Colorless (?) #2 Diesel Fuel

[RiverV]

Andy,

The BP diesel up here is clear now. I can remember when it was pink and then one day it suddenly was clear. This was years ago. I had to go inside and ask if I was getting the correct fuel. Of course the kid behind the counter didn't know nothing. Dave...

 

[Junkman]

I knew that there was a good explanation for the color and why the red stuff is making my orange tractor smoke.... I and the State of Calli [censored] ya know that the smoking will eventually lead to cancer of the body...... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[blenderman]

I blend diesel and gasoline at the ConocoPhillips refinery in Ponca City, OK. Low sulfur(road diesel) can vary from almost clear as water to a very distinct yellow green to orange depending on refinery conditions and components used. At our refinery the diesel has been very pale yellow due to the lack of a component in the blend resulting from a fire we had in our crude unit in July.

As for High Sulfur diesel, it should be red. Several years ago it used to be blue. However, the unscrupulous types found that they could add yellow dye to it and make it look like low sulfur diesel. Thus they made a killing selling lower cost high sulfur diesel in the place of low sulfur. Once the Feds discovered this, they changed dye spec to red. We have a set concentration of dye at our refinery that we use that makes ours very cherry red. There is a maximum redness that makes it too dark to analyze, however. I believe the minimum spec is just enough red to be seen. They have a lab test for color. BP may be going by the minimum spec to save on dye cost. Either diesel meets the required useability spec's set by the government and manufacturers.

Av. gas is indeed blue and the Ponca City refinery and the Borger refinery produce nearly all of the av. gas in the US. In fact, we make it for BP Air. When we blend av gas, we make it in 7700 barrel batches. It only takes two quarts of blue dye to color the the entire 7700 barrels. Hope this answers some of your questions.

Thanks,

Lane

 

[DK_Farms]

There ya go. The right answer from the right source. Man, I love this board. Here in south Louisiana, road diesel is clear to yellowish and off road is red. As Blenderman said, when I was a kid on the farm about 30 years ago, all the diesel delivered to us was the prettiest blue color you ever did see. Guess I was grown up and gone when they changed it to red.

 

[KubotaBling]

can anyone buy fuel dyes? i'd like to be able to mark my fuel with like blue or something it'd be easier to spot a leak.

 

[blenderman]

I don't know of any public source. The dyes we use are xylene based. They are very dangerous in concetration and not to be handled lightly. Our system is a closed one to prevent human contact with it. However, I suppose any oil based dye would work. There are some oil based food colorings and easter egg dyes. My personal thought would be that you would not get much more than the greasy smeer that a diesel leak would create anyway regardless of the color. I always thoroughly wash whatever I am leak testing and then start looking.

 

[5030]

Blenderman:

Where I live, here in Michigan, my local supplier get his fuels from the marathon Refinery in Ecorse, Michigan.

My bulk diesel (off road) is red and the on road is yellow to milky clear.

I have a Pacific Pride account that I fuel the trucks and cars on. When I get my statement for the on-road diesel part, the statement always says "No visible evidence of dye".

When I get a ststement for a bulk (off road) fill, it always states "For off road use only, dye added"

 

[blenderman]

The on road diesel color varies because there is no dye added and due to the various sulfur contents of the components in the blend (hence my comment on refinery unit conditions). Road diesel aka low sulfur has up to 50 parts per million sulfur content. This gives the varying shades we see at the pump.

On the other hand, off road diesel has up to 500 parts per million of sulfur. If you look at undyed high sulfur diesel it is dark yellow almost orange compared to low sulfur diesel. You will also notice a distinct sulfurous smell as opposed to a "lighter, cleaner" (for lack of better description) smell of the low sulfur diesel.

In another few months the oil companies will begin phasing in ultra low sulfur diesel. This will take the sulfur down to 10 to 15 parts per million. The color of that should almost be clear with maybe a hint of yellow/green. The now current low sulfur standard will become dyed high sulfur, and the old high sulfur will go away at least in any quantity for sale. They may use it for railroad diesel.

On another note, we have a pilot plant here that makes sulfur free diesel from liquified natural gas. It is perfectly clear. You won't see much of that in the states. The will use that technology overseas in areas with large fields of stranded natural gas.

Lane

 

[Richard]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 50 parts per million sulfur content On the other hand, off road diesel has up to 500 parts per million of sulfurIn another few months the oil companies will begin phasing in ultra low sulfur diesel. This will take the sulfur down to 10 to 15 parts per million )</font>

I selectively copied the above (because I can /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

Anyway, what (if anything) does the above mean regarding concerns with people that have older construction equipment?

Brutus was born somewhere around 1987 and slurps off road fuel for his diet. (Perkins turbo, roughly 89 hp)

As time evolves and the sulfur content goes down to this more stringent level, will I have any concerns with this older engine? (Ala, unleaded gas in an older car)

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Richard

(should I selll NOW before this becomes an issue)

 

[Soundguy]

What about leak tester dye kits.. I've seen some that you add to your oil then use a blacklight to really bring it out.. though the greenish / yellow stuff is easy to see anyway... It can be added to a/c system and radiator too... anyone know how this would effect fuel?

Soundguy