Fuel contamination S/Aus

[TechMan]

Caltex extends warning on contaminated fuel

 

13 July 2007

 

CALTEX Australia has widened a warning on diesel contaminated unleaded petrol to cover all fuel sold on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula.

 

 

Earlier this week the company said unleaded fuel sold at Arno Bay and Cleve since mid-May might have been contaminated with traces of diesel.

 

 

 

But after further testing it has now extended that warning to include all its outlets on the Eyre Peninsula from Cowell, on the east coast, to Penong on the Great Australian Bight.

 

 

 

All sales of fuel have been suspended while further testing is underway.

 

 

 

South Australian Consumer Affairs Minister Jennifer Rankine said it was important motorists and other users understood the suspect fuel posed a serious safety risk.

 

 

 

"Caltex Australia says the potentially contaminated fuel could pose a serious risk to anyone operating an ultra-light aircraft, marine vessels powered by an outboard motor or other high-revving two-stroke motors because the engines could possibly falter,'' she said.

 

 

 

For other people the contamination might resul t in engines that are difficult to start or that run roughly.

 

 

 

Ms Rankine said Caltex had advised her that quick action was taken to ban the sale of further fuel once the contamination issue was detected.

 

 

 

"Caltex assures me that it is undertaking a thorough investigation involving stringent testing of fuel, from the supply terminal at Port Lincoln, right through to the various site tanks,'' she said.

 

 

 

 

 

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Taken from The Australian website today.