A strategic plan and proactive fuel testing is a great way to ensure our customers experience success even in the harshest of conditions.  Winter testing is essential to understand what types of fuels we are working with and how they are reacting to additives. Some fuels have higher cloud points, and all fuels react differently to additives.  Year-round testing allows us to track some other issues that could potentially cause significant problems in winter as well, such as high moisture content. By monitoring and removing moisture before winter, we stand a much better chance of not having problems with icing when it gets cold.

In winter, fuel testing is imperative because we have to know the state of the base fuel to best provide advice for customers as to how to prepare for cold to frigid temperatures.  In some cases, the standard treat rate will suffice, but in others, we may need to advise to up the treat rate of the additive or blend with #1.

Winter testing also allows us to provide customers with the confidence they are using the right additive or potentially offer an alternative that will perform better in the specific fuel they are using.

Last but not least, continual fuel testing serves as insurance if a customer has an isolated issue.  Building a database of historical testing records gives us more information to draw upon if and when isolated issues occur so we can try to narrow down the cause of the issue faster and more accurately.  Most often, we find that isolated issues involve other factors than that base fuel.

By: Marshall Root, ET Sales Representative