Effects of Contaminated Diesel                                                                               Español

Contamination affects every diesel engine and the whole community. No sector of Latin America goes untouched.

High maintenance costs are tolerated and written into maintenance budgets, because no solution has been offered.  A rich source of income to parts companies and those providing rectification and rebuilds, contaminated diesel jeopardises industry's profitability and a nation's economy.  

All diesel users live with ‘dirty diesel‘:

• Fishing fleets, commercial transport fleets, bus fleets, trains, construction and mining equipment
• power generators
• chicken farms
• shrimp farms 
• sugar mills and industry

'Dirty diesel' raises running costs, slows down production and reduces profitability. A reduced standard of living and contaminated air are the result.

Pick-ups, taxis and small buses of rural and suburban communities, agricultural machinery and generators for supermarkets, industry, chicken farms, local power plants and telephone systems are prone to breakdowns and expensive repairs. Expensive items deteriorate rapidly. Companies that sold them face claims on guarantees, work time is lost and valuable profits are wasted on repairs. Normal services of electricity and telephone are disrupted. It represents a serious economic drain on the economy.

City buses and transport fleets suffer high maintenance, belch black smoke and frequently breakdown, leaving passengers stranded, goods undelivered and refrigerated goods in danger of deterioration.

Fishing fleets around the coast are prone to contamination. Port engineers face constant problems keeping fishing boats in running condition. The diesel supply, the tanks of the fishing boats and the rough working life of the fishing fleet all contribute to breakdowns, injector replacement, and rebuilds - a serious economic drain on the fishing companies budget and the return to the fisherman.

Remote tourist resorts and fishing camps are plagued with dirty diesel. The tourist resorts face generator breakdowns and those that sell diesel to clients struggle to maintain quality against uneven odds.

Reefer containers sent to rural communities and fishing ports to refrigerate the harvest of sea and field are affected by dirty diesel too. The reefer has a small diesel engine, which must run continuously, to keep the farm produce or fish refrigerated. If the client tops up the diesel tank with contaminated fuel, an engine breakdown occurs. The filters clog and sooner or later a frequently abused motor breaks down. Service companies on 24 hour call are contracted to make emergency calls. The motor is replaced with a newly serviced one and the other goes in for repair. The service company profits, but the reefer company suffers a bite from its profits.

Shipping that refuels along the coast or passing through the Panama Canal faces serious problems in conforming to EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] standards for smoke emissions in places such as California. Fines have to be met.

Ship to shore cranes with tanks high above the ground face special problems of maintenance and tank cleaning, accented by weather conditions.

Construction and mining’s heavy equipment deteriorates in periods of idleness, when equipment with half full tanks is out of use.

Yachts and sports fishing boats refueling in yacht clubs, marinas and remote places are prone to contamination when the diesel source is contaminated or contamination develops when the boat is idle.

Oil company service stations, ports and authorities, as well as large commercial companies combat contamination of diesel stored on site. Storage tanks are a breeding ground for bacteria. Tanks are corroded and need replacement. Fuel has to be dumped. An industry based on tank cleaning and replacement is the consequence.

Emergency generators belch black smoke when they start up. Frequently, they break down within half an hour, because filters or fuel lines clog and a service company has to be called. Generators suffer repairs of injectors, injection pumps and other damage, in consequence.

Strategic problems of delivery and storage contribute to contamination - especially in remote areas.

 

Diesel is easily contaminated during transport and storage, especially because of the distance and remoteness of some communities.  Diesel, moved by numerous small enterprises in a variety of ways - long distance delivery by tankers, by sea or river, in old drums, in the back of pick-ups - has a high risk of contamination, because carriers work mostly with old equipment and on tight budgets. Then, fuel is stored on site and the chance of contamination rises again.  With it the cost of repairs, replacement parts and losses rise too.

 

High levels of sulfur in diesel contribute to this problem, as well. Sulphur can accelerate the action of SRB’s [Sulphate Reducing Bacteria], which corrode engines and contribute to black smoke emissions.

 

Note: Diesel is affected by the source and quality of crude oil. Quality of crude varies from oilfield to oilfield, because the age of the oilfield and the original organic composition varies around the globe. Often cheaper crude is high in sulfur and asphaltenes that must be removed. For this reason, it is cheaper. The issue of sulphur in diesel is getting increasing attention and legislation is now demanding lower sulphur levels. This will lead to ULS diesel - now popular in Europe and soon to be standard in the United States.