Petrol Stations Research Articles

Tobacco Outlet Availability, Density, and Proximity in Rural Areas in the Netherlands: An Ex ante Evaluation of the Impact of Tobacco Sales Bans.

The Netherlands will ban tobacco sales from supermarkets in 2024 and from petrol stations and small outlets after 2030 (tobacco specialist shops exempted). Previous studies showed that this will reduce outlet availability, density, and proximity in Dutch urban areas. This study assessed the distribution of tobacco outlets in Dutch rural areas, and potential outlet reductions after implementation of these bans. A cross-sectional quantitative audit of tobacco outlets was conducted in seven rural municipalities in the Netherlands. Tobacco outlet availability (N), density (per 10000 capita and km2), and proximity (average distance of a street or city block to the closest tobacco outlet [meters]) were calculated, as well as predicted changes after implementation of upcoming sales bans. 97 tobacco retailers were identified. There were 5.00 outlets per 10000 capita and 0.09 per km2. The tobacco sales ban in supermarkets is expected to reduce availability by 57 outlets, and density by 2.94/10000 per capita and 0.05/km2, while increasing average distance by 824m. A tobacco sales ban in petrol stations is expected to further reduce availability (-26), density/10000 capita (-1.34), and density/km2 (-0.02), while increasing distance (+1595m). For small outlets, these numbers are -12, -0.62, and -0.01, respectively, while the closest tobacco outlet will be mostly outside municipality borders. Assuming no new tobacco outlets will emerge in response to future tobacco sales bans, the bans could nearly eliminate tobacco outlets in rural areas. To meet the demand for tobacco, there is a risk that new tobacco specialist shops will be established. This study shows the potential impact of tobacco sales bans in, sequentially, supermarkets, petrol stations, and small outlets on tobacco outlet density and proximity in rural municipalities in the Netherlands. A ban on tobacco sales in supermarkets, petrol stations, and small outlets could reduce the number of tobacco outlets in rural areas of the Netherlands to nearly zero. As a result, supermarkets may be inspired to open tobacco specialist shops, which are exempt from the bans. To prevent the proliferation of such shops, retail licensing schemes may need to be established.

The Effect Of Air Lead (Pb) And Individual Characteristics On Subjective Complaints Of Gas Station Operators

Lead (Pb) is an air pollutant present in particulate form, often known as metallic powder. Gas station operators are one of the groups at risk of exposure to lead from motor vehicle emissions, which is harmful to health because it can accumulate in the body. This study aims to analyse the effect of airborne lead (Pb) and individual characteristics on the subjective complaints of petrol station operators in Surabaya. This study is an analytical observational study with a cross-sectional approach with a sample size of 28 respondents. Data were collected through measurements, observations and interviews, which were then processed and analysed using chi-square test. The results showed that airborne Pb measurements at two points met the NAB based on Permenaker No. 5 of 2018, which is less than 0.05 mg/m3. Based on the chi-square test, it was found that the variables of working time and the habit of using PPE had an effect on subjective complaints with a p-value <0.05. The variables airborne Pb, age and smoking habits had no effect on subjective complaints.

Digital Marketing Opportunities in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry: A Post Subsidy Removal Assessment of Petrol Stations

This study investigates the relationship between digital marketing and Customer loyalty of Petrol Stations in Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to investigate the influence of online video displays, social media posts and digital display ads on Customer Loyalty. The study adopted the quasi-experimental research design which employed the cross-sectional survey design. The choice of this survey approach is because it will scientifically look at the situation on ground and will empirically analyse it to get result that can be attributable to the accessible population. Based on the objectives of the study, a research questionnaire was designed and one hundred (100) copies were distributed to customers of the petrol stations who constituted the population of the study, the researchers purposively administered the questionnaires to selected customers of the petrol stations. After data cleaning, a total of ninety-two (92) copies of the distributed questionnaire were retrieved. These copies were analysed and the hypotheses were tested using the Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient with the aid of SPSS Version 25.0. The result revealed that; there is a significant relationship between online video displays and customer patronage, social media posts and customer retention and digital display ads and repurchase intention of customers of the petrol stations in Nigeria. Consequently, the study recommended amongst others that; Petrol stations should invest more on the promotion of their brands through online video displays as this is a potential way of wining and maintaining the patronage of a sizeable number of customers.

Variable‐weight combined forecasting model with causal analysis and clustering for refined oil sales forecasting

AbstractForecasting refined oil sales is essential in energy supply chain management. However, accurate forecasting is limited by several factors, including multiple influences of external features, heterogeneity of different gasoline stations, and difficulty in balancing linear and nonlinear forecasting. To address these issues, we propose a novel variable‐weight combined forecasting model. In the first stage, the model incorporates causal analysis and clustering methods to provide a quantitative description of multiple effects of external features and highly correlated aggregation of homogeneous data. Subsequently, based on the patterns of external feature influences learned from historical data, variable‐weight combined forecasting is realized to balance linear and nonlinear forecasting dynamically. Experiments based on real sales data procured from several regions demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms other benchmark and widely used models in terms of forecasting accuracy and statistical significance. The ablation experimental results confirm the significance of causal analysis, clustering, and variable‐weight combined forecasting in improving the balance between linear and nonlinear forecasting. Moreover, our results indicate that improving the quality of clustering can yield greater benefits than improving the amount of training data. Finally, we also explore whether the forecasting superiority translates into better inventory control, and our results show that the proposed optimization model can effectively balance inventory cost and service level, while also better suppress the bullwhip effect.

Evaluation of transition to 100% electric vehicles (EVs) by 2052 in the United States

With the rising need to transition from fossil fuel consumption to renewables, the transportation industry is foreseeing large-scale adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). According to various studies, the petroleum resources will last until or around 2052. Utilizing the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published data on the number of registered vehicles by each state, the profile of vehicles by 2052 was forecasted using a time series. The vehicle profile comprised vehicles by each type classified as automobiles, buses, trucks, and motorcycles. This future profile became the basis of the quantification of total EVs by the end of 2052. Based on the available fuel economy data published by the US Department of Energy, the average energy consumption per mile (kWh/mile) of each vehicle type was factored into the energy demand calculation for 100% electrification by 2052. A roof-top solar photovoltaic system is easy to install on unoccupied roof space for US house owners. Obtaining the capacity of such a roof-top solar PV system acts as a good decision-making criterion for both house owners and developers. However, for city-dwellers living in multi-family residential buildings, the potential of utilization of roof-top solar PV becomes a subject of future work when effective sharing of resources for local power generation by renewables and development of community-shared EV charging infrastructure is concerned. How well EVs performed against internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in terms of fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions is a driving factor for this transition. For energy demand calculations, a base model was framed, and results were obtained by utilizing mathematical and statistical tools. After accounting for the effects of improved fuel efficiency or reduced energy consumption by EVs over time, the model was modified to obtain revised energy demand and, thus, effective energy generation required. Accordingly, the capacity of EV charging infrastructure required by each state determined the need for preparation by utility companies and local jurisdictions. With limitations on battery size and thus increased frequency for drivers to return for charging, additional fast chargers (level 3) at existing gasoline stations become an option that requires further assessment.

Cross-border competition in the gasoline retail market: Impact of proximity at the German-Polish border

In this article, I analyze how persistently lower gasoline prices in Poland affect the prices set in the German border region. Based on a complete dataset of German gasoline prices and an assessment of driving distances between gasoline stations, I estimate the impact of one additional kilometer of distance to the nearest Polish competitor on the price charged by German gasoline stations. Following the fixed effects filtered estimator approach proposed by Pesaran and Zhou (2018) and controlling for various station characteristics, I find no evidence that German gasoline stations enter price competition with their Polish counterparts. My descriptive analysis of gasoline station infrastructure in the German border region reveals increasingly sparse gasoline station density when approaching the Polish border, along with an increasing share of premium brands. These results may reflect the effect of substantially lower taxes in Poland, discouraging German gasoline stations from locating near the border and effectively ruling out cross-border price competition. Although indirect, my findings suggest the presence of fuel tourism.

Future of Gasoline Stations

The gasoline fueling stations’ future during the automobile industry shift towards electric is questionable. With more than 196,000 gasoline fueling stations in the United States, many of them require an upgrade to electric charging stations. The regular fueling time from gasoline stations is significantly less than the charging time from an electric charging station. Preparedness for shifting from gasoline stations to electric vehicle (EV) charging stations requires detailed research on how consumer behavior changes given they will have a readily available charging port in their households. It would be essential to categorize the customers based on their preferences and thus plan the approach for meeting their needs. For large gasoline stations, the shift to EV charging stations becomes a viable choice as they tend to attract trucks and other travelers throughout the year. A model of electrical infrastructure was prepared for a large gasoline station by using the estimated number of customers visited. Improvement of amenities or devising a way to attract customers will be required to allow them to spend the waiting duration comfortably.

Development of information technology for multi-criteria assessment of petrol stations vulnerability to accidents

Development of information technology for multi-criteria assessment of petrol stations vulnerability to accidents

Does Increasing Concentration Hit Poorer Areas More? A Study of Retail Petroleum Markets*

A central tenet in the field of industrial organisation is that increasing/decreasing market concentration is associated with increased/reduced markups. But does this variation affect every consumer to the same extent? Previous literature finds price dispersion exists even for homogeneous goods, at least partially as a result of heterogeneity in consumer engagement with the market. We study this question by linking demographic and income heterogeneity across local areas to the impact of changing market concentration on markups. With 15 years of station‐level motor fuel price data from Western Australia and information on instances of local market exit and entry, we apply a non‐parametric causal forest approach to explore the heterogeneity in the effect of exit/entry. The paper provides evidence of the distributional effect of changing market concentration. Areas with lower income experience a larger increase in petrol stations' price margin as a result of market exit. On the other hand, entry does not benefit the same low‐income areas with a larger reduction in the margin than in high‐income areas. Policy implications include a need to further focus on increasing engagement by low‐income consumers.

ОСНОВНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ АВТОТРАНСПОРТНЫХ СООБШЕНИЙ НА СЕЛЕ

The article is devoted to the analysis of the main problems of existence and development of motor transport communications in rural areas. These include: poor quality of roads; insufficient car services, petrol stations and other infrastructure; lack of public transport; limited opportunities for development due to low population density; safety problems. It is proposed to consider the creation and development of "strongholds" of bus enterprises as one of the directions for ensuring convenient and regular transport in rural areas. Separately, the servicing of low-power passenger traffic, especially during hours of less congestion with individual transport (social taxi) and the creation and functioning of the system of guaranteed service to the population (GSP) of rural areas are highlighted. The system-wide aspects of motor transport communications influencing the development of rural areas are revealed: accessibility; economic development; social integration; development of engineering infrastructure; impact on the environment. All modern models of road safety assessment used in foreign and domestic practice are analyzed, it is noted that they are in the direction of convergence and harmonization. The tasks that need to be solved for the development of methods for assessing traffic safety levels in road transport communications in rural areas are identified. Scientific problems in improving road transport are identified, including improving engines (increasing efficiency, changing the design, new diagnostic methods, driving mode, creating new types of engines, etc.); increasing load-carrying capacity and passenger capacity (this is associated with improving roads, using new materials, changing design principles, reducing noise, improving the environment, searching for alternative types of fuel); environmental problems; safety problems.

Measuring Lead Levels in The Blood of Workers in Filling Stations and Maintenance of Generators for Different People Age Groups

A study examining lead concentrations in gas stations found a significant difference between workers and non-workers. Workers at gas stations, including those in generator maintenance, were found to have higher lead concentrations than non-workers. The concentrations ranged from 9.621 to 14.801 ppm at the unit filling gasoline station (Basra petrol) to 10.831 to 15.02 ppm at the Morgan filling gasoline station (Samawa gasoline). The lower limits of lead concentrations were 9.267 and 13.542 ppm at Abu Ajaj filling station. The concentrations of lead in the blood of workers servicing gasoline-powered generators ranged from 9.821 to 13.82 ppm, while those in residential areas had concentrations between 10.01 and 13.524 ppm. The World Health Organization has set standards for lead concentrations in the blood, with permissible limits of 10 parts per million. The study highlights the need for increased awareness and regulation of lead exposure in gas stations.

Oral epithelial cells of schoolchildren exposed to air pollution may develop cytotoxic and genotoxic damage

As petrol stations emit pollutants into the atmosphere, their proximity to schools can affect air quality both inside and outside classrooms. School-age children, who spend five to seven hours a day in classrooms and playgrounds during the school year, may be at risk of inhaling potentially harmful gases and particles, which could have a negative impact on their health and academic performance. A biomonitoring study was carried out on 143 children from three schools. Two of the schools were considered to be exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and were located 50 and 300 metres away from petrol stations. The other school, which was not considered to be exposed, was located 450 metres away. With the exception of MN, the biomarkers of genotoxic damage were generally higher (p>0.05) in the school located 50 metres from a petrol station than in the control group, although the results were less clear in the school located 300 metres away. For all biomarkers (KR, CC, PN and KL), the school 50 metres from the source of emissions had higher levels of cytotoxicity (p <0.05). This is the first study to link exposure to volatile hydrocarbons in petrol to genotoxic damage in children, and it strongly suggests that urban planning laws should be changed to halt the decline in children's health.

Was the German fuel discount passed on to consumers?

In this article, I analyze whether German gasoline stations passed on the gasoline tax reduction to consumers. I use a difference-in-differences approach with France as the control group, as well as data for all countries in the European Union. The German fuel discount was in effect from June to August 2022. As I am the first to use complete French and German high-frequency data for the entire treatment period, I can examine how the pass-through of the tax cut evolved over time, varied for different brands, and in various geographic regions. I find a substantial variance in pass-through rates over time and space. On average, the pass-through of the fuel discount was very high but remained incomplete for all fuel types. The pass-through rates were systematically lower in rural regions and in the south of Germany.

Biochemical study of the effect of lead exposure in nonobese gasoline station workers and risk of hyperglycemia: A retrospective case-control study.

Evaluate the relationship between blood lead (Pb) levels and other biomedical markers and the risk of diabetes in gasoline station workers. The participants were separated into 2 groups: group A consisted of 26 workers from gasoline filling stations, while group B comprised 26 healthy individuals. Serum levels of malondialdehyde, IL-1β, visfatin, insulin, fasting blood sugar, and vitamin D were assessed. Mean Pb level was significantly higher in group A compared to group B (almost 2.9 times higher levels) (14.43 ± 1.01 vs 5.01 ± 1.41, µg/dL). The levels of visfatin (23.19 ± 0.96 vs 3.88 ± 0.58, ng/mL), insulin (22.14 ± 1.31 vs 11.26 ± 0.75, mU/L), fasting blood sugar (118.4 ± 26.1 vs 82.7 ± 9.2, gm/dL), malondialdehyde (6.40 ± 0.27 vs 1.62 ± 0.21, nmol/mL), and IL-1β (330.25 ± 10.34 vs 12.35 ± 1.43, pg/mL) were significantly higher in group A, meanwhile; vitamin D (11.99 ± 1.55 vs 35.41 ± 3.16, ng/mL) were significantly lower in group A. A positive association exists between blood Pb levels and increased inflammatory markers. Lead exposure increases serum insulin and fasting blood sugar, which suggests that it is diabetogenic and that increased inflammation is a possible cause.

Assessing VOC emissions from different gas stations: impacts, variations, and modeling fluctuations of air pollutants

Gas stations distributed around densely populated areas are responsible for toxic pollutant emissions such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study aims to measure VOCs emission from three different kinds of gas stations to determine the extent of pollution from the gas stations and the most frequent type of VOC compound emitted. The concentrations of ambient VOCs at three refueling stations with a different type of fuels in Mashhad were monitored. The result of this study showed that CNG fuel stations are less polluting than petrol stations. In all the studied sites, the highest concentrations were related to xylene isomers, irrespective of the fuel type. Total VOCs at the supply of both compressed natural gas (CNG) and gasoline stations was 482.36 ± 563.45 µg m−3. At a CNG station and a gasoline station, total VOC concentrations were 1363.4 ± 1975 µg m−3 and 410.29 ± 483.37 µg m−3, respectively. The differences in concentrations of toluene and m,p-xylene between the fuel stations can be related to the quality and type of fuel, vapor recovery technology, fuel reserves, dripless nozzles, traffic density in these stations, meteorological conditions and the location of sampling sites. The combination of a sine function and a quadratic function could model the fluctuation behavior of air pollutants like m,p-xylene. In all the sites, the highest concentrations were related to xylene isomers, irrespective of the type of fuel. The changing rate of m,p-xylene pollutant in each station was also modeled in this study.

Rethinking post-Ottoman space through the ordinary: garages, hotels and cafés between Syria and Iraq, 1920s–1930s

ABSTRACT This article examines the reconfiguration of post-Ottoman space in the Mashriq during the interwar period. It does so by delving into ordinary places, actors and practices, particularly garages, hotels, petrol stations and cafés along the trans-desert routes connecting Syria and Iraq. By investigating the interactions between stationary workers and mobile individuals in these settings, it presents a decentred and bottom-up perspective on how space was experienced, contested and reshaped in the region. Drawing from a diverse range of sources, the article explores how ordinary actors sought to reclaim and shape space for their own purposes, highlighting their potential and actual roles in the reconfiguration of post-Ottoman space. On the one hand, it reveals that their economic activities were marginalised by the dominant agenda to restructure space for capitalist and imperialist interests through automotive technology. On the other, it demonstrates that ordinary actors played a substantial role in the formation of lived spaces spanning Syria and Iraq, as well as in reshaping the fabric, economy and meaning of places within these regions.

Towards a more realistic approach to the problem of detecting fuel leaks in filling stations: Mixed time windows

The early detection of fuel leaks in filling stations is crucial to minimize environmental risks, such as soil and groundwater contamination. There are some commercial products for fuel leakage detection based on statistical analysis of data from station inventory books. Although they solve the tackled problem, they have some important drawbacks, such as their high price, and issues related to the privacy of station data, which must be shared with the company owning the reconciliation technology.In this work, a solution based on Artificial Intelligence is proposed to address this problem. Machine Learning techniques, specifically two-class supervised classifiers, are applied to data extracted from inventory books of real petrol stations. The classification models used in this paper are trained and tested with real data of days without leaks and simulated data of days with leaks. Thus, the more representative of reality these data are, the better the classifiers will work when implemented in a real filling station. In this sense, the most novel contribution of this paper is the way in which the training sets are constructed to achieve a realistic scenario. These sets are composed of time data windows in which the leak can begin on any day within the window, not necessarily on the first day, as the authors had assumed in a previous contribution. Therefore, they are mixed windows containing a variable number of non-leaking and leaking days.In addition, the design of these data sets complies with the requirements of the current European standard UNE-EN 13160–5. This allows the classifiers to work under even more realistic conditions and thus increase the practical applicability of their results. This work demonstrates that by using two-class classifiers it is possible not only to comply with the standard in terms of the maximum allowable ratio of false positives and false negatives, but also to detect the leak in a shorter time than that established in the norm.

Behaviour and Peculiarities of Oil Hydrocarbon Removal from Rain Garden Structures

The expansion of impervious areas in the context of climate change leads to an increase in stormwater runoff. Runoff from roads, petrol stations, and service stations is the most common form of unintentional release of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs). Rain gardens are an important practice for removing PHs from stormwater runoff, but little data exist on the removal efficiency and behaviour of these substances within the system. The main objective of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of rain gardens in removing pollutants such as diesel fuel (DF) and used engine oil (UEO) in a laboratory setting, as well as to study the behaviours of these pollutants within the system. Eight experimental columns (7.164 dm3) were packed with soil (bulk density 1.48 kg/dm3), river sand (1.6 kg/dm3), and gravel. Plants of the Physocarpus opulifolia Diabolo species were planted in the topsoil to study their resistance to PHs. For 6 months, the columns were watered with model PHs followed by simulated rain events. The concentrations of PHs in the leachate and soil media of the columns were determined by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The results of HPLC indicated the absence of UEO and DF components in the leachates of all experimental columns, which suggested 100% removal of these substances from stormwater. The chromatography results showed that 95% of the modelled PHs were retained in the surface layer of the soil medium due to the sorption process, which led to a change in hydraulic conductivity over time. Recommendations are proposed to increase the service life of rain gardens designed to filter PHs from stormwater.

Автозаправочная станция как сложный пожаровзрывоопасный объект

В статье выделены факторы, способствующие возникновению пожарной опасности на автозаправочных станциях, рассмотрена опасность нарушения технологического процесса и возникновения аварийных ситуаций, определены основные угрозы возникновения чрезвычайной ситуации по типу размещения резервуаров. In the article the authors have identified the factors contributing to the emergence of fire danger at petrol stations, considered the danger of violation of technological process and emergence of emergency situations, determined the main threats of emergency situation by the type of tank placement.

Evaluation of Liver Markers, Kidney Markers, Electroyte Panel and Protein Profile in Pump Attendants Exposed to Petrol Fumes from Selected Filling Stations in Ihiala, State, Nigeria

Environmental hazard in a work place is an inevitable experience especially when it has to do with working in a filling stations where volatile and combustible substances like petrol, diesel and kerosene are dispensed via PMS and other channels of distribution or outlets and in the process pollute or saturate the air with hydrocarbons. Individuals working in a petrol station pose different risk of exposure to these xenobiotics that enter the body via different means (inhalation, ingestion and skin or eye contact) and could be detrimental to the body system resulting to death if not properly handled. This research was aimed at assessing some biochemical indicators of occupational hazard in fuel pump attendant from selected service stations in Ihiala, Anambra state. A total of eighty apparently healthy subjects (40 males and 40females) aged between 28-35 years volunteers participated in the study. Each gender was further categorized into two groups of 20 each for control (unexposed workers) and exposed pump attendants respectively. The pump attendants that volunteered for this study had spent an average of 5-6 years on the job. Blood samples were collected from the volunteers with their informed consent and selected biochemical parameters such as liver function test (ALP, AST ALT), kidney function test (urea, creatinine and uric acid), protein profile (total protein and albumin), and electrolyte levels were investigated using standard methods. The result of the investigations showed that urea and creatinine level of exposed female pump attendants (5.80±0.02 mg/dl and 82.50±2.15 mg/dl)were significantly higher (P<0.05) than unexposed female pump attendants (5.00±0.45mg/dl and 58.00±0.11 mg/dl respectively). Serum sodium (Na+ ) electrolyte levels of exposed male and female exposed pump attendant (143.00±1.05 and 141.00±1.25 mmol/L respectively) were significantly higher (P<0.05) compared to Na+ electrolyte levels in male and female unexposed workers (138.00±0.14 mmol/L and 139.50±2.11 mmol/L respectively) while the chloride ion level in male and female pump attendants were higher compared to male and female unexposed workers. Alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase (ALT and AST) levels of male and female exposed pump attendant were higher than that in male and female unexposed pump attendant. Petroleum fumes are therefore environmental pollutants that could have serious consequences on biochemical parameters in petroleum product exposed individuals. Therefore, health Safety and Environmental training is recommended for petrol station workers on regular basis to improve their safety and create awareness on the dangers inherent associated with filling station workers exposed to petrol fumes.