prices in the UK rose by nearly 40 pence per liter, going from 97.3 pence per liter in 2007 to 136.8 pence per liter in 2012.[49]

In much of Europe, including the UK, France and Germany, stations operated by large supermarket chains usually price fuel lower than stand-alone stations. In most of mainland Europe, sales tax is lower on diesel fuel than on gasoline, and diesel is accordingly the cheaper fuel: in the UK and Switzerland, diesel has no tax advantage and retails at a higher price by quantity than gasoline (offset by its higher energy yield).

In 2014, according to Eurostat, the mean EU28 price was €1.38 /L for euro-super 95 (gasoline), €1.26 /L for diesel.[50] The least expensive gasoline was in Estonia at €1.10 /L, and the most expensive at €1.57 /L in Italy.[50] The least expensive diesel was in Estonia at €1.14 /L, and the most expensive at €1.54 /L in the UK.[50] The least expensive LPG was in Belgium at €0.50 /L, and the most expensive at €0.83 /L in France.[50]

North America

 
Pay-at-the-pump gasoline pump
 
Retail markup over crude oil and wholesale gasoline, 2014–2019

Nearly all filling stations in North America advertise their prices on large signs outside the stations. Some locations have laws requiring such signage.[51]

In Canada and the United States, federal, state or provincial, and local sales taxes are usually included in the price, although tax details are often posted at the pump and some stations may provide details on sales receipts. Gasoline taxes are often ring-fenced (dedicated) to fund transportation projects such as the maintenance of existing roads and the construction of new ones.

Individual filling stations in the United States have little if any control over gasoline prices.[citation needed] The wholesale price of gasoline is determined according to area by oil companies which supply the gasoline, and their prices are largely determined by the world markets for oil. Individual stations are unlikely to sell gasoline at a loss, and the profit margin—typically between 7 and 11 cents a US gallon (2–3 cents per liter)—that they make from gasoline sales is limited by competitive pressures: a gas station which charges more than others will lose customers to them. Most stations try to compensate by selling higher-margin food products in their convenience stores.

Even with oil market fluctuations, prices for gasoline in the United States are among the lowest in the industrialized world; this is principally due to lower taxes. While the sales price of gasoline in Europe is more than twice that in the United States, the price excluding taxes is nearly identical in the two areas. Some Canadians and Mexicans in communities close to the US border drive into the United States to purchase cheaper gasoline.

Due to heavy fluctuations in price in the United States, some stations offer their customers the option to buy and store gasoline for future uses, such as the service provided by First Fuel Bank.

In order to save money, some consumers in Canada and the United States inform each other about low and high prices through the use of gasoline price websites. Such websites allow users to share prices advertised at filling stations with each other by posting them to a central server. Consumers then may check the prices listed in their geographic area in order to select the station with the lowest price available at the time. Some television and radio stations also compile pricing information via viewer and listener reports of pricing or reporter observations and present it as a regular segment of their newscasts, usually before or after traffic reports. These price observations must usually be made by reading the pricing signs outside stations, as many companies do not give their prices by telephone due to competitive concerns. It is a criminal offense to have written or verbal arrangements with competitors, suppliers or customers for:

  • Fixing prices and exchanging information on prices or cost (including discounts and rebates),
  • Limiting or restraining competition unduly,
  • Engaging in misleading or deceptive practices.

Gas stations must never hold discussions with other competitors regarding pricing policies and methods, terms of sale, costs, allocation of markets or boycotts of our petroleum products.[52]

Rest of the world

 
Like many gasoline stands in Japan, this Shell filling station has hoses that hang from above.

In other energy-importing countries such as Japan, gasoline and petroleum product prices are higher than in the United States because of fuel transportation costs and taxes.

On the other hand, some of the major oil-producing countries such as the Gulf states, Iran, Iraq, and Venezuela provide subsidized fuel at well-below world market prices. This practice tends to encourage heavy consumption.

Hong Kong has some of the highest pump prices in the world, but most customers are given discounts as card members.

In Western Australia a program called FuelWatch requires most filling stations to notify their "tomorrow prices" by 2 pm each day; prices are changed at 6 am each morning, and must be held for 24 hours. Each afternoon, the prices for the next day are released to the public and the media, allowing consumers to decide when to fill up.

Service stations

 
A Shell station in Columbus, Ohio in 2020. The building, which formerly housed a service station, was converted into a convenience store.

A service station or "servo" is the terminology often used in Australia, along with petrol station, to describe any facility where motorists can refuel their cars.

In New Zealand a filling station is often referred to as a service station, petrol station or garage, even though it may not offer mechanical repairs or assistance with dispensing fuel. Levels of service available include full service, for which assistance in dispensing fuel is offered, as well as offers to check tire pressure or clean vehicle windscreens. That type of service is becoming uncommon in New Zealand, particularly Auckland. Further south of Auckland, many filling stations offer full service. There is also help service or assisted service, for which customers must request assistance before it is given, and self-service, for which no assistance is available.

 
US service station c. 1950s
Main article: List of filling stations in North America

In the US, a filling station that also offers services such as oil changes and mechanical repairs to automobiles is called a service station. Until the 1970s the vast majority of filling stations were service stations.[53] These stations typically offered free air for inflating tires, as compressed air was already on hand to operate the repair garage's pneumatic tools. While a few filling stations with a service station remain, many in the 1980s and 1990s were converted to convenience stores while still selling fuel, while others continued to offer services but discontinued offering fuel.

This kind of business provided the name for the US comic strip Gasoline Alley, where a number of the characters worked.

In the UK and Ireland, a 'service station' refers to much larger facilities, usually attached to motorways (see rest area) or major truck routes, which provide food outlets, large parking areas, and often other services such as hotels, arcade games, and shops in addition to 24-hour fuel supplies and a higher standard of restrooms. Fuel is typically more expensive from these outlets due to their premium locations. UK or Irish service stations do not usually repair automobiles.

Highway service centre

 
Linnatuuli, a highway service centre in Janakkala, Finland, along the Tampere Highway (E12)

This arrangement occurs on many toll roads and some interstate freeways and is called an oasis or service plaza. In many cases, these centers might have a food court or restaurants. In the United Kingdom and Ireland these are called motorway service areas.

Often, the state government maintains public rest areas directly connected to freeways, but does not rent out space to private businesses, as this is specifically prohibited by law via the Interstate Highway Act of 1956 which created the national Interstate Highway System, except sites on freeways built before January 1, 1960, and toll highways that are self-supporting but have Interstate designation, under a grandfather clause. As a result, such areas often provide only minimal services such as restrooms and vending machines.

Private entrepreneurs develop additional facilities, such as truck stops or travel centers, restaurants, gas stations, and motels in clusters on private land adjacent to major interchanges. In the US, Pilot Flying J and TravelCenters of America are two of the most common full-service chains of truck stops. Because these facilities are not directly connected to the freeway, they usually have huge signs on poles high enough to be visible by motorists in time to exit from the freeway.[citation needed] Sometimes, the state also posts small official signs (normally blue) indicating what types of filling stations, restaurants, and hotels are available at an upcoming exit; businesses may add their logos to these signs for a fee.

In Canada, the province of Ontario has stops along two of its 400-series highways, the 401 and the 400, traditionally referred to as "Service Centres", but recently renamed "ONroute" as part of a full rebuild of the sites. Owned by the provincial government, but leased to private operator Host Kilmer Service Centres, they contain food courts, convenience stores, washrooms, and co-located gas and diesel bars with attached convenience stores. Food providers include Tim Hortons (at all sites), A&W, Wendy's and Pizza Pizza. At most sites fuel is sold by Canadian Tire, with a few older Esso gas bars at earlier renovated locations.

Octane

Main article: Octane rating
 
A state petroleum inspector visiting a Mobil station in Port Charlotte, Florida

In Australia, gasoline is unleaded, and available in 91, 95, 98 and 100 octane (names differ from brand to brand). Fuel additives for use in cars designed for leaded fuel are available at most filling stations.

In Canada, the most commonly found octane grades are 87 (regular), 89 (mid grade) and 91 (premium), using the same "(R+M)/2 Method" used in the US (see below).

In China, the most commonly found octane grade is RON 91 (regular), 93 (mid grade) and 97 (premium). Almost all of the fuel has been unleaded since 2000. In some premium filling stations in large cities, such as Petrol China and Sinopec, RON 98 gas is sold for racing cars.

In Europe, gasoline is unleaded and available in 95 RON (Eurosuper) and, in nearly all countries, 98 RON (Super Plus) octanes; in some countries 91 RON octane gasoline is offered as well.[citation needed] In addition, 100 RON is offered in some countries in continental Europe (Shell markets this as V-Power Racing). Some stations offer 98 RON with lead substitute (often called Lead-Replacement Petrol, or LRP).

In New Zealand, gasoline is unleaded, and most commonly available in 91 RON ("Regular") and 95 RON ("Premium"). 98 RON is available at selected BP ("Ultimate") and Mobil ("Synergy 8000") service stations instead of the standard 95 RON. 96 RON was replaced by 95 RON, and subsequently abolished in 2006. Leaded fuel was abolished in 1996.

In the UK the most common gasoline grade (and lowest octane generally available) is 'Premium' 95 RON unleaded. 'Super' is widely available at 97 RON (for example Shell V-Power, BP Ultimate). Leaded fuel is no longer available.

In the United States all motor vehicle gasoline is unleaded and is available in several grades with different octane rating; 87 (Regular), 89 (Mid-Grade), and 93 (Premium) are typical grades. At high altitudes in the Mountain States and the Black Hills of South Dakota, regular unleaded can be as low as 85 octane; this practice has become increasingly controversial, since it was instituted when most cars had carburetors instead of the fuel injection and electronic engine controls standard in recent decades.[54]

In the US gasoline is described in terms of its "pump octane", which is the mean of their "RON" (Research Octane Number) and "MON" (Motor Octane Number). Labels on pumps in the US typically describe this as the "(R+M)/2 Method". Some nations describe fuels according to the traditional RON or MON ratings, so octane ratings cannot always be compared with the equivalent US rating by the "(R+M)/2 method".

Differences in gasoline pumps

 
A service station in Angola
 
An unstaffed Asda self-service filling station where payment is made at the pump by credit or debit card. This one is in Middleton, Leeds, England
Main article: Gasoline pump

In Europe, New Zealand and Australia, the customer selects one of several color-coded nozzles depending on the type of fuel required. The filler pipe of unleaded fuel is smaller than the one for fuels for engines designed to take leaded fuel. The tank filler opening has a corresponding diameter; this prevents inadvertently using leaded fuel in an engine not designed for it, which can damage a catalytic converter. In most stations in Canada and the US, the pump has a single nozzle and the customer selects the desired octane grade by pushing a button. Some pumps require the customer to pick up the nozzle first, then lift a lever underneath it; others are designed so that lifting the nozzle automatically releases a switch. Some newer stations have separate nozzles for different types of fuel. Where diesel fuel is provided, it is usually dispensed from a separate nozzle even if the various grades of gasoline share the same nozzle.

Motorists occasionally pump gasoline into a diesel car by accident. The converse is almost impossible because diesel pumps have a large nozzle with a diameter of 15⁄16 inch (23.8 mm) which does not fit the 13⁄16-inch (20.6 mm) filler, and the nozzles are protected by a lock mechanism or a liftable flap. Diesel fuel in a gasoline engine—while creating large amounts of smoke—does not normally cause permanent damage if it is drained once the mistake is realized. However even a liter of gasoline added to the tank of a modern diesel car can cause irreversible damage to the injection pump and other components through a lack of lubrication. In some cases, the car has to be scrapped because the cost of repairs exceeds its residual value. The issue is not clear-cut as older diesels using completely mechanical injection can tolerate some gasoline—which has historically been used to "thin" diesel fuel in winter.

Legislation

 
A no smoking sign at a filling station

In most countries,[55][56][57][58] stations are subjected to guidelines and regulations which exist to minimize the potential of fires, and increase safety.

It is prohibited to use open flames and, in some places, mobile phones[59] on the forecourt of a filling station because of the risk of igniting gasoline vapor. In the US the fire marshal is responsible for regulations at the pump.[citation needed] Most localities ban smoking, open flames and running engines. Since the increased occurrence of static-related fires many stations have warnings about leaving the refueling point.

Cars can build up static charge by driving on dry road surfaces. However many tire compounds contain enough carbon black to provide an electrical ground which prevents charge build-up. Newer "high mileage" tires use more silica and can increase the buildup of static. A driver who does not discharge static by contacting a conductive part of the car will carry it to the insulated handle of the nozzle and the static potential will eventually be discharged when this purposely-grounded arrangement is put into contact with the metallic filler neck of the vehicle.[60] Ordinarily, vapor concentrations in the area of this filling operation are below the lower explosive limit (LEL) of the product being dispensed, so the static discharge causes no problem. The problem with ungrounded gasoline cans results from a combination of vehicular static charge, the potential between the container and the vehicle, and the loose fit between the grounded nozzle and the gas can. This last condition causes a rich vapor concentration in the ullage (the unfilled volume) of the gas can, and a discharge from the can to the grounded hanging hardware (the nozzle, hose, swivels and break-a-ways) can thus occur at a most inopportune point. The Petroleum Equipment Institute has recorded incidents of static-related ignition at refueling sites since early 2000.[61]

Although urban legends persist that using a mobile phone while pumping gasoline can cause sparks or explosion, this has not been duplicated under any controlled condition. Nevertheless, mobile phone manufacturers and gas stations ask users to switch off their phones. One suggested origin of this myth is said to have been started by gas station companies because the cell phone signal would interfere with the fuel counter on some older model fuel pumps causing it to give a lower reading. In the MythBusters episode "Cell Phone Destruction", investigators concluded that explosions attributed to cell phones could be caused by static discharges from clothing instead and also observed that such incidents seem to involve women more often than men.

The US National Fire Protection Association does most of the research and code writing to address the potential for explosions of gasoline vapor. The customer fueling area, up to 18 inches (46 cm) above the surface, normally does not have explosive concentrations of vapors, but may from time to time. Above this height, where most fuel filler necks are located, there is no expectation of an explosive concentration of gasoline vapor in normal operating conditions. Electrical equipment in the fueling area may be specially certified for use around gasoline vapors.

See also

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ ガソリンスタンド, gasorin sutando, a wasei-eigo term

References

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Further reading

  • Freund, David (2016). Gas Stop: The gas station in American life and landscape 1978–1981. Vol. 4 volumes. Göttingen, Germany: Steidl-Verlag. ISBN 9783958291737. – Grayscale photos taken 1978 to 1982. Review ( 2018-01-29 at the Wayback Machine).
  • Garwood, Robert Douglas (1980). The Rise of the American Gas Station (MA thesis). University of Oregon. OCLC 9431056.
  • Helms, Todd; Flohe, Chip (1997). Roadside Memories: A Collection of Vintage Gas Station Photographs. Atglen, PA, USA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 0764302787.
  • Henderson, Wayne; Benjamin, Scott (1994). Gas Stations. Crestline series. Osceola, WI, USA: Motorbooks International. ISBN 0879389451.
  • ————————— (2013). One Hundred Years of Gas Stations. Kernersville, NC, USA: PCM Publishing. ISBN 978-0965573665.
  • Jakle, John A.; Sculle, Keith A. (2002) [Originally published 1994]. The Gas Station in America. Creating the North American landscape series. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0801869196.
  • Jones, William D. (1998). Motor Cars and Serv-us Stations. Aberdeen, WA, USA: Jones Photo Co. ISBN 0966634209.
  • Kirn, M., ed. (1995). American Service Stations: 1935 Through 1943. Photo Archive series. Minneapolis, MN, USA: Iconografix. ISBN 1882256271.
  • Lee, Bob (1985). 10 Gallons for a Dollar: A Pictoral [sic] History of Gas Pump Companies and Service Stations. Detroit: Harlo. OCLC 12946173.
  • Lehman, Bree (2010). Ed Ruscha's Gas Stations and the Return of Nostalgia (MA thesis). Williams College. OCLC 728111290.
  • Margolies, John (1993). Pump and Circumstance: Glory Days of the Gas Station. Bulfinch Press book. Boston; New York; Toronto; London: Little, Brown and Co. ISBN 0821219952.
  • Ruscha, Ed (1969). Twentysix Gasoline Stations (3rd ed.). Alhambra, CA, USA: The Cunningham Press. OCLC 888402.
  • Russell, Tim (2007). Fill 'er Up!: The Great American Gas Station. St. Paul, MN, USA: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0760328712.
  • Sonter, Jim (2011). Servo: Great Australian Service Stations. Sydney: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780732292102.
  • Steil, Tim; Luning, Jim (2002). Fantastic Filling Stations. St. Paul, MN, USA: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 0760310645.
  • Vieyra, Daniel I. (1979). "Fill 'er Up": An Architectural History of America's Gas Stations. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. ISBN 0026220008.
  • Witzel, Michael Karl (1992). The American Gas Station. Osceola, WI, USA: Motorbooks International. ISBN 0879385944.
  • ————————— (1994). Gas Station Memories. Enthusiast color series. Osceola, WI, USA: Motorbooks International. ISBN 0879389257.
  • ————————— (2000). Gas Stations Coast to Coast. Osceola, WI, USA: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 0760307407.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Filling station.
 
Look up filling station in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

March 13, 2023
filling, station, confused, with, charging, station, fuelling, station, vehicle, activity, station, purwakarta, regency, west, java, indonesia, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, . Not to be confused with charging station or fuelling station 1 Vehicle activity at a gas station In Purwakarta Regency West Java in Indonesia This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Filling station news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message A Shell filling station in Sabah Malaysia The Skovshoved Filling Station in operation since 1935 in Copenhagen Denmark An MOL filling station in Luduș Transylvania Romania Orlen station for refueling boats Poland A Royal Dutch Shell filling station and garage in Mijnsheerenland The Netherlands late 1970s Pre fabricated gas station Culver City California US 1977 A filling station also known as a gas station US or petrol station UK is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline or petrol and diesel fuel Gasoline pumps are used to pump gasoline diesel compressed natural gas CGH2 HCNG LPG liquid hydrogen kerosene alcohol fuel like methanol ethanol butanol propanol biofuels like straight vegetable oil biodiesel or other types of fuel into the tanks within vehicles and calculate the financial cost of the fuel transferred to the vehicle Besides gasoline pumps one other significant device which is also found in filling stations and can refuel certain compressed air vehicles is an air compressor although generally these are just used to inflate car tires Many filling stations provide convenience stores which may sell confections alcoholic beverages tobacco products lottery tickets soft drinks snacks coffee newspapers magazines and in some cases a small selection of grocery items such as milk Some also sell propane or butane and have added shops to their primary business Conversely some chain stores such as supermarkets discount stores warehouse clubs or traditional convenience stores have provided fuel pumps on the premises Contents 1 Terminology 2 Worldwide numbers 2 1 The largest filling station networks in Europe 2017 3 History 3 1 Brazil 3 2 Russia 3 3 United States 4 Design and function 4 1 Underground filling stations 5 Marketing 5 1 North America 5 1 1 Premium brands 5 1 2 Discount brands 5 2 State controlled stations 5 3 Global and local branding 6 Payment methods 6 1 Australia and New Zealand 6 2 Canada 6 3 Ireland 6 4 United Kingdom 6 5 United States 7 Types of service 7 1 Brazil 7 2 Japan 7 3 North America 8 Other goods and services commonly available 9 Fuel prices 9 1 Europe 9 2 North America 9 3 Rest of the world 10 Service stations 11 Highway service centre 12 Octane 13 Differences in gasoline pumps 14 Legislation 15 See also 16 Explanatory notes 17 References 18 Further reading 19 External linksTerminology EditIn North America the fuel is known as gasoline or gas for short and gas station and service station are used in the United States Canada and the Caribbean In some regions of Canada the term gas bar or gasbar is used In the rest of the English speaking world the fuel is known as petrol and the term petrol station or petrol pump is used In the United Kingdom Ireland New Zealand and South Africa garage and forecourt is still commonly used Similarly in Australia New Zealand the United Kingdom and Ireland the term service station describes any petrol station Australians also call it a servo In India Pakistan and Bangladesh it is called a petrol pump or a petrol bunk In Japanese a commonly used term is gasoline stand Note 1 although the abbreviation SS for service station is also used Worldwide numbers EditThe UK has 8 385 filling stations as of 2019 update 2 down from about 18 000 in 1992 3 and a peak of around 40 000 in the mid 1960s The US had 114 474 stations in 2012 according to the US Census Bureau down from 118 756 in 2007 and 121 446 in 2002 4 5 6 In Canada the number is on the decline As of December 2008 12 684 were in operation significantly down from about 20 000 stations recorded in 1989 7 In Japan the number dropped from a peak of 60 421 in 1994 to 40 357 at the end of 2009 8 In Germany the number dropped down to 14 300 in 2011 9 In China according to different reports the total number of gas oil stations at the end of 2018 is about 106 000 10 India 60 799 as of November 2017 Russia there were about 25 000 stations in the Russian Federation 2011 In Argentina as of 2021 there are more than 5000 stations The largest filling station networks in Europe 2017 Edit TotalEnergies 8 200 stations Shell 7 800 stations BP 7 000 stations Esso 6 100 stations Eni 5 500 stations Repsol 4 700 stations Q8 4 600 stations Avia 3 000 stations PKN Orlen 2 800 stations Circle K 2 700 stations 11 History Edit The world s first filling station the City Pharmacy in Wiesloch Germany The first filling station was the city pharmacy in Wiesloch Germany where Bertha Benz refilled the tank of the first automobile on its maiden trip from Mannheim to Pforzheim back in 1888 Shortly thereafter other pharmacies sold gasoline as a side business Since 2008 the Bertha Benz Memorial Route commemorates this event 12 13 Brazil Edit The first posto de gasolina of South America was opened in Santos Sao Paulo Brazil in 1920 It was located on Ana Costa Avenue in front of the beach in a corner that is located by the Hotel Atlantico which occupies its area nowadays It was owned by Esso and brought by Antonio Duarte Moreira a taxi entrepreneur 14 Russia Edit Modern gas station column Russia In Russia the first filling stations appeared in 1911 when the Imperial Automobile Society signed an agreement with the partnership Br Nobel By 1914 about 440 stations functioned in major cities across the country In the mid 1960s in Moscow there were about 250 stations A significant boost in retail network development occurred with the mass launch of the car Zhiguli at the Volga Automobile Plant which was built in Tolyatti in 1970 Gasoline for other than non private cars was sold for ration cards only This type of payment system stopped in the midst of perestroika in the early 1990s Since the saturation of automobile filling stations in Russia is insufficient and lags behind the leading countries of the world there is a need to accommodate new stations in the cities and along the roads of different levels 15 United States Edit The increase in automobile ownership after Henry Ford started to sell automobiles that the middle class could afford resulted in an increased demand for filling stations The world s first purpose built gas station was constructed in St Louis Missouri in 1905 at 420 South Theresa Avenue The second station was constructed in 1907 by Standard Oil of California now Chevron in Seattle Washington at what is now Pier 32 Reighard s Gas Station in Altoona Pennsylvania claims that it dates from 1909 and is the oldest existing filling station in the United States 16 Early on they were known to motorists as filling stations These filling stations were known to wash your windows for free The first drive in filling station Gulf Refining Company opened to the motoring public in Pittsburgh on December 1 1913 at Baum Boulevard and St Clair s Street 17 Prior to this automobile drivers pulled into almost any general or hardware store or even blacksmith shops in order to fill up their tanks On its first day the station sold 30 US gallons 110 L of gasoline at 27 cents per gallon 7 cents per litre This was also the first architect designed station and the first to distribute free road maps 18 The first alternative fuel station was opened in San Diego California by Pearson Fuels in 2003 19 Maryland officials said that on September 26 2019 RS Automotive in Takoma Park Maryland became the first filling station in the country to convert to an EV charging station 20 Design and function EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed September 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message A Shell station near Lost Hills California US An IndianOil filling station near Dera Bassi in Punjab India Most filling stations are built in a similar manner with most of the fueling installation underground pump machines in the forecourt and a point of service inside a building Single or multiple fuel tanks are usually deployed underground Local regulations and environmental concerns may require a different method with some stations storing their fuel in container tanks entrenched surface tanks or unprotected fuel tanks deployed on the surface Fuel is usually offloaded from a tanker truck into each tank by gravity through a separate capped opening located on the station s perimeter Fuel from the tanks travels to the dispenser pumps through underground pipes For every fuel tank direct access must be available at all times Most tanks can be accessed through a service canal directly from the forecourt Older stations tend to use a separate pipe for every kind of available fuel and for every dispenser Newer stations may employ a single pipe for every dispenser This pipe houses a number of smaller pipes for the individual fuel types Fuel tanks dispenser and nozzles used to fill car tanks employ vapor recovery systems which prevents releases of vapor into the atmosphere with a system of pipes The exhausts are placed as high as possible A vapor recovery system may be employed at the exhaust pipe This system collects the vapors liquefies them and releases them back into the lowest grade fuel tank available The forecourt is the part of a filling station where vehicles are refueled Gasoline pumps are placed on concrete plinths as a precautionary measure against collision by motor vehicles Additional elements may be employed including metal barriers The area around the gasoline pumps must have a drainage system Since fuel sometimes spills onto the pavement as little of it as possible should remain Any liquids present on the forecourt will flow into a channel drain before it enters a petrol interceptor which is designed to capture any hydrocarbon pollutants and filter these from rainwater which may then proceed to a sanitary sewer stormwater drain or to ground If a filling station allows customers to pay at the dispenser the data from the dispenser may be transmitted via RS 232 RS 485 or Ethernet to the point of sale usually inside the filling station s building and fed into the station s cash register operating system The cash register system gives a limited control over the gasoline pump and is usually limited to allowing the clerks to turn the pumps on and off A separate system is used to monitor the fuel tank s status and quantities of fuel With sensors directly in the fuel tank the data is fed to a terminal in the back room where it can be downloaded or printed out Sometimes this method is bypassed with the fuel tank data transmitted directly to an external database Underground filling stations Edit The underground modular filling station is a construction model for filling stations that was developed and patented by U Cont Oy Ltd in Finland in 1993 Afterwards the same system was used in Florida US Above ground modular stations were built in the 1980s in eastern Europe and especially in Soviet Union but they were not built in other parts of Europe due to the stations lack of safety in case of fire The construction model for underground modular filling station makes the installation time shorter designing easier and manufacturing less expensive As a proof of the model s installation speed an unofficial world record of filling station installation was made by U Cont Oy Ltd when a modular filling station was built in Helsinki Finland in less than three days including groundwork The safety of modular filling stations has been tested in a filling station simulator in Kuopio Finland These tests have included for instance burning cars and explosions in the station simulator 21 22 Marketing EditNorth America Edit In the United States and Canada there are generally two marketing types of filling stations premium brands and discount brands Premium brands Edit Hydrogen fueling nozzle Filling stations with premium brands sell well recognized and often international brands of fuel including Exxon Mobil and its Esso brand Phillips 66 Conoco 76 Chevron Mobil Shell Husky Energy Sunoco US BP Valero and Texaco Non international premium brands include Petrobras Petro Canada owned by Suncor Energy Canada QuikTrip Hess Sinclair and Pemex Premium brand stations accept credit cards often issue their own company cards fuel cards or fleet cards and may charge higher prices In some cases fuel cards for customers with a lower fuel consumption are ordered not directly from an oil company but from an intermediary Many premium brands have fully automated pay at the pump facilities Premium stations tend to be highly visible from highway and freeway exits utilizing tall signs to display their brand logos Discount brands Edit Discount brands are often smaller regional chains or independent stations offering lower prices on fuel Most purchase wholesale commodity gasoline from independent suppliers or from the major petroleum companies Lower priced stations are also found at some supermarkets Albertsons Kroger Big Y Ingles Lowes Foods Giant Weis Markets Safeway Hy Vee Vons Meijer Loblaws Real Canadian Superstore and Giant Eagle convenience stores 7 Eleven Circle K Cumberland Farms QuickChek Road Ranger Sheetz and Wawa discount stores Walmart Canadian Tire and warehouse clubs Costco Sam s Club and BJ s Wholesale Club At some stations such as Vons Costco BJ s Wholesale Club or Sam s Club consumers are required to hold a special membership card in order to be eligible for the discounted price or pay only with the chain s cash card debt card or a credit card issuer exclusive to that chain In some areas such as New Jersey this practice is illegal and stations are required to sell to all at the same price Some convenience stores such as 7 Eleven and Circle K have co branded their stations with one of the premium brands After the Gulf Oil company was sold to Chevron northeastern retail units were sold off as a chain with Cumberland Farms controlling the remaining Gulf Oil outlets in the United States State controlled stations Edit Station on the road from the Thai border to Siem Reap Cambodia Some countries have only one brand of filling station In Mexico where the oil industry is state owned and prices are regulated the country s main operator of filling stations is Pemex may be outdated In Malaysia Shell is the dominant player by number of stations with government owned Petronas coming in second In Indonesia the dominant player by number of stations is the government owned Pertamina although other companies such as TotalEnergies and Shell are increasingly found in big cities such as the capital Jakarta or Surabaya 23 Global and local branding Edit An ENEOS filling station near Mount Fuji in Japan Some companies such as Shell use their brand worldwide however Chevron uses its inherited brand Caltex in Asia Pacific Australia and Africa and its Texaco brand in Europe and Latin America ExxonMobil uses its Exxon and Mobil brands but is still known as Esso the forerunner company name Standard Oil or S O in many places most noticeably in Canada In Brazil the main operators are Petrobras Distribuidora and Ipiranga but Esso and Shell are also present In the United Kingdom the two largest are BP and Shell The Big Four supermarket chains Morrisons Sainsbury s Asda and Tesco all operate filling stations as well as some of the smaller supermarkets such as The Co operative Group and Waitrose Indian Oil operates approximately 15 000 stations in India In Japan the main operators are Cosmo Oil Idemitsu under the brand names apollostation and Idemitsu ENEOS Corporation under the brand names ENEOS Express and General and Mitsubishi Group operates self service stations under the Lawson convenience store branding although foreign brands such as Shell operated by Idemitsu since its acquisition of Showa Shell Sekiyu in 2018 2019 and formerly Esso and Mobil previously operated by ENEOS Corporation under license from ExxonMobil all rebranded to ENEOS in 2019 are also present Payment methods EditAustralia and New Zealand Edit Most service stations allow the customer to pump the fuel before paying In recent years some service stations have required customers to purchase their fuel first In some small towns the customer may hand the cash to the attendant on the forecourt if they are paying for a set amount of fuel and have no change but usually customers will enter the service centre to pay a cashier Some supermarkets have their own forecourts which are unmanned and payment is pay at pump only Customers at the supermarket will receive a discount voucher which offers discounted fuel at their forecourt The amount of discount varies depending on the amount spent on groceries at the supermarket but normally starts at 4 cents a litre In New Zealand BP has an app for smartphones that detects a user s location then allows one to select the type of fuel which pump and how much to spend The amount is then deducted from the user s account Canada Edit In British Columbia and Alberta it is a legal requirement that customers either pre pay for the fuel or pay at the pump The law is called Grant s Law 24 and is intended to prevent gas and dash crimes where a customer refuels and then drives away without paying for it In other provinces payment after filling is permitted and widely available though some stations may require either a pre payment or a payment at the pump during night hours Ireland Edit In the Republic of Ireland most stations allow customers to pump fuel before paying Some stations have pay at the pump facilities United Kingdom Edit A small independent filling station in Boston Spa West Yorkshire England A large majority of stations allow customers to pay with a chip and pin payment card or pay in the shop Many have a pay at the pump system where customers can enter their PIN prior to refueling United States Edit Pre payment is the norm in the US and customers may typically pay either at the pump or inside the gas station Modern stations have pay at the pump functions in most cases credit debit ATM cards fuel cards and fleet cards are accepted Occasionally a station will have a pay at the pump only period per day when attendants are not present often at night and some stations are pay at the pump only 24 hours a day Types of service EditFilling stations typically offer one of three types of service to their customers full service minimum service or self service Full service An attendant operates the pumps often wipes the windshield and sometimes checks the vehicle s oil level and tire pressure then collects payment and perhaps a small tip 25 Minimum service An attendant operates the pumps This is often required due to legislation that prohibits customers from operating the pumps Self service The customer performs all required service Signs informing the customer of filling procedures and cautions are displayed on each pump Customers can still enter a store or go to a booth to give payment to a person Unmanned Using cardlock or pay at the pump system these are completely unstaffed 26 Brazil Edit Royal Dutch Shell station in Feira de Santana Brazil In Brazil self service fuel filling is illegal due to a federal law enacted in 2000 The law was introduced by Federal Deputy Aldo Rebelo who claims it saved 300 000 fuel attendant jobs across the country 27 Japan Edit A Lawson self service station with attached convenience store in Shingu Fukuoka Japan Before 1998 filling stations in Japan were entirely full service stations Self service stations were legalized in Japan in 1998 following the abolition of the Special Petroleum Law which led to the deregulation of the petroleum industry in Japan Under current safety regulations while motorists are able to self dispense fuel at self service stations generally identified in Japanese as serufu セルフ 28 at least one fuel attendant must be on hand to keep watch over potential safety violations and to render assistance to motorists whenever necessary North America Edit In the United States areas in red prohibit self service In the past filling stations in the United States offered a choice between full service and self service Before 1970 full service was the norm and self service was rare Today few stations advertise or provide full service Full service stations are more common in wealthy and upscale areas The cost of full service is usually assessed as a fixed amount per US gallon The first self service station in the United States was in Los Angeles opened in 1947 by Frank Urich 29 In Canada the first self service station opened in Winnipeg Manitoba in 1949 It was operated by the independent company Henderson Thriftway Petroleum owned by Bill Henderson 30 A typical US filling station like this Mobil station in Belmont California A typical Canadian station like this Petro Canada station in Saskatoon Saskatchewan A Sheetz station with several pumps in Breezewood Pennsylvania US In New Jersey filling stations offer only full service and mini service attendants there are required to pump gasoline for customers Customers in fact are prohibited by law from pumping their own gasoline The only exception to this within New Jersey is at the filling station next to Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst in Wrightstown New Jersey prohibited self service in 1949 with the passage of Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act after lobbying by service station owners That laws states that Because of the fire hazards directly associated with dispensing fuel it is in the public interest that gasoline station operators have the control needed over that activity to ensure compliance with appropriate safety procedures including turning off vehicle engines and refraining from smoking while fuel is dispensed 31 Proponents of the prohibition cite safety and jobs as reasons to keep the ban 32 Of note the ban does not apply to the pumping of diesel fuel at filling stations though individual filling stations may prohibit this nor does it apply to the pumping of gasoline into boats or aircraft 33 Similarly Oregon with few exceptions also mandates full service at most service stations The exception to this regulation is that a filling station may be self service if located in a county with a population of 40 000 or less 34 The only exception to this within Oregon is at the filling stations next to the Indian reservation casinos in Pendleton and Grand Ronde which are permitted to be self service Oregon prohibited self service in a 1951 statute prohibiting that listed 17 different justifications including flammability the risk of crime from customers leaving their vehicles toxic fumes and the jobs created by requiring mini service 35 Like New Jersey the Oregon self service prohibitions do not apply to the pumping of diesel fuel at filling stations though individual filling stations may prohibit this 36 Motorcycle owners may pump their own with the service station attendant present and non retail customers may also pump their own gas 37 Oregon s ban on self service gasoline is also seen as part of Oregonian culture One commentator noted The joke is when babies are born in Oregon the doctor slaps their bottom No self serve and no sales tax It s as much a cultural issue as an economic issue It s a way of life 38 However recent years have shown that this opinion might be changing as a 2014 Public Policy Poll showed that although self serve was favored by a narrow margin of all Oregonians Oregonians under 45 favored self serve gas by 53 percent to 33 percent 39 In 1982 Oregon voters rejected a ballot measure sponsored by the service station owners which would have legalized self service 40 Oregon legislators passed a bill that was signed into law by the Governor in May 2017 to allow self service for counties with a total population of 40 000 or less beginning in January 2018 34 The constitutionality of the self service bans has been disputed The Oregon statute was brought into court in 1989 by ARCO and the New Jersey statute was challenged in court in 1950 by a small independent service station Rein Motors Both challenges failed Former New Jersey governor Jon Corzine sought to lift the ban on self service for New Jersey He asserted that it would be able to lower gas prices but some New Jerseyans argued that it could cause drawbacks especially unemployment citation needed The town of Huntington New York has prohibited self service stations since the early 1970s firstly to prevent theft and later due to safety concerns 41 42 Contrary to popular belief lit cigarettes are not capable of igniting gasoline However several states outlaw smoking at gas stations as the fire from the ignition source used to light the cigarette can ignite gasoline vapors Most gas stations and many municipalities will also explicitly ban any smoking activity within certain distances of gasoline pumps 43 44 Other goods and services commonly available Edit A Spar express convenience store in a Shell station in Wattens Austria Many stations provide toilet facilities for customer use as well as squeegees and paper towels for customers to clean their vehicle s windows Discount stations may not provide these amenities in some countries Stations typically have an air compressor typically with a built in or provided handheld tire pressure gauge to inflate tires and a hose to add water to vehicle radiators Some air compressor machines are free of charge while others charge a small fee to use typically 50 cents to a dollar in North America In US states such as California state law requires that paying customers must be provided with free air compressor service and radiator water 45 In some regions of America and Australia many filling stations have a mechanic on duty but this practice has died out in other parts of the world Many filling stations have integrated convenience stores which sell food beverages and often cigarettes lottery tickets motor oil and auto parts Prices for these items tend to be higher than they would be at a supermarket or discount store Many stations particularly in the United States have a fast food outlet inside These are usually express versions with limited seating and limited menus though some may be regular sized and have spacious seating Larger restaurants are common at truck stops and toll road service plazas In some US states beer wine and liquor are sold at filling stations though this practice varies according to state law see Alcohol laws of the United States by state Nevada also allows the operation of slot and video poker machines without time restrictions Vacuum cleaners often coin operated are a common amenity to allow the cleaning of vehicle interiors either by the customer or by an attendant Some stations are equipped with car washes Car washes are sometimes offered free of charge or at a discounted price with a certain amount of fuel purchased Conversely some car washes operate filling stations to supplement their businesses From approximately 1920 to 1980 many service stations in the US provided free road maps affiliated with their parent oil companies to customers This practice fell out of favor due to the 1970s energy crisis 46 47 Fuel prices EditSee also Gasoline and diesel usage and pricing Europe Edit Fuel prices in Germany cents per liter Many supermarkets in Europe have branched into gasoline retailing as shown by this Morrisons filling station in Wetherby West Yorkshire England In European Union member states gasoline prices are much higher than in North America due to higher fuel excise or taxation although the base price is also higher than in the US Occasionally price rises trigger national protests In the UK a large scale protest in August and September 2000 known as The Fuel Crisis caused wide scale havoc not only across the UK but also in some other EU countries The UK Government eventually backed down by indefinitely postponing a planned increase in fuel duty This was partially reversed during December 2006 when then Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown raised fuel duty by 1 25 pence per liter National prices representative of gasoline price Eurosuper 95 on 24 September 2018 as provided by EU member states Legend lt 1 25 L lt lt 1 35 L lt lt 1 50 L lt Non member state source European Union DG ENER 48 Since 2007 gasoline prices in the UK rose by nearly 40 pence per liter going from 97 3 pence per liter in 2007 to 136 8 pence per liter in 2012 49 In much of Europe including the UK France and Germany stations operated by large supermarket chains usually price fuel lower than stand alone stations In most of mainland Europe sales tax is lower on diesel fuel than on gasoline and diesel is accordingly the cheaper fuel in the UK and Switzerland diesel has no tax advantage and retails at a higher price by quantity than gasoline offset by its higher energy yield In 2014 according to Eurostat the mean EU28 price was 1 38 L for euro super 95 gasoline 1 26 L for diesel 50 The least expensive gasoline was in Estonia at 1 10 L and the most expensive at 1 57 L in Italy 50 The least expensive diesel was in Estonia at 1 14 L and the most expensive at 1 54 L in the UK 50 The least expensive LPG was in Belgium at 0 50 L and the most expensive at 0 83 L in France 50 North America Edit Pay at the pump gasoline pump Retail markup over crude oil and wholesale gasoline 2014 2019 Nearly all filling stations in North America advertise their prices on large signs outside the stations Some locations have laws requiring such signage 51 In Canada and the United States federal state or provincial and local sales taxes are usually included in the price although tax details are often posted at the pump and some stations may provide details on sales receipts Gasoline taxes are often ring fenced dedicated to fund transportation projects such as the maintenance of existing roads and the construction of new ones Individual filling stations in the United States have little if any control over gasoline prices citation needed The wholesale price of gasoline is determined according to area by oil companies which supply the gasoline and their prices are largely determined by the world markets for oil Individual stations are unlikely to sell gasoline at a loss and the profit margin typically between 7 and 11 cents a US gallon 2 3 cents per liter that they make from gasoline sales is limited by competitive pressures a gas station which charges more than others will lose customers to them Most stations try to compensate by selling higher margin food products in their convenience stores Even with oil market fluctuations prices for gasoline in the United States are among the lowest in the industrialized world this is principally due to lower taxes While the sales price of gasoline in Europe is more than twice that in the United States the price excluding taxes is nearly identical in the two areas Some Canadians and Mexicans in communities close to the US border drive into the United States to purchase cheaper gasoline Due to heavy fluctuations in price in the United States some stations offer their customers the option to buy and store gasoline for future uses such as the service provided by First Fuel Bank In order to save money some consumers in Canada and the United States inform each other about low and high prices through the use of gasoline price websites Such websites allow users to share prices advertised at filling stations with each other by posting them to a central server Consumers then may check the prices listed in their geographic area in order to select the station with the lowest price available at the time Some television and radio stations also compile pricing information via viewer and listener reports of pricing or reporter observations and present it as a regular segment of their newscasts usually before or after traffic reports These price observations must usually be made by reading the pricing signs outside stations as many companies do not give their prices by telephone due to competitive concerns It is a criminal offense to have written or verbal arrangements with competitors suppliers or customers for Fixing prices and exchanging information on prices or cost including discounts and rebates Limiting or restraining competition unduly Engaging in misleading or deceptive practices Gas stations must never hold discussions with other competitors regarding pricing policies and methods terms of sale costs allocation of markets or boycotts of our petroleum products 52 Rest of the world Edit Like many gasoline stands in Japan this Shell filling station has hoses that hang from above In other energy importing countries such as Japan gasoline and petroleum product prices are higher than in the United States because of fuel transportation costs and taxes On the other hand some of the major oil producing countries such as the Gulf states Iran Iraq and Venezuela provide subsidized fuel at well below world market prices This practice tends to encourage heavy consumption Hong Kong has some of the highest pump prices in the world but most customers are given discounts as card members In Western Australia a program called FuelWatch requires most filling stations to notify their tomorrow prices by 2 pm each day prices are changed at 6 am each morning and must be held for 24 hours Each afternoon the prices for the next day are released to the public and the media allowing consumers to decide when to fill up Service stations Edit A Shell station in Columbus Ohio in 2020 The building which formerly housed a service station was converted into a convenience store A service station or servo is the terminology often used in Australia along with petrol station to describe any facility where motorists can refuel their cars In New Zealand a filling station is often referred to as a service station petrol station or garage even though it may not offer mechanical repairs or assistance with dispensing fuel Levels of service available include full service for which assistance in dispensing fuel is offered as well as offers to check tire pressure or clean vehicle windscreens That type of service is becoming uncommon in New Zealand particularly Auckland Further south of Auckland many filling stations offer full service There is also help service or assisted service for which customers must request assistance before it is given and self service for which no assistance is available US service station c 1950s Main article List of filling stations in North America In the US a filling station that also offers services such as oil changes and mechanical repairs to automobiles is called a service station Until the 1970s the vast majority of filling stations were service stations 53 These stations typically offered free air for inflating tires as compressed air was already on hand to operate the repair garage s pneumatic tools While a few filling stations with a service station remain many in the 1980s and 1990s were converted to convenience stores while still selling fuel while others continued to offer services but discontinued offering fuel This kind of business provided the name for the US comic strip Gasoline Alley where a number of the characters worked In the UK and Ireland a service station refers to much larger facilities usually attached to motorways see rest area or major truck routes which provide food outlets large parking areas and often other services such as hotels arcade games and shops in addition to 24 hour fuel supplies and a higher standard of restrooms Fuel is typically more expensive from these outlets due to their premium locations UK or Irish service stations do not usually repair automobiles Highway service centre Edit Linnatuuli a highway service centre in Janakkala Finland along the Tampere Highway E12 This arrangement occurs on many toll roads and some interstate freeways and is called an oasis or service plaza In many cases these centers might have a food court or restaurants In the United Kingdom and Ireland these are called motorway service areas Often the state government maintains public rest areas directly connected to freeways but does not rent out space to private businesses as this is specifically prohibited by law via the Interstate Highway Act of 1956 which created the national Interstate Highway System except sites on freeways built before January 1 1960 and toll highways that are self supporting but have Interstate designation under a grandfather clause As a result such areas often provide only minimal services such as restrooms and vending machines Private entrepreneurs develop additional facilities such as truck stops or travel centers restaurants gas stations and motels in clusters on private land adjacent to major interchanges In the US Pilot Flying J and TravelCenters of America are two of the most common full service chains of truck stops Because these facilities are not directly connected to the freeway they usually have huge signs on poles high enough to be visible by motorists in time to exit from the freeway citation needed Sometimes the state also posts small official signs normally blue indicating what types of filling stations restaurants and hotels are available at an upcoming exit businesses may add their logos to these signs for a fee In Canada the province of Ontario has stops along two of its 400 series highways the 401 and the 400 traditionally referred to as Service Centres but recently renamed ONroute as part of a full rebuild of the sites Owned by the provincial government but leased to private operator Host Kilmer Service Centres they contain food courts convenience stores washrooms and co located gas and diesel bars with attached convenience stores Food providers include Tim Hortons at all sites A amp W Wendy s and Pizza Pizza At most sites fuel is sold by Canadian Tire with a few older Esso gas bars at earlier renovated locations Octane EditMain article Octane rating A state petroleum inspector visiting a Mobil station in Port Charlotte Florida In Australia gasoline is unleaded and available in 91 95 98 and 100 octane names differ from brand to brand Fuel additives for use in cars designed for leaded fuel are available at most filling stations In Canada the most commonly found octane grades are 87 regular 89 mid grade and 91 premium using the same R M 2 Method used in the US see below In China the most commonly found octane grade is RON 91 regular 93 mid grade and 97 premium Almost all of the fuel has been unleaded since 2000 In some premium filling stations in large cities such as Petrol China and Sinopec RON 98 gas is sold for racing cars In Europe gasoline is unleaded and available in 95 RON Eurosuper and in nearly all countries 98 RON Super Plus octanes in some countries 91 RON octane gasoline is offered as well citation needed In addition 100 RON is offered in some countries in continental Europe Shell markets this as V Power Racing Some stations offer 98 RON with lead substitute often called Lead Replacement Petrol or LRP In New Zealand gasoline is unleaded and most commonly available in 91 RON Regular and 95 RON Premium 98 RON is available at selected BP Ultimate and Mobil Synergy 8000 service stations instead of the standard 95 RON 96 RON was replaced by 95 RON and subsequently abolished in 2006 Leaded fuel was abolished in 1996 In the UK the most common gasoline grade and lowest octane generally available is Premium 95 RON unleaded Super is widely available at 97 RON for example Shell V Power BP Ultimate Leaded fuel is no longer available In the United States all motor vehicle gasoline is unleaded and is available in several grades with different octane rating 87 Regular 89 Mid Grade and 93 Premium are typical grades At high altitudes in the Mountain States and the Black Hills of South Dakota regular unleaded can be as low as 85 octane this practice has become increasingly controversial since it was instituted when most cars had carburetors instead of the fuel injection and electronic engine controls standard in recent decades 54 In the US gasoline is described in terms of its pump octane which is the mean of their RON Research Octane Number and MON Motor Octane Number Labels on pumps in the US typically describe this as the R M 2 Method Some nations describe fuels according to the traditional RON or MON ratings so octane ratings cannot always be compared with the equivalent US rating by the R M 2 method Differences in gasoline pumps Edit A service station in Angola An unstaffed Asda self service filling station where payment is made at the pump by credit or debit card This one is in Middleton Leeds England Main article Gasoline pump In Europe New Zealand and Australia the customer selects one of several color coded nozzles depending on the type of fuel required The filler pipe of unleaded fuel is smaller than the one for fuels for engines designed to take leaded fuel The tank filler opening has a corresponding diameter this prevents inadvertently using leaded fuel in an engine not designed for it which can damage a catalytic converter In most stations in Canada and the US the pump has a single nozzle and the customer selects the desired octane grade by pushing a button Some pumps require the customer to pick up the nozzle first then lift a lever underneath it others are designed so that lifting the nozzle automatically releases a switch Some newer stations have separate nozzles for different types of fuel Where diesel fuel is provided it is usually dispensed from a separate nozzle even if the various grades of gasoline share the same nozzle Motorists occasionally pump gasoline into a diesel car by accident The converse is almost impossible because diesel pumps have a large nozzle with a diameter of 15 16 inch 23 8 mm which does not fit the 13 16 inch 20 6 mm filler and the nozzles are protected by a lock mechanism or a liftable flap Diesel fuel in a gasoline engine while creating large amounts of smoke does not normally cause permanent damage if it is drained once the mistake is realized However even a liter of gasoline added to the tank of a modern diesel car can cause irreversible damage to the injection pump and other components through a lack of lubrication In some cases the car has to be scrapped because the cost of repairs exceeds its residual value The issue is not clear cut as older diesels using completely mechanical injection can tolerate some gasoline which has historically been used to thin diesel fuel in winter Legislation Edit A no smoking sign at a filling station In most countries 55 56 57 58 stations are subjected to guidelines and regulations which exist to minimize the potential of fires and increase safety It is prohibited to use open flames and in some places mobile phones 59 on the forecourt of a filling station because of the risk of igniting gasoline vapor In the US the fire marshal is responsible for regulations at the pump citation needed Most localities ban smoking open flames and running engines Since the increased occurrence of static related fires many stations have warnings about leaving the refueling point Cars can build up static charge by driving on dry road surfaces However many tire compounds contain enough carbon black to provide an electrical ground which prevents charge build up Newer high mileage tires use more silica and can increase the buildup of static A driver who does not discharge static by contacting a conductive part of the car will carry it to the insulated handle of the nozzle and the static potential will eventually be discharged when this purposely grounded arrangement is put into contact with the metallic filler neck of the vehicle 60 Ordinarily vapor concentrations in the area of this filling operation are below the lower explosive limit LEL of the product being dispensed so the static discharge causes no problem The problem with ungrounded gasoline cans results from a combination of vehicular static charge the potential between the container and the vehicle and the loose fit between the grounded nozzle and the gas can This last condition causes a rich vapor concentration in the ullage the unfilled volume of the gas can and a discharge from the can to the grounded hanging hardware the nozzle hose swivels and break a ways can thus occur at a most inopportune point The Petroleum Equipment Institute has recorded incidents of static related ignition at refueling sites since early 2000 61 Although urban legends persist that using a mobile phone while pumping gasoline can cause sparks or explosion this has not been duplicated under any controlled condition Nevertheless mobile phone manufacturers and gas stations ask users to switch off their phones One suggested origin of this myth is said to have been started by gas station companies because the cell phone signal would interfere with the fuel counter on some older model fuel pumps causing it to give a lower reading In the MythBusters episode Cell Phone Destruction investigators concluded that explosions attributed to cell phones could be caused by static discharges from clothing instead and also observed that such incidents seem to involve women more often than men The US National Fire Protection Association does most of the research and code writing to address the potential for explosions of gasoline vapor The customer fueling area up to 18 inches 46 cm above the surface normally does not have explosive concentrations of vapors but may from time to time Above this height where most fuel filler necks are located there is no expectation of an explosive concentration of gasoline vapor in normal operating conditions Electrical equipment in the fueling area may be specially certified for use around gasoline vapors See also EditAutogas LPG Automated fueling Biofuels Convenience store Ethanol Filling station attendant Gas pump Gasoline usage and pricing Gasoline Highway oasis Hydrogen station List of automotive fuel retailers LPG tank connections National Association of Convenience Stores Petroleum Propellant depot a gas station in space Road tripExplanatory notes Edit ガソリンスタンド gasorin sutando a wasei eigo termReferences Edit Organization Pertamina 1974 Pertamina Perusahaan Pertambangan Minyak dan Gas Bumi Negara OCLC 3033998 UKPIA Statistical Review 2018 PDF UKPIA Retrieved 2019 03 09 permanent dead link UKPIA Refining Britain s Fuels Industry Overview Archived from the original on 30 May 2015 Retrieved 10 June 2015 Bureau U S Census American FactFinder Results Archived from the original on 13 February 2020 Retrieved 2 December 2016 Bureau U S Census American FactFinder Results Archived from the original on 13 February 2020 Retrieved 2 December 2016 Bureau U S Census American FactFinder Results Archived from the original on 13 February 2020 Retrieved 2 December 2016 Number of Gas Stations in Canada Continues to Decline Markets News Releases CCN Canadian Business Online 2010 Report into Future Service Stations from METI Archived 2013 02 06 at the Wayback Machine ADAC Anzahl an Tankstellen und Markenverteilung Archived from the original on 8 April 2015 Retrieved 10 June 2015 2019年中国加油站行业竞争格局与发展趋势行业研究 两桶油各占半壁江山 组图 Orlen w pierwszej dziesiatce w Europie The Car is Born A documentary about Carl and Bertha Benz YouTube Bertha Benz Memorial Route Archived from the original on 23 September 2015 Retrieved 10 June 2015 Desde que gasolina era com z 2016 08 16 The history of filling stations in Russia Archived from the original on 2017 02 04 America s Oldest Gasoline 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Genovese Peter 2004 Full service gas stations In Lurie Maxine N Mappen Marc eds Encyclopedia of New Jersey Piscataway New Jersey Rutgers University Press pp 295 ISBN 978 0 8135 3325 4 Department of Labor and Workforce Development Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act and Regulations www nj gov Retrieved 2021 10 22 a b Many central Oregon gas stations to pass on self service Associated Press 30 December 2017 Archived from the original on 31 December 2017 Retrieved 2 January 2018 ORS 480 315 Chapter 480 Oregon Revised Statutes 2007 edition Legislative Counsel Committee of the Oregon Legislative Assembly Retrieved 2008 06 24 ORS 480 341 Customer operation of gasoline dispensing device in low population county of eastern Oregon oregon public law Retrieved 2021 10 22 ORS 480 345 Chapter 480 Oregon Revised Statutes 2017 edition Legislative Counsel Committee of the Oregon Legislative Assembly Chen David W April 28 2006 New Jersey May Drop Ban on Self Service Gas Stations The New York Times Archived from the original on December 11 2008 Retrieved 2008 06 24 Jeff Mapes 2 June 2014 Younger Oregon Voters Strongly Favor Self Service Gas Pumps Archived from the original on 2015 05 18 Retrieved 2015 05 20 Ballot Measure 4 of 1982 was titled Permits Self Service Dispensing of Motor Vehicle Fuel at Retail and failed with 440 824 votes in favor and 597 970 against Initiative Referendum and Recall 1980 1987 PDF Oregon Blue Book 2008 Retrieved 2008 06 24 Long Island Town May Finally Give Gas Station Owners Option Of Having Self Service Pumps 2019 12 04 Retrieved 2020 06 10 Huntington may lift ban on self service gas pumps Newsday 2019 12 02 Archived from the original on 2019 12 02 Retrieved 2020 06 10 Marcus Howard A Geiman Justin A 2014 11 01 The Propensity of Lit Cigarettes to Ignite Gasoline Vapors Fire Technology 50 6 1391 1412 doi 10 1007 s10694 013 0380 3 ISSN 1572 8099 2011 Code of Virginia Title 46 2 MOTOR VEHICLES Chapter 8 Regulation of Traffic 46 2 800 thru 46 2 947 46 2 819 4 Smoking in proximity to gas pumps penalty Justia Law Retrieved 2022 12 11 Brown Matt 4 July 2013 It s free to breathe but air comes with a price at gas stations The Press Democrat Retrieved 30 September 2019 Many drivers in California don t know they are entitled to free air and water when they buy gasoline and they end up paying extra for the service consumer advocates say Patton Phil 2006 11 12 When Maps Reflected Romance of the Road The New York Times Maps by the Decade Road Map Collectors Association Archived from the original on 2013 01 02 Retrieved 2013 01 02 http ec europa eu energy maps maps weekly oil bulletin latest Oil Prices ES95 pdf bare URL PDF Cars and Garages Diagnose Problems Estimate Costs amp Find Garages Archived from the original on 11 June 2015 Retrieved 10 June 2015 a b c d File Consumer prices of petroleum products end of second half 2014 EUR per litre YB15 fr png Statistics Explained Belson Ken 2008 07 15 A Shortage at the Pump Not of Gas but of 4s The New York Times Archived from the original on 2009 04 17 Retrieved 2008 07 15 Competition Bureau Canada Home Archived from the original on 9 June 2015 Retrieved 10 June 2015 Then amp Now Service stations popular until 1970s The Spokesman Review www spokesman com Retrieved 2022 12 15 Phelan Mark May 29 2013 Vacationers beware Bad gas can damage your car Detroit Free Press USA Today Archived from the original on November 20 2016 Retrieved September 30 2013 Petrol Stations Health and Safety Authority Archived from the original on 3 December 2016 Retrieved 2 December 2016 Gas station regulations Zambia Archived 2016 03 18 at the Wayback Machine If you are an operator of or an employee at a petrol filling station Petrol Fire and Explosion Archived from the original on 19 November 2016 Retrieved 2 December 2016 Gas station regulations Rwanda Archived 2016 03 04 at the Wayback Machine Spencer Kelly 2004 11 05 Mobile phones as fire risks Click BBC News Online Archived from the original on 2009 02 08 Retrieved 2010 08 22 CarCare Auto Clinic Archived 2017 02 15 at the Wayback Machine Popular Mechanics April 2003 p 163 Petroleum Equipment Institute Archived 2008 07 19 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2014 06 10Further reading EditFreund David 2016 Gas Stop The gas station in American life and landscape 1978 1981 Vol 4 volumes Gottingen Germany Steidl Verlag ISBN 9783958291737 Grayscale photos taken 1978 to 1982 Review Archived 2018 01 29 at the Wayback Machine Garwood Robert Douglas 1980 The Rise of the American Gas Station MA thesis University of Oregon OCLC 9431056 Helms Todd Flohe Chip 1997 Roadside Memories A Collection of Vintage Gas Station Photographs Atglen PA USA Schiffer Publishing ISBN 0764302787 Henderson Wayne Benjamin Scott 1994 Gas Stations Crestline series Osceola WI USA Motorbooks International ISBN 0879389451 2013 One Hundred Years of Gas Stations Kernersville NC USA PCM Publishing ISBN 978 0965573665 Jakle John A Sculle Keith A 2002 Originally published 1994 The Gas Station in America Creating the North American landscape series Baltimore and London Johns Hopkins University Press ISBN 0801869196 Jones William D 1998 Motor Cars and Serv us Stations Aberdeen WA USA Jones Photo Co ISBN 0966634209 Kirn M ed 1995 American Service Stations 1935 Through 1943 Photo Archive series Minneapolis MN USA Iconografix ISBN 1882256271 Lee Bob 1985 10 Gallons for a Dollar A Pictoral sic History of Gas Pump Companies and Service Stations Detroit Harlo OCLC 12946173 Lehman Bree 2010 Ed Ruscha s Gas Stations and the Return of Nostalgia MA thesis Williams College OCLC 728111290 Margolies John 1993 Pump and Circumstance Glory Days of the Gas Station Bulfinch Press book Boston New York Toronto London Little Brown and Co ISBN 0821219952 Ruscha Ed 1969 Twentysix Gasoline Stations 3rd ed Alhambra CA USA The Cunningham Press OCLC 888402 Russell Tim 2007 Fill er Up The Great American Gas Station St Paul MN USA Voyageur Press ISBN 978 0760328712 Sonter Jim 2011 Servo Great Australian Service Stations Sydney HarperCollins ISBN 9780732292102 Steil Tim Luning Jim 2002 Fantastic Filling Stations St Paul MN USA MBI Publishing Company ISBN 0760310645 Vieyra Daniel I 1979 Fill er Up An Architectural History of America s Gas Stations New York Macmillan Publishing Co ISBN 0026220008 Witzel Michael Karl 1992 The American Gas Station Osceola WI USA Motorbooks International ISBN 0879385944 1994 Gas Station Memories Enthusiast color series Osceola WI USA Motorbooks International ISBN 0879389257 2000 Gas Stations Coast to Coast Osceola WI USA MBI Publishing Company ISBN 0760307407 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Filling station Look up filling station in Wiktionary the free dictionary Energy Policy How Gas Stations Price Gas at HowStuffWorks Fill er Up Documentary produced by Wisconsin Public Television Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Filling station amp oldid 1140242707, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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