DICKINSON, N.D. –Regular unleaded gasoline is slowly going the way of the full-service stations, Forum News Service reports. As refiners have moved to comply with the Renewable Fuel Standard, the availability of regular 87 octane gasoline without ethanol (pure or clear gasoline) has become more scarce.
“We made the switch just in the last week,” said Mike Staudinger, general manager at DJ’s Tesoro in Dickinson. “We’re still in the infancy stage of finding out how people are going to react, but so far there hasn’t been much response. Some customers have asked why we’re not selling (87 octane, non-ethanol gasoline) any longer, and we just say that it’s because the refinery isn’t making it anymore.”
The Tesoro Mandan Refinery, from where DJ’s receives its fuel supplies, doesn’t stock regular unleaded 87 octane without ethanol. “My understanding is that the fuel that is picked up in Glendive (Mont.) and made at Mandan Tesoro — they’re not making it anymore,” said Staudinger. “I can’t say that no other station is selling it, but, generally, you’re not going to be able to go down the road and buy [pure gasoline] without the up to 10% ethanol added. So far, I’ve only had one customer that has been really upset about it.”
The North Dakota Petroleum Marketers Association has expressed its concern over the changes. “We’re not happy about it and we never were happy about it,” said President Mike Rud. “If you look back at the taxable sales of gallons for the 2012-13 fiscal year in North Dakota, you’ll see that 45% of the sales were still regular unleaded gasoline with no ethanol. What that tells you is there’s a pretty big demand in North Dakota for that product.”
Of top concern is what customers with older vehicles and small engine equipment are use instead of ethanol-blended gasoline. “The reality is that these refiners have to meet these renewable standards or they’re going to pay some serious [fines], and we understand that part of it,” Rud said. “If we’re going to keep these regulations in place, let’s make it so refiners aren’t hit with such wild fines. What we’re doing is taking away consumer choice.”