One Voice Blog

The domestic fuel supply chain in the U.S. has never been more robust, but the growth in fuel volumes and formulations have created challenges related to supply. OPW Engineered Systems and Civacon have recognized and responded to these challenges through the creation of equipment and systems that can help keep the country’s fuel supply chain operating effectively.

Optimizing the performance, protection and safety of fueling, electrical and sewage access systems that are buried underground requires a balancing act. They must stand up to the daily wear and tear of foot and vehicle traffic, heat and rain in the summer and cold, snow, salt and snowplows in the winter, shifting ground and seismic events, with water intrusion a threat at all times. At the same time, they must allow easy access so that they can be reliably serviced, maintained, monitored and repaired.

It may be patently obvious, but it’s worth bearing in mind – water is the lifeblood of the vehicle-wash industry. Without its ready availability, professional washes would cease to function. That’s why savvy wash operators know that they must treat their most precious resource with as much tender loving care as a conscientious car owner lavishes on a vehicle.

It’s an unavoidable fact of railroad life that at some point, most unit trains – which can be 100 cars or longer – will pass through a heavily populated urban area while laden with dangerous or hazardous materials. While accidents that result in catastrophic leaks or spills of hazardous materials are extremely rare – and becoming even rarer, according to industry analysts – a rollover incident that occurs in an urban, population-dense area has the potential to adversely affect a large number of people.

Tunnel washes continue to forge ahead and have made a comfortable home for themselves in the vehicle-wash universe. Since 1969, Belanger, Inc., has been a leader in developing innovative tunnel-wash designs that are able to deliver a better wash experience for the customer and the highest level of reliability, durability and serviceability for the operator.

At first glance, fueling systems at retail fueling sites appear to be nothing more than rough-and-tumble setups – a big hole is dug in which a long tube is buried before a heavy-duty pump pushes the fuel through the dispenser nozzle and into a customer’s vehicle. In reality, they are delicate ecosystems in which a number of finely tuned parts need to function in harmony to consistently produce the desired result.

There are several critical points in the fuel-delivery process at a retail or commercial fueling site: ensuring the correct type or grade of fuel is unloaded into the correct tank, ensuring the entire payload is unloaded, ensuring correct volumes are delivered and avoiding product overfills are among the most common. While errors can be rare, they are also entirely unacceptable.

In the fluid storage terminal industry, hundreds of product-transfer activities that take place on any given day carry with them the built-in risk of a product release occurring. Product releases, especially if the fluid product is deemed dangerous or hazardous, cannot be tolerated in any form or volume because they can cause injury to those administering the transfer process, along with damage to our environment.

The third pillar that supports OPW’s “Defining What’s Next” philosophy is Enhancing Business Performance. In a way, achieving success in living up to this pillar requires melding together the demands of Protecting People and Protecting the Environment.

The second pillar that comprises OPW’s “Defining What’s Next” philosophy is Protecting the Environment. In the grand scheme of things, we are all stewards in helping ensure the well-being of the environment. As stewards, we are tasked with preventing irreparable harm to the environment due to our actions, whether intentional or unintentional.

OPW’s “Defining What’s Next” philosophy is built on three pillars, all of which, if optimized, will contribute to a safer world for its inhabitants and the environment, all while improving the business performance of OPW customers.

OPW Retail Fueling is excited to announce its innovative new Virtual Trade Show, a digital experience that provides a walk-through of the OPW booth and access to a series of informative videos and product demonstrations in lieu of the cancelled spring trade shows.

Just to keep their day-to-day operation running smoothly, retail fuel site operators have a lot of demands placed on their time and attention. However, not many have the time or depth of knowledge to stay compliant with the complete menu of local, state and federal regulations.

While awareness of the splintering demand for straight gasoline, diesel and alternative fuels has grown, it is important to note that specific ethanol and biodiesel formulations (E10, E15 and E85, along with B10, B20 and B100) can all have differing handling requirements and effects on component performance and life cycle.

No two fingerprints are alike, at least not in every detail. That same thing can be said for chemical loading and unloading applications. For this reason, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to outfitting loading bays for chemical plants, refineries and terminals.

OPW's 2019 accomplishments were all designed as ways to protect people and the environment, while improving the business performance of our customers. Take a look back at a year of innovation.

Though incorrect fuel delivery is somewhat rare, even one mistake can come with a major price tag. The opportunities to create an incorrect octane mix or gasoline/diesel mix-up come at a variety of points in the fuel delivery process, too.

Tank truck drivers are the ones counted on to deliver the right amount and grade of fuel to retail stations, but dispensing the full amount of fuel from each tank trailer compartment can become difficult based on a number of complications.

Belanger, a leading manufacturer of tunnel and in-bay automatic vehicle wash systems and one part of OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions, received an overwhelming response to its new Cube® Soft-Touch In-Bay Automatic Wash System from the attendees at the 2019 PEI-NACS Show in Atlanta, GA.

If you operate a terminal in a cooler climate, you can relate to the popular phrase "Winter is Coming." When winter does come, it will present challenges that will test your operation and equipment.