Recent Accidents At Malaysian Petrol Kiosks

The incident at Setapak Indah involved a 25 year old lady teacher from Batu Caves. Source: The Sun Daily

Setapak Indah: 25 year old victim

On 28th June 2016, a 25 year old woman "suffered serious burns all over her body at a petrol station in Setapak Indah ... after she took a call on her handphone inside her carwhile filling it up with petrol. An explosive burst of flames lasting just a second was all it took to severely torch the teacher from Batu Caves." (Source: The Sun, 29th June, 2016. Page 3)

The incident occurred at about 1.25pm. Firemen arrived in 10 minutes to find the lady in "a semi-conscious state in the rear passenger seat". She had suffered from 60% burns all over her body.

The woman had been seen filling up her car when her cellphone (on the rear passenger seat) rang. She locked the fuel nozzle trigger and entered the car to answer the call. She closed the door and picked up the call. Immediately, there was a loud explosion and flames engulfed the interior of the car for a few seconds.

Authorities believe that petrol fumes had entered the car during the refuelling process. Static electricity from the mobile phone had sparked the fumes.

The incident at a Kuala Krai petrol station involved a 7 year old boy who had been fiddling with a cigarette lighter. Source: Daily Mail UK.

Kuala Krai: 7 year old victim

On 24th June, 2016, a 7 year old boy was "left with severe burns to his face after the car he was in exploded while he was playing with a lighter at a petrol station." (Source: The Daily Mail, 25th June 2016.)

The boy's mother had been filling up the car. The boy had been "fiddling with a cigarette lighter in the rear seat of his mother's car". (Source: The Sun Daily, 28th June 2016.)

When the explosion occurred, the boy's mother was shocked. She managed to rescue her son from the burning car. Petrol station staff helped put out the blaze with extinguishers.

The Daily Mail showed pictures of the 7 year old boy with severe burns to his face, body, and legs. (Out of courtesy, they are not posted here.)

My Thoughts

This is an image of a hot air vent for cars.

It would be good if we can reduce petrol fumes in the car, especially during refilling at petrol stations. Perhaps owners can consider having a special exhaust fan installed in the passenger door. Some hot air vents already exist in the market. However, these fans have an electrical motor, which might spark off the fumes. (True / False? Need feedback to confirm.) 

Are kitchen hoods a solution to the petrol fume problem?

Perhaps petrol stations can incorporate kitchen hoods into their filling stations. Kitchen hoods have fans to carry away oily fumes, thus keeping the kitchen relatively grease-free (compared to if there were no kitchen hood installed). A "petrol kiosk kitchen hood" could carry away explosive fumes from the car. The solution is untested, but kitchen hoods are expensive.

A third solution might be to have a fire suppression system installed on the interior of the car. It's certainly out of the question for smaller vehicles, but it might be viable in a larger vehicle. It would not be practical if it can be set off by car passengers who smoke. It seems that some buses in the USA have an automatic water mist fire extinguisher system to put out fires in the engine compartment. You can check Google for "bus fire suppression system".

References

• The Sun Daily, 28th June 2016. Woman badly burnt at petrol kiosk by Charles Ramendran
• The Daily Mail UK, 25th June 2016. Malaysian boy left with severe burns after car explodes at a petrol station by Sinead Mclaughlin
• Google Query on "bus fire suppression system"

Petrol Stations Must Have Sufficient Fuel

And It's A Law!

Did you know that petrol stations must have sufficient fuel? If they run out of fuel supply, they must order more. This may not be a big thing in Kuala Lumpur, but imagine what happens in the more remote areas of the country! The scenario goes like this: Petrol prices are falling (they have been falling for a few months), and it's the last day of the month, maybe half a day to the next month. The petrol station owner is sorely tempted not to refill his station because he knows, if he orders fuel today, and fills his tanks, within 12 hours the oil in the storage tanks would be worth less than he paid for them. Because oil prices are falling, whatever he pays for oil today is more than what he would pay tomorrow (i.e. the next month).

So should the petrol station refill? In Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley in general (including Petaling Jaya), it might not be an issue. Just drive ten minutes and voila! There's another petrol station. But let's imagine that you're in some remote town in Sarawak (where there is an election going on right now). You go to your regular petrol station, and you see a signboard saying, "SORRY NO PETROL. COME BACK TOMORROW." You try to figure out where the next nearest petrol station is. It's about an hour away, not very far by Sarawakian terms. (Correct me if I'm wrong) Your car is nearly out of petrol and you believe that you won't make it to the next station. You might not even manage to cover half the distance to the next station. Now, would you think that that "sorry no petrol" is a good excuse? I do not think so. It is only a convenient excuse for the petrol station owner to say, "I've run out of petrol. Come back in 24 hours, when petrol is cheaper, so that I don't need to refill with more expensive petrol." And so you pull up a chair at the petrol station, and sit down to wait. It's only 12 hours to the refill....

RM1 Million or Three Months

On 1st February 2015, the Borneo Post reported as follows:

KUCHING: A petrol station in Bintulu was found to have violated its licence conditions under the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Act Section 21(1).

According to KPDNKK Sarawak deputy director and enforcement chief officer Abdul Hafidz A Rahim, the station failed to ensure that the fuel supply was sufficient and constantly available to its customers.

“We will take stern action against this petrol station in Bintulu which deliberately did not place an order for more fuel despite exhausting its fuel supply since 3pm yesterday (Saturday).

“An investigation will be carried out and if found guilty, the maximum penalty for this offense is RM1 million or three months in prison,” he said in a press statement today.

(Source: Borneo Post Online, 1st February 2015. Petrol station faces stern action)

So the maximum fine is RM1 million, or three months in prison. It sounds impressive.

But in reality, the maximum punishment is not often meted out. Being the "maximum", it is reserved for serious cases. I believe that we should ask ourselves, instead, what the minimum punishment is. What is the minimum fine? And what is the minimum prison time?

The KPDNKK were in Kuching last year looking at petrol stations. If your petrol station is half full, or half empty, you're doing all right. If your petrol station is completely empty, you're in big trouble!

Internet of Things To The Rescue?

Of late, Internet of Things, or more popularly called "IoT", has become a big thing. The promise is that machines, with intelligent sensors, coupled with 24/7 Internet access, will be able to automate many things. A common example is office printers. Many people print until the printer cartridges are empty. When the user realizes that the cartridge has been drained to the last drop, he goes to the shop to buy a new one. In the meantime, the printer cannot be used until the printer has been fitted with a new cartridge. If the user delays in going to the shop, the printer is offline and unusable for the duration of the delay. With today's fast-paced world, it's highly likely that the user will not be able to go out immediately to buy a new cartridge. ("Drop everything, let's go! No?") Even with e-commerce, it takes time for an order to be placed online, processed, packed, and delivered. Two days might be enough, but it's two days too long.

But with the Internet of Things, the story of the printer and its unhappy, unproductive user becomes transformed into a fairytale. With an IoT-enabled printer, it can sense when the printer cartridge is about to run out of ink or toner. It can sense when the drum is about to go bust. And it can connect to the Internet, make an order on behalf of its user, and send an email notification to the user as it does so. Two days later, the printer cartridge is spent, and the printer stops working. But only for 5 minutes, because a replacement cartridge is on standby.

Imagine if we had that kind of technology for petrol stations. Before the petrol station runs out of petrol, the intelligent sensor detects an impending shortage. The smart computer chip in the petrol station starts talking to the server in the petrol supplier's office. "Send me some fuel," it says, "before I am empty. Fill me again, and I will be full. I want to serve the Malaysian public." And so, an order is made electronically, and two days later, just as the petrol runs out in the petrol station, there is a delivery truck, with a tanker full of oil. A smart looking man steps out and says to the astonished petrol station owner, "We're here with your refill!"

And that's how you prevent petrol stations from running out of fuel.

Read Again: It's a Law! OR RM1 Million or Three Months OR Internet of Things to the Rescue?

Should petrol pumps hang from the ceiling?

While I was browsing my Google Plus timeline, I came across this.

Apparently in Japan and Korea, petrol pumps hang from the ceiling. This solves the issue of parking your car just right so that the pump is located next to where you pump the petrol i.e. the fuel filler cap or petrol cap.

I once read from a book, car manufacturers make cars with their petrol caps on left and on the right so as to make sure that petrol stations won't have people queueing up for petrol pumps of a certain sort only. For example if all cars had their petrol caps on the left, drivers would want to park on the right of the fuel pump so as to fill up their car fuel tanks. Lefts and rights are all right as a solution when petrol pumps are located at chest level -- you need to pull them over to the petrol cap, and the closer the petrol cap is to the pump, the better.

However, if petrol pumps hang from the ceiling, the issue of which side is the "right side" would not even come up. Here are some pictures of pumps that hang from the ceiling, thanks to Google Images.



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It does look like a good idea, we can consider adopting it to reduce some of the following problems:

• mess at individual pump stations;
• accidents caused by people ramming into petrol pumps accidentally;
• pump cables being pulled too far when the petrol cap is on the wrong side; and
• inconvenience of reparking when the petrol cap is on the wrong side.

Of course, I am aware that petrol pumps in Malaysia have mechanism for credit card payment, and the pumps in the photos don't seem to have that. Maybe we should study how they solve that problem in Japan.

VST Nozzle Latches removed in California

In 2010, a judge in California, USA, upheld the state's fire marshal's order for the removal of hold-open latch to be removed from nozzles manufactured by Vapor System Technologies LLC. The state's fire marshal, which is affiliated to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, deemed the defective nozzles to be a fire hazard.

Apparently, a manufacturing defect in VST's nozzles caused 13 incidents where petrol has been sprayed (at the nozzle) before the nozzle was inserted into the vehicle. This happened because the hold-open latch did not disengage after earlier customers used the petrol pump.

The fire marshal's order affected some 3,000 petrol stations in the state of California. The good news was that the fire marshal was working with VST and other petrol nozzle manufacturers to replace the defective VST nozzles with new, safer petrol nozzles with hold-open latches. (At least, that's what the circular dated 23rd August 2010 said.)

Customers who were frustrated with the fire marshal's order to remove the hold-open latches had used other items to keep the latches open, such as "wallets, keys, sunglass holders, tennis balls". Petrol station owners were disappointed with the order because they felt that they would lose business.

“A lot of people have lost business. A little old lady comes in to buy gas; she doesn’t want to stand there and hold that nozzle,” Campbell said. “We felt there could have been a better decision from the state.” (Source: OC Register)

What is disappointing, is the attitude of the company which manufactured the defective nozzles.

Officials from Vapor Systems Technologies said there is nothing inherently wrong with the nozzle.

Todd Sorrell, spokesman for the company, said the majority of malfunctioning nozzles had surpassed their one-year warranty when the incidents occurred. Indeed, “all gasoline nozzles, or any mechanical device for that matter, will eventually fail for some reason,” wrote Glenn K. Walker, Vapor Systems president, in a letter dated June 21, 2010, to California service stations.

The company says the nozzles were damaged by wear and tear. According to the company, every month there are 2,000 drive-offs or breakaways involving its nozzles at California gas stations. A drive-off is when a customer forgets the nozzle in the gas tank and begins to drive away from the pump. (Source: CaliforniaWatch)

Sources:

• California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 23rd August 2010. State Fire Marshal Issues Mandate to Gas Station Owners. URL:  http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/newsreleases/2010/VSTmandate.pdf
• California State Fire Marshal, Information Bulletin. 25th August 2010. URL:  http://www.sbcfire.org/hazmat/pdf/20100830_fire_vstNozzles.pdf
• CaliforniaWatch, 20th September 2010. Gas stations fuming about order to remove nozzle latches. URL:  http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/gas-stations-fuming-about-order-remove-nozzle-latches-4781
• ABC Local, 14th October 2010. Gas pump clips to be removed by Friday. URL:  http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/state&id=7725164
• The Orange County Register, 16th November 2010. Why did gas pump trigger-locks disappear? URL:  http://www.ocregister.com/articles/gas-276187-pump-trigger.html

Petrol Station Worker Herman Sihas a Hero

Herman Sihas was a petrol station worker, but he was also a selfless hero.

Shortly after the new year, Herman Sihas, a petrol pump worker in Sarawak, lost his life while trying to save a drowning form 6 student, Kho Ying Qi. It was a rainy January morning in Kuching when monsoon drains and the river swelled with flood waters. School was called off for the day.

Ying Qi's car stalled as she drove in the heavy rain, and she walked to the nearby petrol station to get help. She fell into a monsoon drain, which was heavily flooded. It was then that petrol station worker, who saw the scene, rushed out to her rescue. He jumped into the waters to save Ying Qi, but unfortunately lost his life. Herman's body was found two days later. Ying Qi's body was found more than two weeks later.

Herman Sihas was a Bidayuh Salako. He grew up with his family in Kampung Jangkar, Lundu, and obtained his secondary school education in Peninsular Malaysia. He returned to Sarawak several years ago to start working. His cousin Billy Sujang called him a "humanitarian" and said, "Herman’s brave like that. He jumped into the waters. That’s him. When he could help, he helped anyone, including strangers." Herman converted when he was aged 15 years old, while studying in Kuala Lumpur. He was the only Muslim in his family. The Sarawak State Islamic Council agreed to pay for his funeral. (Source)

In recognition of his sacrifice, Herman was posthumously awarded the First Class Certificate of Merit by the Sarawak St John Ambulance. KeADILan Sarawak has also posthumously awarded the 2012 Citizen's Bravery Award to Herman Sihas.

Sources:

• Parochial Sarawakian (blog), 8th January 2012. Herman Sihas: Remembering a Sarawakian Hero. URL:  http://parochialsarawakian.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/herman-sihas-remembering-a-sarawakian-hero/
• The Star, 8th January 2012. Herman Sihas: Hero To The End. URL:  http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/1/8/sarawak/10224079&sec=sarawak
• New Straits Times, 9th January 2012. Flowers for drowned duo. URL:  http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/flowers-for-drowned-duo-1.29689
• New Sarawak Tribune, 10th January 2012. Posthumous Award for Herman Sihas. URL:  http://tribune.my/prime/13456-posthumous-award-for-herman-sihas.html
• Borneo Post, 11th January 2012. St John Ambulance Sarawak iktiraf pengorbanan Herman Sihas. URL:  http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/01/11/st-john-ambulance-sarawak-iktiraf-pengorbanan-herman-sihas/
• New Straits Times, 21st January 2012. Body of missing schoolgirl found. URL:  http://www.nst.com.my/local/general/body-of-missing-schoolgirl-found-1.35353
• New Straits Times, 27th January 2012. An uplifting saga for the larger community by John Teo.  URL:  http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/an-uplifting-saga-for-the-larger-community-1.37646 
• Baru Bian's blog, 28th January 2012. Suara Sarawak: Baru Bian presents posthumous Bravery Award to Herman Sihas. URL:  http://www.barubian.net/2012/01/baru-bian-presents-posthumous-bravery.html

Petrol Pumps in Miri discovered dispensing less fuel

Recently, it was reported that a petrol kiosk in Miri was discovered to dispense 14% less fuel than stated on its meter. This was discovered by the officers of Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (MDTCC) and Metrology Corporation Malaysia (MCM) Sdn Bhd during a routine check. This is an offence under section 30(1) of the Weights and Measures Act 1972, punishable by fine of up to RM250,000-00 for firms and RM15,000-00 for individuals. The petrol station was closed until calibrations, which take half a day, are completed. Each pump or nozzle calibrated will cost the petrol station owner RM104.60. (Source: Borneo Post Online, 28th January 2012. Short-changed by petrol kiosk. URL: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/01/28/short-changed-by-petrol-kiosk/)

Shortly after that, state MDTCC director Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman was reported saying that MDTCC will conduct surprise checks at all petrol stations, due to the shocking discovery of 19 tampered fuel pumps in Miri. Petrol station owners could be fined up to RM15,000-00 or face imprisonment of up to two (2) years. Apparently 29 petrol stations were checked during the routine check. If a pump is suspected to be tampered, the petrol station can be shut down, its fuel pumps sealed and equipment confiscated until the investigation is completed. The state director urged motorists who suspected that they were getting less petrol from the petrol pump to report to the authorities. (Source: Borneo Post Online, 2nd February 2012. Ministry to conduct surprise checks on all petrol stations. URL: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/02/02/ministry-to-conduct-surprise-checks-on-all-petrol-stations/)

When you come to think about it, 19 tampered petrol pumps found in 29 petrol stations means that there is a 65% chance that the petrol pump has been tampered with. All the more reason for routine checks to be carried out. But then again, as a popular saying goes, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." (Source: Wikipedia. Lies, damned lies, and statistics. URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lies,_damned_lies,_and_statistics)

Metrology Corporation Malaysia (MCM) Sdn Bhd is the government-linked corporation that provides verification services of weighing and measuring instruments used for trade in Malaysia. From its website:

Metrology Corporation Malaysia Sdn Bhd was incorporated with the sole objective of providing the verification and re-verification services for all weighing and all measuring instruments use for trade in Malaysia. The company started operation on the 4th April, 2005. Before that all the weighing and measuring instruments were verified and re-verified by the Metric Unit, Enforcement Division, Ministry of Domestic Trade And Consumer Affairs.

All weighing and measuring instruments use for trade need to be verified first before use and re-verified once every twelve months thereafter as stipulated by the Weight and Measures Act 1972. It is an offence to use weighing or measuring instrument without valid verification or re-verification.

The main objective of the government in privatising the verification and re-verification works is to enable more weighing and measuring instruments be verified and re-verified as well as the services could be provided faster. This will benefit the people as well as the business community and the country. Accurate and correct weighing and measuring is one of the basic tenets of trade, fair to the buyer as well as the seller.

(Source: Metrology Corporation Malaysia official website. About Us. URL: http://www.metrology.com.my/english/mcm-company.htm

A copy of the Weight and Measures Act 1972 can be downloaded here.

Check the Petrol Nozzle Latch?

Dear Reader,

You may have heard that by letting the petrol fill your car more slowly, you will get more petrol. This means pressing the nozzle trigger halfway, instead of all the way. For those petrol nozzles with latches (usually three) you are able to latch the trigger so that the petrol can flow into your car engine even while you are not tending to the nozzle.

Some people complain that having latches on petrol nozzles poses a risk, in that the latch may become stuck. As a result, once the petrol nozzle is removed from the petrol pump, petrol flows immediately, uncontrolled. Even though the latches are required in some states, people have recommended removing the latches for prevention of problems like the type mentioned. (For example, see this article.)

Many writers suggest that we should use the first lever for the latch, i.e. the minimum to keep the petrol nozzle flowing. This reduces the flow of the petrol and theoretically gives you more petrol.

My complaint is that in some petrol stations, the first lever of the petrol nozzle latch is removed, so that you will latch it at the second lever. (There are only three levers). This means that you will be letting petrol flow at a faster rate, thereby giving you less petrol thank if you were to hold the petrol nozzle trigger open by your own efforts. Using the second lever to latch the petrol nozzle will cause the user to receive less petrol...

Please, leave me a message if you think that it's incorrect. :) I'd love to be informed that I'm incorrect.

70 Per Cent Of Petrol Stations Operated By Bumiputera, Says Muhyiddin

According to Bernama, our Deputy Prime Minister, Muhyidding Yassin was reported to have said in a speech last night that almost 70 per cent of petrol stations in Malaysia are being successfully operated by Bumiputeras due to the initiative and efforts taken by the government.". (Ref: Bernama, 6th November 2009. 70 Per Cent Of Petrol Stations Operated By Bumiputera, Says Muhyiddin) As a departure from my usual style, the complete news report is reproduced below.

70 Per Cent Of Petrol Stations Operated By Bumiputera, Says Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said almost 70 per cent of petrol stations in Malaysia are being successfully operated by Bumiputeras due to the initiative and efforts taken by the government.

The government has been carrying out a more streamlined license distribution system in line with the Petroleum Development Act, he said.

He said the government has been aware of the many challenges faced by the petrol station operators in running their respective businesses especially during the economic crisis.

Muhyiddin also commended them for carrying on their businesses well despite the challenges.

"With this success, I hope this business will continue to expand and be inherited by the coming generation," he said in his speech at a dinner organised by the Petrol Dealers Assocation of Malaysia here Friday.

Muhyiddin also called on the petrol station operators to continue to take the initiative to provide more convenient services environment for their customers.

He said they could also help the local small and medium sized companies by giving them the space to market their products in their petrol stations.

-- BERNAMA

Almost a month ago, on 16th October 2009, our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak also mentioned the government contribution to the petrol (and energy) industry during his speech at the UMNO general assembly. Here is an excerpt from our Prime Minister's speech:

The fact is that, whether you realise it or not, the Government has done so much for the people. For example, in the transportation and energy sectors, the Government has provided RM9bil for petrol, LPG and diesel; RM2bil for a cash rebate programme; more than RM600mil for toll compensation; RM150 for electricity; and another RM45mil for flights to rural areas and trains to the East Coast.

(Source: The Star Online, 16th October 2009. Upholding Tradition, Realising Changes.)

The speech can also be seen in our Prime Minister's 1Malaysia blog (click the link). (Ref: 1Malaysia.com.my, undated. Speech: Upholding Tradition, Realising Changes.)

It may be noted that our beloved Deputy PM was making that statement at a function organised by the Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM). From a 2005 article by Bernama, we find the following statement:

PDAM is an affiliation of all the petroleum brand association of petrol dealers in Malaysia. It consists of ESSO, Mobil, Shell, Petronas, BP and Caltex.

(Source: Bernama, 3rd October 2005. Action Will Be Taken If Losses Continue, Say Petroleum Dealers

Interestingly, the same 2005 Bernama article was about the dissatisfaction of petrol dealers in Malaysia, and how much they were getting for each litre of petrol sold. The relevant bits from the report:

Alang said dealers will get eight sen sales margin per litre petrol sold and 0.035 sen per litre in diesel.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin's speech had touched on this topic, when it was reported on the late news at TV3 (at 12 o'clock this morning). He mentioned that the sales margin for petrol dealers had increased since 2008. This is in fact true. A write up on the Automatic Pricing Mechanism can be found on local blog The Malaysian Life. The relevant bits show that:

iv. Oil companies' margin

Margin or profit of oil companies is fixed at five sen per litre for petrol and 2.25 sen for diesel.

v. Station dealers' margin

Margin or profit of dealers is fixed at 12.19 sen per litre for petrol and seven sen per litre for diesel.

(Source: The Malaysian Life, 16th February 2009. How The Government Determines The Price Of Petrol)

The post on the APM mechanism by The Malaysian Life above is good reading.

The sales margin for petrol and diesel had been raised in June 2008. Singapore-based Asiaone in its motoring segment, reported on the matter:

The government has announced an increase in the commission for some 3,500 petrol and diesel dealers. This immediately led to the Petrol Dealers' Association calling off its "no credit card" advisory to its members.

Effective yesterday, the new commission rate for petrol is 12.19 sen per litre and seven sen per litre for diesel, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said.

Previously, the commission for petrol was 9.5 sen per litre and diesel 4.5 sen per litre.

Petroleum Dealers Association president Abdul Wahid Bidin described the new commission rates as acceptable.

"We accept it with gratitude. With the new rates, we can at least survive," he said when contacted by the New Straits Times.

(Source: Asiaone Motoring, 26th June 2008. Commission raised for petrol, diesel dealers.)

I have been unable to locate the website for the Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (if there is one). Can anyone drop me the link to the website? Interestingly enough, Shell petrol dealers in Malaysia also have a blog, but it has not been updated recently.

Update (9th November 2009):

In a report on NST, dated 7th November 2009, it was indeed reported that the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, had mentioned the sales margin of petrol dealers had increased, "from 9.5 sen to 12.19 sen per litre of petrol and 4.5 sen to seven sen for a litre of diesel from June last year." (Ref: NST Online, 7th November 2009. Licence cheer for petrol station owners)

In the same NST report, the Deputy PM was also quoted saying that:

1. Petrol stations could be turned into a kind of marketing grounds for local products, manufactured by Malaysian SMI;
2. Petrol station operators have to ensure that facilities (including toilets and surau/prayer rooms) at their premises are well maintained;
3. Some 3,200 petrol dealers can now convert their business licences from sole proprietor businesses to private limited companies;
4. Petrol dealers had been asking for years for their business licences to be converted, so allow their children to inherit the business.

Static Electricity and Petrol Stations

In an earlier post, we looked at how filling a metal container on a vehicle (e.g. a truck) can lead to a build up of static electricity. The static electricity cannot be discharged when it is on the vehicle. As a result, a build up of static of electricity ensues. When another element is nearby, the static electricity build up may become discharged. It is common in the discharge of static electricity that a spark is formed. When a spark is in the vicinity of petrol vapours, the petrol vapours may become ignited.

Static electricity is an everyday occurrence. To understand the phenomena of static electricity, one should understand that atoms, the basic building blocks of the universe, are composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons are positively charged, and sit in the center of the atom with the neutrons, forming what is known as the "nucleus". Electrons orbit the nucleus. Electrons are negatively charged. When two objects come into contact, electrons may move from one object to another, leading to a charge building up. (Ref: ScienceMadeSimple.com, Static Electricity. Accessed: 8th October 2009)

Triboelectric Effect

Most sparks caused by the discharge of static electricity can be considered a direct outcome of the triboelectric effect. When two objects come into contact, electrons may flow from one object to another. The question is which object will be likely to lose its electrons, and which object will be likely to gain more electrons? The outcome will determine which object will become positively charged, and which object will become negatively charged. Scientists, working empirically by observation and deduction, have compiled the "triboelectric series" which rank, in a hierarchy, objects that will likely lose their electrons to other objects. A simple example of the "triboelectric series" is as below:

TRIBOELECTRIC SERIES
your hand
glass
your hair
nylon
wool
fur
silk
paper
cotton
hard rubber
polyester
polyvinylchloride plastic
(Source: ScienceMadeSimple.com, Static Electricity. Accessed: 8th October 2009)

A more in-depth example is the following table. The following table was reproduced from the website of AlphaLab Inc, which produces electricity meters. (Ref: AlphaLab Inc., TriboElectric Series. Accessed: 8th October 2009.) These include static electricity meters.

Column 1 (this col.): Insulator name. Col.2: Charge affinity in nC/J (nano ampsec/wattsec of friction). Col.3: Charge acquired if rubbed with metal (W=weak, N=normal, or consistent with the affinity). Col.4: Notes.	Affinity nC/J	Metal effect	Triboelectric Table Tests were performed by Bill Lee (Ph.D., physics). ©2009 by AlphaLab, Inc. (TriField.com), which also manufactured the test equipment used. This table may be reproduced only if reproduced in whole.
Polyurethane foam	+60	+N	All materials are good insulators (>1000 T ohm cm) unless noted.
Sorbothane	+58	-W	Slightly conductive. (120 G ohm cm).
Box sealing tape (BOPP)	+55	+W	Non-sticky side. Becomes more negative if sanded down to the BOPP film.
Hair, oily skin	+45	+N	Skin is conductive. Cannot be charged by metal rubbing.
Solid polyurethane, filled	+40	+N	Slightly conductive. (8 T ohm cm).
Magnesium fluoride (MgF2)	+35	+N	Anti-reflective optical coating.
Nylon, dry skin	+30	+N	Skin is conductive. Cannot be charged by metal rubbing.
Machine oil	+29	+N
Nylatron (nylon filled with MoS2)	+28	+N
Glass (soda)	+25	+N	Slightly conductive. (Depends on humidity).
Paper (uncoated copy)	+10	-W	Most papers & cardboard have similar affinity. Slightly conductive.
Wood (pine)	+7	-W
GE brand Silicone II (hardens in air)	+6	+N	More positive than the other silicone chemistry (see below).
Cotton	+5	+N	Slightly conductive. (Depends on humidity).
Nitrile rubber	+3	-W
Wool	0	-W
Polycarbonate	-5	-W
ABS	-5	-N
Acrylic (polymethyl methacrylate) and adhesive side of clear carton-sealing and office tape	-10	-N	Several clear tape adhesives are have an affinity almost identical to acrylic, even though various compositions are listed.
Epoxy (circuit board)	-32	-N
Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR, Buna S)	-35	-N	Sometimes inaccurately called "neoprene" (see below).
Solvent-based spray paints	-38	-N	May vary.
PET (mylar) cloth	-40	-W
PET (mylar) solid	-40	+W
EVA rubber for gaskets, filled	-55	-N	Slightly conductive. (10 T ohm cm). Filled rubber will usually conduct.
Gum rubber	-60	-N	Barely conductive. (500 T ohm cm).
Hot melt glue	-62	-N
Polystyrene	-70	-N
Silicones (air harden & thermoset, but not GE)	-72	-N
Vinyl: flexible (clear tubing)	-75	-N
Carton-sealing tape (BOPP), sanded down	-85	-N	Raw surface is very + (see above), but close to PP when sanded.
Olefins (alkenes): LDPE, HDPE, PP	-90	-N	UHMWPE is below. Against metals, PP is more neg than PE.
Cellulose nitrate	-93	-N
Office tape backing (vinyl copolymer ?)	-95	-N
UHMWPE	-95	-N
Neoprene (polychloroprene, not SBR)	-98	-N	Slightly conductive if filled (1.5 T ohm cm).
PVC (rigid vinyl)	-100	-N
Latex (natural) rubber	-105	-N
Viton, filled	-117	-N	Slightly conductive. (40 T ohm cm).
Epichlorohydrin rubber, filled	-118	-N	Slightly conductive. (250 G ohm cm).
Santoprene rubber	-120	-N
Hypalon rubber, filled	-130	-N	Slightly conductive. (30 T ohm cm).
Butyl rubber, filled	-135	-N	Conductive. (900 M ohm cm). Test was done fast.
EDPM rubber, filled	-140	-N	Slightly conductive. (40 T ohm cm).
Teflon	-190	-N	Surface is  fluorine atoms-- very electronegative.

Dear Reader,

You may now be wondering: What in the world can this table be used for? From the website of AlphaLab Inc:

This table can be used to select materials that will minimize static charging. For example, if uncoated paper (with a positive charge affinity value of +10 nC/J) is squeezed by a pinch roller made of butyl rubber (@-135 nC/J), there will be about 145 pico coulombs of charge transfer per joule of energy (associated with pinch and friction). This is about 20 times more than 7 nC/J, which is the static charge per joule that results from squeezing paper with a roller made of nitrile rubber (@+3 nC/J). In general, materials with an affinity near zero (e.g. cotton, nitrile rubber, polycarbonate, ABS) will not charge much when rubbed against metals or against each other.

In short, you can use it to design your products, packaging, etc. to prevent (as much as possible) build up of static electricity.

From Wikipedia's entry on the Triboelectric Effect:

The triboelectric effect is related to friction only because they both involve adhesion. However, the effect is greatly enhanced by rubbing the materials together, as they touch and separate many times. ...

Because the surface of the material is now electrically charged, either negatively or positively, any contact with an uncharged conductive object or with an object having substantially different charge may cause an electrical discharge of the built-up static electricity; a spark. ... Low relative humidity in the ambient air increases the voltage at which electrical discharge occurs by increasing the ability of the insulating material to hold charge and by decreasing the conductivity of the air, making it difficult for the charge build-up to dissipate gradually. ... car travel can lead to a build-up of charge on the metal car body (which acts as a Faraday cage). When the driver alights, sparks jump from frame to driver as he makes contact with the ground.

In other words, the very act of travelling in your car can cause the car to become electrically charged! Also, very interestingly, you may also note that humidity does play a role in determining the voltage at which discharge of static electricity occurs.

Countering Static Electricity

Mist Fans!

Those readers who have stepped on a treadmill at their local gym may have experienced a shock from static electricity build-up. In most cases, you would notice that the treadmill is grounded. However, static electricity build-up can still occur because the tread (which which is made of non-conductive material) can act as an insulator and can prevent discharge of static electricity. In one forum discussion, it was suggested that "spraying a mist of water" could help to discharge the static electricity build-up. (Ref: PhysicsForums.com, 25th December 2006. How can static electricity shocks from treadmill be prevented?)

It seems that the above suggestion may be of valid consideration. One manufacturer of mist fans in Shanghai, China, is marketing a "high pressure misting fan" which, among others, claims to "prevent static electricity". (Ref: Shanghai Airequip Engineering Co Ltd, High Pressure Misting Fan. Accessed: 8th October 2009.) Perhaps in the future, petrol stations would be well advised to install mist fans to prevent static electricity. Not only would these mist fans reduce static electricity, customers would also benefit from the added cool during hot afternoons, and the mist also traps dust particles in the air (hence, the air becomes less dusty).

Making Surfaces Slightly Conductive

As build-up of static electricity causes a discharge when the charged object touches another object, the important issue is how much charge is discharged. If the build-up of static electricity carries on for some time, naturally the build-up will be more. The electricity discharged will also be more, and thus more likely to cause a spark. Hence, one strategy would be to render more surfaces conductive, or slightly conductive. Material used to coat surfaces to render them conductive, or slightly conductive, is known as antistatic agent. (Ref: Wikipedia, Antistatic Agent. Accessed: 8th October 2009)

This particular suggestion is not quite useful. Perhaps it would be helpful if petrol stations were to sport a little signboard next to each petrol pump, stating: "TOUCH YOuR HAND HERE TO DISCHARGE YOUR STATIC ELECTRICITY". Such a signboard would, of course, need to be (a) conductive. and (b) grounded. So far, I have yet to see any such signboards. Another possible innovation may even be a "grounding clip" which can be attached to a vehicle, to discharge any static electricity build-up. Such a practice (grounding) would be common when airplanes are being filled with fuel, but not so for the ordinary petrol station which serves motorists. (Ref: Alaska Division of Forestry, Aviation Fueling Handbook. URL: http://www.experimentalaircraft.info/doc/aviation-fueling.pdf. Accessed: 8th October 2009) (Ref also: Experimental Aircraft Info, Aircraft Refueling Safety, Grounding and Test Procedures. URL: http://www.experimentalaircraft.info/homebuilt-aircraft/aircraft-refueling.php. Accessed: 8th October 2009.)

Adding Antistatic Agents To Fuels

From the Wikipedia article on Antistatic Agents:

Antistatic agents are also added to some military jet fuels, to impart electrical conductivity to them and avoid buildup of static charge that could lead to sparking igniting the fuel vapors. Stadis 450, with dinonylnaphthylsulfonic acid (DINNSA) as the active ingredient, is the agent added to some distillate fuels, solvents, commercial jet fuels, and to the military JP-8 Stadis 425 is a similar compound, for use in distillate fuels and solvents.

Naturally, very few civilians use military jet fuels. Some rich tycoons, like a certain Mr Tiong from Sarawak, manage to own private jets. (Ref: The Star Online, 6th October 2009. Police freeze Tiong's jet and properties pending investigations.) But since the majority of Malaysians use cars, and motorcycles, it would be logical to request petrol companies to include antistatic agents in the formulation of petrol which is dispensed at the filling pump. However, in one engineering forum, it was stated that antistatic additives in fuel tend to reduce the effectiveness of the fuel. (Ref: Eng-Tips Forums, 24th Feb 2009. Standard Petrol - Anti Static Additives Or Just Rely On Earthing?)

Grounding And Bonding vs Static Grounding

These are actually two different things. From a blog by Newson Gale, comes this explanation:

1. What is Grounding and Bonding

Grounding & Bonding is a combination of Grounding and Bonding techniques. Bonding is the process of connecting two or more conductive objects together by means of a conductor so that they are at the same electrical potential, but not necessarily at the same potential as the earth. On the other hand, Grounding describes the process of bonding one or more conductive objects to the ground, so that all objects are at zero (0) electrical potential.

2. What is Static Grounding

Static Grounding is the process of bonding one or more conductive objects to the ground, so that all objects are at zero (0) electrical potential, to prevent static build up. In order to secure hazardous areas Static Grounding Systems use explosion protection and intrinsically safe techniques to monitor acceptable resistance to ground and provide verification and interlocks.Static Grounding and Grounding and Bonding.)

Further Reading

Readers are advised to look at AlphaLabs Inc's page on static electricity problems and their fixes. It discusses, among others,

1. Removing or avoiding charge on materials.
2. Attraction/repulsion--unintended static forces (e.g., contamination) and intended forces (pinning).
3. Electrostatic spray painting, powder deposition.
4. Surface conductivity-- measuring "ohms per square", and making surfaces more conductive.

Explosions at Petrol Stations

If you ever look at the warning plaque which is mounted on the wall, next to many petrol pumps, you would notice that there are warnings about: (a) mobile phones and electronic devices; (b) static electricity; (c) no smoking; (d) turning off the engine; (e) filling portable containers in the ground; and (f) not removing the nozzle if a fire starts. That last warning about a fire starting, should have been a clue as to why we need to heed these warnings. Here is a picture of an example warning plaque:



There are some people who think that you should not re-enter the vehicle while filling up on petrol. Here is a video of one such incident where a woman re-entered her car while filling up (at 0:45). Observe how the pump caught fire when she touched it (at 1:03).



In another incident, a Shell truck carrying petrol caught fire when one of its staff decided to illuminate a portion with his mobile phone. (Observe at 1:22)



Both these videos are undated and can be found on YouTube, the video-sharing site owned by Google. One video, however, had a date and a story attached to it. In March 2008, a man was filling up a metal can with petrol when it caught fire. The metal can sat on the truck. The continuous flow of petrol into the metal can led to a build up of static electricity. At the same time, that static electricity could not be discharged, because the can was not on the ground. Again, the portable container (used to contain the petrol) was not on the ground. The continuous build up of static electricity led to a spark, which ignited the vapour fumes. (Start watching at 1:00)



That incident took place in Louisiana, USA. (Ref: The Town Talk, 3rd March 2008. Static Electricity Blamed For Fire At Gasoline Pump At Alexandria). The original story is no longer online, but it has been included in a newsletter by the Steel Tank Institute. (Ref: The Steel Tank Institute, Tank and Petrol Pump Mishaps. Accessed 7th October 2009.)

I hope to explore this topic more in-depth in the near future.

In the meantime, OPEC's basket price of crude oil is USD68.14 per barrel, as of 6th October 2009. Crude oil prices are expected to remain at USD60 to USD80 per barrel for the remainder of this year. (Ref: AFP, 7th October 2009. Kuwait sees steady oil output, price.) The same report states that the OPEC decision to cut output last year has led to Russia overtaking Saudi Arabia as the world's largest producer of oil. In August, Russia's production was 10 million barrels per day, while Saudi Arabia's production stood at 8.1 million barrels per day. At the NYMEX, light sweet crude oil for November 2009 delivery is opened at a low of USD69.80 per barrel today and most recently settled at USD69.57.

BHPetrol: British Petroleum in Malaysia

British Petroleum's green petrol stations were once upon a time all over Malaysia. Starting in February 2005, all of the green slowly became orange, and the august logo "BP" became replaced with a more modern looking "BHPetrol". If the old logo looked like a school badge, the new logo looked like a Web 2.0 logo. It was a rebranding process, to reflect the takeover of BP Malaysia Sdn Bhd. Thirty per cent of the company was held by Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera, while the remaining seventy per cent was held by LTAT's subsidiary company, Boustead Holding Bhd. Thus, Boustead Holding Berhad came to change the name of BP Malaysia Sdn Bhd to Boustead Petroleum Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd. (Source: BHPetrol News and Media Archives. Boustead to rebrand BP Stations.)

The whole matter began in 2004 when BP Malaysia and LTAT concluded talks to sell BP's 70% stake in BP Malaysia Sdn Bhd to LTAT. (Ref: Gulf Oil and Gas, 3rd January 2004. LTAT To Purchase BP's Shareholding In Malaysian Fuels Business.) From the press release, we now know that this 70% was taken up by LTAT's subsidiary company, Boustead Holdings Berhad.

Boustead Holdings is an established conglomerate in Malaysia. From the Company Profile on its official website:

Boustead Holdings Berhad, one of Malaysia’s oldest diversified conglomerates, was founded in 1828. Listed on Bursa Malaysia in 1961, Boustead today has 133 subsidiaries of which 3 companies are listed and 16 associate companies of which one is listed and has total assets in excess of RM8 billion and more than 12,000 employees. The major shareholder of Boustead today is Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT)

The group chart of Boustead Holdings Berhad is impressive and can be found here. Other businesses in the group include banks, insurance, cargo freighting, paints, tertiary education, and many others. But it was only in 2005 when Boustead Holdings Berhad acquired its 70% stake in BP Malaysia Sdn Bhd, and began the ball rolling on its venture into the world of petrol retail. By August 2006 Boustead Holdings Berhad would announce, that its venture into petrol retailing was profitable, contributing "handsomely" to its coffers. It would also launch a new fuel, Infiniti. (Source: BHPetrol News and Media Archives, 10 August 2006. Boustead awaits SC nod for Islamic REIT listing.)

SAP, a leading provider of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, provides some details of BHPetrol's success story. (Source: SAP website. Boustead Petroleum Marketing: Oil and gas firm handles expansion with SAP (R) application management.) BHPetrol has a revenue of US$450 million and employs 200 staff. It offers the following products and services: "Gasoline and diesel fuel, liquid petroleum gas, and engine lubricants". In another SAP report, "Success Story", it was reported that BHPetrol's yearly revenue hovers around the US$658 million mark. (Source: SAP. Boustead Petroleum Marketing: SAP (R) consulting helps oil and gas player pull off rapid implementation.) Apparently SAP's ERP solution paid off as one employee was quoted: "The SAP software is much more user-friendly than
our legacy solution".

BHPetrol also upgraded its pay-at-the-pump solution by subscribing to Verifone's Linux-based OP 4100. From a case study report at Verifone's website:

The OP 4100 is the first pay-at-the-pump device with an EMV-approved contactless solution, and as such was the first to follow and utilize the card association’s most stringent hardware specifications.

With VeriFone’s OP 4100 and PAYware EMS configuration, BHPetrol has created the unique customer payment experience it wanted to set it apart from the competition. The company is now able to deliver consumer messaging directly at the pump — via a central server to individual stations or system-wide. Operations can use the same system to deliver security and programming updates. Overall, the PCI PED approved OP 4100 system has proven to be exceptionally customizable and easily managed with in-house resources and,
most importantly, it has provided the control, security and image BHPetrol was after.

To date, BHPetrol has retrofitted nearly 800 of its Dresser Wayne and Gilbarco pumps. And thanks to the ease and simplicity of the OP 4100 retrofit solution and re-installation of the data cable, the stations were upgraded at an amazing rate. Taking just 30-45 minutes to completely fit and configure two OP 4100 modules into a
dual-sided pump, BHPetrol was able to upgrade three stations per day. That’s 24 OP 4100 installs in one day, with the typical station having four dual-sided pump islands (eight OP 4100s per station).

With such an innovative approach, combined with VeriFone’s unique solution, BHPetrol has efficiently and successfully positioned itself
in Malaysia at the forefront of secure payment technology, customer service and marketing.

By May 2008, Boustead Holdings Berhad would state in its press release that its petrol business had contributed to a "marked increment in segmental contribution" to the group revenue. (Source: Boustead Holdings Bhd website. Boustead first quarter profits up 138%.) From the same press release:

Since its inception as a modest trading entity for more than 180 years, the Boustead Group has grown by leaps and bounds to comprise more than 80 subsidiary and associate companies, and has substantial interests in various sectors of the Malaysian economy. The Boustead Group's operations are focused in six key areas; plantation, finance & investment, property, manufacturing and services, trading and heavy industries. As at 31 December 2007, Boustead Holdings Berhad combined paid-up capital is RM315 million, while its shareholders’ funds stands at RM2.5 billion. Market capitalisation currently is in excess of RM3.3 billion.

BHPetrol also benefits from Boustead Holdings Bhd's ownership of Affin Bank. In November 2006, BHPetrol announced that it was working with AffinBank and MasterCard to introduce PayPass, a credit card utilizing a contactless payment system for purchases below RM110. (Source: Daily Express (Sabah), 9 Nov 2006. AffinBank and BHPetrol launch contactless fuel card.) The report also quoted BHPetrol managing director Tan Kim Thiam saying: "We are opening about 10 to 12 service stations a year."

In its 2008 Annual Report, Boustead Holdings Berhad also states: "BH Petrol is already exploring prospects tomake further inroads into the liquefied petroleum gas segment." (Source: ListedCompany.com. Boustead Holdings Berhad Chief Executive's Review: Extracted from Annual Report 2008.)

BHPetrol's loyalty points program utilizes GHL Systems Berhad's NetTransact PivotPoints Loyalty Solutions. GHL System Bhd lauds its work for BHPetrol as a success story. From the GHL website:

BHPetrol is one of the first companies in Malaysia to use GPRS as a method of communications to carry the transactions from the point of origin (the petrol station) to the heart of the communications network located within the BHPetrol headquarters in Menara Maxis. This opened up new vistas of opportunity especially in areas where physical phone lines (last mile) may be scarce. Additionally, BHPetrol was one of the first in the industry to utilize wireless credit card terminals in their forecourt.

PivotPoints Loyalty Solutions is built on GHL Systems' NetTransact platform, the most cost-effective integration and application platform available for building new, custom applications and integrating existing applications and infrastructure. NetTransact is specifically designed to reduce costs, enable growth, and jumpstart innovation. Over the years, newer or enhanced PivotPoint modules were added upon the existing BHPetrol's NetTransact platform from time-to-time, allowing BHPetrol to keep up with ever-changing business requirements.

(Source: GHL Systems Bhd. Nettransact Pivotpoints Loyalty Solutions Success Story: BP Malaysia's BHPetrol Ecard Loyalty Program.)

In light of its shareholding structure, being 30% by LTAT and 70% by Boustead Holdings Berhad, it can be said that BHPetrol is a 100% Malaysian-owned company. In September 2007, the Star reported that BHPetrol would not make race a criteria for applicants who wished to operate a BHPetrol petrol station. The announcement came about after Democratic Action Party Youth chief Nga Kor Ming "told reporters that he had received numerous complaints that non-bumiputras were not considered for a licence to operate a service station". (Source: The Star, 12 September 2007. All can apply to operate BHPetrol service stations now.)

Finally, in its 2008 Annual Report, we find some recent news about BHPetrol. It remains profitable despite challenging times.

Boustead Petroleum Marketing Sdn Bhd (BH Petrol) posted a smaller profit as a result of substantial inventory holding losses. BH Petrol invested a total of RM38 million to strengthen its market position in the retail petroleum, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and lubricant businesses. A significant portion of this investment was for the acquisition and construction of twelve new service stations strategically located across Peninsular Malaysia.

Meanwhile, BH Petrol’s brand awareness and market acceptance continue to be enhanced via effective marketing programmes. Testament to this is the growing popularity of its Infiniti brand of petrol based on customer feedback and increase in customer usage.

We also remain committed to growing our non-fuel business, specifically the service station’s retail segment. In the LPG segment, BH Petrol completed the acquisition of the remaining 50% of the LPG bottling plant in Pasir Gudang.

(Source: Bursa Malaysia website. Boustead Holdings Bhd 2008 Annual Report, from Cover to page 34.)