Field of bright yellow sunflowers grown for biodiesel feedstock oil

October 30, 2020

Biodiesel Feedstocks – Sunflower Oil & Tung Oil https://staroilco.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/49-biodiesel-feedstocks-sunflower-oil-tung-oil-1024x683.jpg 1024 683 Star Oilco Star Oilco //staroilco.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/StarOilco-Logo-RGB-C-Lg-Simple.png October 30, 2020 December 8, 2025

Biodiesel Feedstocks – Sunflower Oil & Tung Oil

We are nearing the end of our journey, as there is only one more blog after this one. If you would like to look back and see all of the feedstocks we have covered start here with our first post. In this post we explore the feedstocks Sunflower Oil and Tung Oil as we continue our look into different types of feedstock that Renewable Energy Group (REG) studied in 2009 in the Feedstock and Biodiesel Characteristics Report.

Sunflower Oil

The Sunflower oil in this project was purchased from Jedwards, International, Inc. The common sunflower scientific name is Helianthus annuus.

First domesticated in the Americas the plant was exported to Europe in the 16^th century and has become a staple as a cooking ingredient. According Wildflower.org the common sunflower prefers full sun and well-drained soil. The plant grows up to 8 feet tall and has coarse hairy stems and leaves. The flowers are bright yellow surrounding a central maroon disk, that as it matures, holds the seeds and produces the oil.

The most known uses for sunflower seeds and its oils include; foods, cooking oils and butters. The pressed seed oil is useful for food and the resulting cake (matter left after the oil is harvested) is commonly used as animal food. One of the more interesting uses for the plant is, that it can produce a natural latex in its leaves. This latex can be used to produce hypoallergenic gloves. The purpose of this post though is to discuss the possibility of biofuel created from sunflower seeds. Biodiesel magazine talks about both the pros and cons for this plant as a feedstock option:

“Because sunflower oil is priced higher than soybean and canola oils, its use as a feedstock for commercial biodiesel refining may be hindered in the U.S. market, according to the National Sunflower Association (NSA). However, there is an interest in the tall golden flowers because the seeds yield about 600 pounds of oil per acre, considerably more than soybeans, which produce a little over 500 pounds per acre.”

Because of the high value of the oil in other areas, using the oil for biodiesel can be cost prohibitive. Higher concentrates of oil per acre can be vital as more efficiency in biofuel production becomes necessary. According to Farm Energy, 15,000 to 25,000 plants per acre can be grown. This means that a small or large farm can use this crop profitably or simply in the production of fuel for that farm.

Tung Oil

The Tung oil from this study was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Co. The Tung tree, Vernicia fordii, is native to China and Vietnam. This tree can be over 60 feet in height and is deciduous. According to Texas Invasive Species Institute:

“The bark is smooth, thin, and exudes white sap when cut. The leaves are simple, heart-shaped or with three lobes, and 6-10 inches long. The white flowers have 5 petals with red veins, and they bloom before the leaves emerge. The toxic fruits can grow up to 3 inches in diameter and are reddish green when fully developed.”

This tree is valued for its oil from the seeds. Traditionally this oil was used in lamps and even as waterproofing on boats. In more contemporary time this oil is used in varnishes and paint. This value encouraged the importation of this tree. According to Texas Invasive Species Institute there was over 10,000 acres planted in the United States in 1927. Cultivation of this tree has waned in the US after frosts and hurricanes destroyed many of the plantations.

This is one feedstock that isn’t part of the food vs fuel controversy. The Tung tree and its oil is poisons to humans. Even one seed from the fruit can be fatal, with symptoms including slowed breathing, vomiting and diarrhea.

Last article for biodiesel feedstocks was – Soybean Oil & Stillingia Oil

If you would like to learn more about bio-diesel you can check out this post Every Question We Have Been Asked About Biodiesel

Pacific Pride commercial fuel station with service vehicles fueling

March 20, 2020

Fueling support for those on the road https://staroilco.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/43-seven-ways-to-stop-fuel-theft-before-it-happens-star-oilco-pacific-pride-1024x556.png 1024 556 Star Oilco Star Oilco //staroilco.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/StarOilco-Logo-RGB-C-Lg-Simple.png March 20, 2020 August 29, 2025

Fueling support for those on the road

Are you worried about finding fuel?

If a gas attendant gets sick you may find gas stations closing or worse employees working while they are sick.

Construction workers, delivery drivers and first responders still need fuel and still need to be able to get to work.

Cardlock cards are an excellent way to solve this dilemma, no attendants – helps with social distancing and 24/7 access means that even in emergencies the sites are open.

Star Oilco is an independent Franchisee of Pacific Pride

We are all dealing with an extraordinary set of experiences right now. Those that are on the road may see less access to fuel stations as gas station employees get sick or decide to not work. Food, cleaning products, and medicine are even more important right now. If your on the road delivering these items you need to be sure that you have fuel. The solutions is Pacific Pride fuel cards.

There are also those at home right now looking to save money when they can open again. One of the fastest ways to save money is limit your drivers and employees on what they can buy. Credit cards can be abused and it may be weeks later before you know it happened.

Protect your business by setting controls and monitoring systems. With less time to monitor individual employees you can set up systems that control waste and extra expenses while giving employees the fuel they need to move your equipment. If your business is slowing down you will need to tighten your belt and watch every expense, and this is easy to do by setting controls on your cards. Use Star Oilco to secure yourself from that fuel theft while also saving on your cost of fuel over retail.

Oregon and Washington have some of the highest minimum wages in the U.S. As the minimum wage and regulations increase, so do the costs at retail gas stations. This is doubly so in Oregon, where you are paying the gas stations employee to fuel your tank and the employee to be there. We can save you money and significantly reduce your risk of fuel theft while also getting your drivers out of retail gas station lines.

Whether your an owner/operator or you are managing a large fleet of corporate vehicles needing fueling commercial cardlocks can help you save time and money. Stand-alone commercial-only Pacific Pride and CFN sites in the northwest are a real resource for small business. They speed up the labor associated with fueling and significantly lock down the chance fraud or theft will occur on your fuel card. Stand-alone sites limit access to convenience store items so employees won’t be tempted to spend time browsing and make purchases on the company credit card. In addition, there are less people at the site and less chance of a coming into contact with someone that is sick.

All you need to access Pacific Pride sites in Oregon is a business license and use over 900 gallons of total fuel a year. CFN commercial cardlock sites have the same requirements. If you are a business using a commercial quantity of fuel, you qualify to self-serve gasoline and you can stop paying your employees to shop at the most expensive retail gas stations with the best mini-mart selection. Late night fueling becomes easier and less expensive and you can get them back on the road 24-7 and usually without a line to wait in.

With Pacific Pride and CFN stand-alone commercial cardlock sites, there are other benefits beyond just the convenience. The biggest difference is that these commercial cardlock sites are built with security in mind. Retail stations are engineered to sell as many products as possible to those pulling up for gasoline. Commercial cardlock sites are designed for commercial users who seek the fastest fueling experience. That is a big difference between the two.

What Do You Need for Fueling Cards in Washington or any other state?

If you drive into Oregon and want to use gasoline, you still need the same requirements as stated above. If you don’t need access to Oregon gas stations it is much easier to get a fuel card.

Top 5 Strategies to lock down your gas card from theft.

Gas Card Strategy #1

TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR GAS CARDS – Know who has your cards! Every year take inventory of what cards you have and who is using them. A clear card policy implemented by Human Resources or your Dispatcher is a good way to track what employees (or vehicles) have what cards. Star Oilco performs an annual card audit in conjunction with our Oregon Fire Marshall audit.

We’ll gladly supply a list of cards that you have and when they were last used. We can line up a list of active cards with your employees and make sure there isn’t a lost or unused card out there. Using this list, pass a clip board around asking each employee with a fleet card to confirm they still have that card and initial a confirmation that the card is still in their possession. You would be surprised how individual cards can float between employees as it is easier than asking for a new card.

Gas Card Strategy #2

HAVE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AUDIT YOUR TRANSACTIONS – Review your transactions regularly for strange transactions such as: multiple transactions per day on a single vehicle or card, switching fuel types, and refuels when your business isn’t open. Reviewing your bill, you’ll want to look for transactions that occur outside of normal business hours and days or if certain vehicles are fueling more than once a day these can be indications of theft. An additional indicator is if fuel is being bought outside of your service area. Some of the most common times of day for employee fuel theft are early morning on the way to work (before you open) or after the bars close after midnight.

Gas Card Strategy #3

ATTACH GAS CARDS TO VEHICLE KEYS – Assigning each vehicle in your fleet with its own card is a great practice. Put your Fleet Cards on the key ring dispatched with the vehicle. Each driver is then assigned a number that can be used on any vehicle in the fleet. This way you know exactly who is using the card and which vehicle is being filled. To limit a risk of a stolen card, restrict individual card ownership to management and maintenance. Everyone else should have cards directly connected with a vehicles license plate, so it is obvious if that card goes missing.

Gas Card Strategy #4

SET THE GAS CARDS UP WITH LIMITS – When you assign a card to each vehicle in the fleet you can set limits based on the vehicle. A gasoline vehicle only needs access to gasoline. If your tank size is 20 gallons, that card should be limited to 20 gallons per transaction. Continue to program your cards for the vehicles they are attached to. You can also restrict a card to ensure no one accidentally buys expensive premium or worse, puts the wrong fuel in the vehicle. Reducing the amount of time they can use a card a day limits exposure to theft. A vehicle that never drives more then 50 miles in a day shouldn’t need to fill up more then once a 24 hour period. This reduces the opportunity for theft and also makes theft obvious when the limits are hit. You can also add limits on zip codes, states, and times of days. If someone does steal a card, they would be limited by the time, location, and purchase amount, ensuring that your theft exposure is a few dozen gallons instead of thousands of dollars.

Gas Card Strategy #5

USE E-RECEIPTS TO MANAGE FUEL IN REAL TIME – It’s the 21st century so manage in real time. You can set-up cards to email you based on each card or, if you have one specific one you are are worried about, that card can be set to email you or your fleet management in real time. Better yet, if theft is occurring, you will see it immediately and be able to react. Not only will this lock down your gas card’s security, it will also allow you to address mistakes relating to efficiency. Owners and dispatchers also use this to see where the driver is. If they are where they said they were when fueling. Instant feedback and communication is critical to change bad behavior of drivers. They may mean to do well but just made a simple mistake.

Need to lock down your gas card from fuel theft?

Call Star Oilco, we can make it simple.

Star Oilco can help you field all of these best practices. Our motto is “Keep it Simple” and we are here to make this easy. Feel free to reach out and see what Star Oilco can do for your fleet to upgrade its fleet fueling security.

To download a white paper on these Pacific Pride fuel card security feature best practices, go to our Stop Fuel Theft page.

Star Oilco is an independent Franchisee of Pacific Pride

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Close-up abstract image of diesel fuel with suspended droplets and fluid motion

April 19, 2019

About Diesel Fuel https://staroilco.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/103-fixing-the-problems-with-bugs-growing-in-your-diesel-1024x512.jpg 1024 512 Star Oilco Star Oilco //staroilco.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/StarOilco-Logo-RGB-C-Lg-Simple.png April 19, 2019 September 12, 2024

About Diesel Fuel

Bulk Diesel Fuel Frequently Asked Questions

Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel is 15 PPM Dyed Off-Road Diesel

Where your diesel comes from and what you need to know about ASTM Diesel Standards and ISO cleanliness code.

Where do Pacific Northwest vendors get their fuel?

In the Pacific Northwest, diesel is fungible. Everyone buys their fuel from each other in some way or another.

This means that every refiner is typically expecting to mix their diesel and gasoline products. The real difference is in the care a vendor takes to filter the fuel, additize and continuously check their fuel quality. If you are buying at the absolute lowest price possible, know that there is an incentive to skip any added value of quality assurance.

Through its Pacific Operations unit, Kinder Morgan operates approximately 3,000 miles of refined products pipeline that serves Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington and Texas. With roots dating back to 1956, it is the largest products pipeline in the Western U.S., transporting more than one million barrels per day of gasoline, jet fuel and diesel fuel to our customers. The company-owned terminals also provide additional services, such as liquid petroleum product storage and loading facilities for delivery trucks.

Diesel Fuels

In the United States, diesel fuel is controlled according the American Society for Testing and Materials Standard D975-97. This standard describes a limited number of properties that diesel fuels must meet. It should be noted that the requirements are all performance- based. They do not mandate the composition of the fuel, only the specific performance related requirements demanded of a fuel for a diesel engine. The requirements of D975 are described below.

ASTM Specifications for Diesel Fuel Oils (D975)*

* You can go to the source of ASTM HERE if you have an interest in really getting in depth.

Diesel fuel is characterized in the United States by the ASTM standard D975. This standard identifies five grades of diesel fuel. We are only going to talk about the two most popular commercially diesel fuel used — No 1 and No. 2 diesel. The ASTM D975 standard is made up of a series of different tests that check the characteristic ranges of a fuel to confirm it is adequate to operate in your equipment. In simple terms, they are checking for specific gravity, the vapor point (when it turns into a gas), the flash point (when it catches fire), the dirt content, water content (how much microscopic entrained water), and a host of other requirements diesel must meet in order to be legal to be sold for use in your engine.

Grade No. 1-D and Ultra-Low Sulfur 1-D: This is a light distillate fuel for applications requiring a higher volatility fuel to accommodate rapidly fluctuating loads and speeds, as in light trucks and buses. The specification for this grade of diesel fuel overlaps with kerosene and jet fuel, and all three are commonly produced from the same base stock. One major use for No. 1-D diesel fuel is to blend with No. 2-D during winter to provide improved cold flow properties. Ultra Ultra-Low sulfur fuel is required for on-highway use with sulfur level < 0.05%.

Grade No. 2-D and Ultra-Low Sulfur 2-D: This is a middle- or mid-grade distillate fuel for applications that do not require a high volatility fuel. Typical applications include high-speed engines that operate for sustained periods at high load. Ultra-Low sulfur fuel is required for on-highway use with sulfur level < 0.05%.

Dealing with Dirty Fuel and Today’s Tier 4 Engines

Water and dirt are the biggest concerns for fuel quality. Why? Because no matter how perfect fuel is refined, these two elements can find their way into fuel and crash its performance. Water and dirt often build up in tanks just from the temperature change between night and day, causing a bulk fuel tank to breathe. Condensation and dust can also find their way into a bulk storage tank. If not addressed, they build up and will cause mechanical failures.

Dirty fuel will cause premature parts failure in equipment of any age. But newer equipment has far tighter tolerances than what we saw in previous decades. Today’s new and improved Tier 4 rail injector engines are more efficient, they burn cleaner, and run better, they are more powerful than ever before. But there are things that make fuel quality more important than ever. Because of the extremely high pressures (upwards of 35,000psi at the injector tip), the possibility of damage from dirty wet fuel is more prevalent than ever. This damage is much more pronounced in newer equipment with High Pressure Common Rail (HPCR) fuel systems. Hard particulate is commonly referred to as “dirt,” but is in fact made up of a wide variety of materials found at job sites (coal, iron, salt, etc.), generated by fuel tanks and lines (rust, corrosion, etc.) and inside engines (carbonaceous materials and wear particles).

Frequent diesel fuel filter changes — as well as the expensive, and time consuming, task of cleaning diesel fuel tanks — have become acceptable periodic maintenance, instead of a warning signal, for diesel engine failure. Diesel fuel filter elements should last a thousand hours or more, and injectors should endure 15,000 hours. However, since diesel fuel is inherently unstable, solids begin to form and the accumulating tank sludge will eventually clog your diesel fuel filters, ruin your injectors and cause diesel engines to smoke.

Symptoms

Clogged and slimy filters
Dark, hazy fuel
Floating debris in tanks
Sludge build up in tanks
Loss of power and RPM
Excessive smoke
Corroded, pitted injectors
Foul odor

The solids that form as the result of the inherent instability of the diesel fuel and the debris formed in the natural process of fuel degradation will accumulate in the bottom of your fuel tank. The sludge will form a coating or “bio-film” on the walls and baffles of the fuel tank, plug your fuel filters, adversely impact combustion efficiency, produce dark smoke from the exhaust, form acids that degrade injectors and fuel pumps, and impact performance. Eventually, fouled diesel fuel will clog fuel lines and ruin your equipment.

The Bigger Picture: ISO (International Standardization Organization)

In today’s world, the definition of what constitutes clean or dirty fuel is critically important and, as such, fuel cleanliness levels are now measured and reported according to the ISO Cleanliness Code 4406:1999. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) created the cleanliness code to quantify particulate contamination levels per milliliter of fluid at three sizes: 4μ, 6μ, 14μ. Microns.

Fuel Cleanliness vs. Engine Technology

Fuel cleanliness levels using the ISO4406:1999 method were officially documented as a global standard only as recently as 1998 with the development of the Worldwide Fuels Charter (WWFC). Since its inception, the charter has established a minimum cleanliness level for each of the diesel fuels under various available categories around the world.

Most mainstream engine OEM’s now subscribe to these standards. Interestingly (and somewhat troubling to note), however, is that fuel cleanliness levels as specified by engine OEM’s and the WWFC have not changed since their inception in 1998, despite the enormous advances in fuel injection technology. This relationship is best represented in the previous table that identifies the advances in fuel injection systems and clearly highlights how OEM’s and the WWFC have not responded to reduce fuel cleanliness in accordance with advancements in technology.

Diesel Fuel Injection – Advancing Technologies & Cleanliness Levels

This table identifies that, over time, fuel injector critical clearances have halved and fuel pressures have doubled, yet the level of fuel cleanliness being specified has not changed in accordance with such advancements. In fact, the same cleanliness levels specified in 2000 are still being used today despite these magnificent technological design advancements by engine manufacturers worldwide.

Leading fuel injector manufacturers around the world have clearly identified and communicated that they require ULSD fuels with ISO fuel cleanliness levels as low as ISO12/9/6 to maintain ultimate performance and reliability. It is here where we see an enormous mismatch in what the fuel injection OEM desires as a fuel cleanliness level, to what the engine OEM’s and the WWFC are advising the industry. The following table identifies the discrepancies in fuel cleanliness levels.

Diesel Cleanliness Levels

WWFC Diesel Category Fuel Cleanliness Standards

Damage Caused by Hard Particulate

Hard particulates cause problems with moving parts in the fuel system. This can lead to starting problems, poor engine performance, idling issues and, potentially, complete engine failure. All too common, hard particulates damage engines.

The spray pattern generated by the HPCR injector is critical for proper combustion and overall fuel system performance.

It must be extremely precise in terms of quantity, distribution and timing. Ball seat valves are sealed with balls that are only 1mm in diameter. A good seal is absolutely necessary for proper injection. Damage from erosive wear, such as shown below, will cause over fueling, leading to decreased fuel efficiency and eventually shut you down altogether.

hpcr injector damaged by hard particulate

Pump performance can also be compromised by scoring and abrasive wear. These issues are magnified by tighter tolerances and extreme pressures in HPCR engines. In these circumstances, it is the smallest particles (1-5 microns in size) that cause the most damage, virtually sand blasting part surfaces.

Allowable Levels of Hard Particulate

(4) dirt-in-vs-allowed-in-1000-gal-diesel

In some parts of the world, 10,000 gallons (38,000 liters) of “typical” diesel contains 1-1/2 lbs (700 grams) of hard particulate; this is 1000 times more than the 1/4 oz. (0.7 grams) per 10,000 gallons (38,000 liters) that is allowed by the cleanliness requirements of high pressure common rail fuel systems. In reality, there is no “OK” level of hard particulate. Injector manufacturers are very clear that damage caused by hard particulate reaching the engine is not a factory defect, but rather the result of dirty diesel that is not fit for use in HPCR fuel systems. At the end of the day, the end user is responsible for the fuel he puts into his equipment, and the consequences thereof.

How Dirt Enters Fuel

Dust and dirt are all around us, especially on job sites. Diesel fuel is fairly clean when it leaves the refinery but becomes contaminated each time it is transferred or stored. Below you will find some of the key contributors of fuel contamination:

Pipelines: Most pipelines are not new, and certainly not in pristine condition. Corrosion inhibitors are added at most refineries to help protect pipelines, but rust and other hard particulate is nevertheless picked up by the fuel that flows through them.

Barges and rail cars: How often are they drained and scrubbed out? What was in the last load? Where did it come from? How much of it was still in the tank when your load was picked up? How long was it in transit? Is the tank hermetically sealed? There are many opportunities for contaminants to make their way into the fuel.

Terminal tanks: Terminal tanks usually see a high rate of turnover, so there is not much time for the fuel to pick-up contamination from outside ingress. Has the tank ever received a “bad load” from a pipeline or a barge? Has larger dirt had a chance to settle on the bottom of the tank? How often has it been cleaned out? Was it just filled? Did the bottom get churned up in the process? How full was the tank when your fuel was loaded into the delivery truck? There are many variables that can affect fuel cleanliness.

Delivery trucks: All the same issues that apply to stationary tanks also apply to tanker trucks, except that truck tanks never get a chance to settle. In addition, have you ever considered how much dirt gets into that tanker while it is delivering fuel to a customer, potentially a customer in an extremely dusty environment? As fuel flows out, air is sucked in to displace it. Is there anything protecting the inside of the tank from all the dust in the air? Generally not. Venting is typically completely unprotected, as seen in the image to the right.

Storage tanks: Onsite bulk storage tanks typically see less rapid turn-over than terminal tanks. In addition to those issues, yard and jobsite tanks can also develop serious problems with other sources of contamination, such as the ingress of dirt and water, condensation, rust, corrosion, microbial growth, glycerin fall-out and additive instability. Time and temperature become big factors affecting fuel quality.

Dispensing process: How far does your diesel need to travel between the bulk tank and the dispenser? The more pipe it runs though, the more potential there is for contamination. Are your dispenser nozzles kept clean? Are they ever dropped on the ground? Then what? What about the vehicles’ fuel tank inlets, are they clean? Think about the extremely tight tolerances in your fuel system, then take another look at housekeeping issues. You will see them through new eyes.

Onboard fuel tanks: Contamination continues even after the fuel is in the equipment. What has that tank seen in the past? Has it been left stagnant for long periods? What kind of protection is there on the equipment’s air intake vents? Heavy equipment does hard, dirty work.

Engines: Unfortunately, even if the fuel in your tank could be perfect, additional contamination is generated by the fuel system itself. Wear particles are created by mechanical friction. High heat and extreme pressure generated inside the modern engine, lead to coking and the creation of carbon products at the injector. Much of this internally-produced particulate is returned to the fuel tank, along with the unburned diesel.

The Bottom Line

No one gets special fuel, no one has better fuel, no one has cleaner fuel. Diesel fuel vendors get the same fuel, from the same pipeline, delivered to the same terminals. We all wait in the same lines with our tank trucks to get that same fuel. So ask yourself: Given that the fuel is the same, what sets one vendor apart from all the others? Star Oilco Premium Diesel fuel is treated with Hydrotex PowerKleen® additive running through Donaldson filtration systems.

Clean, dry, premium diesel

Why should my fleet use Pacific Pride cardlock?

Star Oilco Pacific Pride corporate fuel card

Pacific Pride Fleet Fuel card by Star Oilco

A prospective customer asked this question recently in an email:
“Why should I use a Pacific Pride fleet card over a gas station credit card?”
Below is Star Oilco’s answer to their request.

There are many reasons why you should use a commercial cardlock solution for your fleet. The biggest reason why you should use Star Oilco for your cardlock needs is we are a locally owned and operated business that can take the time to tailor a card program to your specific fleet’s needs. Namely, what is the greatest risk of theft that we can secure against and where is the greatest opportunity for savings in how you fuel? Often with fleet card sellers and the larger cardlock companies, they are focused on making your needs fit their product. Star Oilco focuses on YOU. That’s a big difference.

Star Oilco finds that usually customers are focused on one of two things.

Price or Convenience.

PRICE: Cardlock can provide both of these with far more security than any other fuel card solution. Simply put, Cardlock locations do not use a credit-card satellite to run the transactions. This means cardlock operators taking Pacific Pride or CFN are not charging you 2% to 4% on your bill to run it through a Visa or other network. When you pull into a gas station to buy fuel, often you will be forced to pay $.10 a gallon more to use a Comdata, WEX, Voyager, Mastercard, or Visa backed fleet card. With Pacific Pride, you do not face this charge as it’s on the Fleetcor’s network. When you swipe these fleet cards at a Pacific Pride location, this savings is immediate and off the top. Additionally by working with a local Pacific Pride franchisee who owns the location, they can offer further savings at their location not available to anyone else. They own the fuel and therefore have ultimate control on saving you money.

CONVENIENCE: With convenience, comes risk. To enable your business to not be slowed down by the need for fuel you risk allowing a bad actor to steal from you. With Star Oilco’s modern cardlock offering we can secure your risk and still enable several levels of convenience and access, dependent on your customized fleet need.

We focus on your needs in this way. We keep it simple and break it down into an easy process. What do you do and where do you do it?

24-7 Convenience with Easy to Access Fueling Facilities

Clean, well lit, and large truck friendly cardlock facilities. Cardlock is made for business and if you are operating doubles and triples, we can work with your staff to map out the easy in-and-out high-flow diesel fueling options for your drivers.

Industry Leading Card Security

We offer a wide range of solutions that allow you, as a fleet manager, to lock down and protect your fleet from theft. If you only operate in specific areas, we can turn off whatever cards you want to not operate outside of where you want your trucks. If you don’t operate after a certain time of day we can also turn non-management cards off to guard against this. Often small business fuel theft occurs after midnight. If you don’t operate at midnight let us secure your fleet from that risk. These are just a few of the security options we can provide you if needed.

Email Notification for Total Control

See fuel transactions in real time. When your drivers make a fuel purchase at Pacific Pride or other affiliate fueling locations, an email will reach you or your dispatch notifying you. If your drivers are following your processes and procedures for fuel procurement, it will be easy for you to immediately reinforce the rules instead of waiting for a bill. Better yet, if something is wrong with the fuel purchase (out of area/time/product) you will know immediately a problem has occurred and can respond accordingly.

Flexibility or Structured Control. We offer both!

Whether you want your drivers to be able to get fuel and get on the road as fast as possible, or locked into a specific zip code of only the low cost commercial cardlock locations. We can make that happen. Often, management wants total flexibility for time, place and the availability of branded Premium unleaded. While at the same time wanting to lock down their fleet cards for time and place of use to only buy commercial cardlock regular unleaded at the most competitive price possible. We make that easy and can change this quickly for your evolving business needs.

Total Accountability for Fuel Usage

Convenience for your controller, CPA and HR manager. Beyond designing simple security features like this we can also line up fuel usage to line up with your vehicles license plate providing a private PIN to everyone of your employees. We can also track Miles Per Gallon in the vehicles as a way to confirm if the fuel actually went into that vehicle or not. When your employees use the card, their name appears on the bill. You will know what vehicle took what fuel and who was the person who fueled it. When an unlikely fueling occurs you will have evidence of the person who did it and that the vehicle’s mileage is off, providing proof if needed. Combine Pacific Pride’s total control with a “No Tolerance Fuel Theft Policy” for additional authority to fire fuel thieves under any state’s employment laws.

Simple and Accurate Fuel Management and Reporting

Star Oilco’s system enables easy reports anytime you want them. If you require a CSV file or other report for your operation, tax reports, budgeting or other business needs we are there for you to make this easy.

Commercial Diesel Pricing with Volume Discounts

Pacific Pride commercial cardlocks are priced form the wholesale market rate. Our price is straightforward and based a daily OPIS Wholesale Rack report from your local market. Instead of retail posted price signs where the corner gas station is trying to get as much as they can our diesel fuel is priced on a cost plus basis. This is far more transparent and will save you money compared to retail on diesel fuel. When prices are high our prices are far more fair. When prices fall we fall with the wholesale market from the OPIS Average the day the market starts moving down. Pacific Pride locations are also designed with high speed diesel pumps that save large trucks time.

TRY PACIFIC PRIDE TO SEE FIRST HAND
If you have questions or want to sign up for Star Oilco’s Pacific Pride fleet card.

Just let us know, and we will follow up with you to get you started.