[83-911SC cab]

I used to deliver gas to stations and businesses for a local oil company for about 13 years. Yes all fuel comes through the same pipeline to each fuel storage terminal. Once at the fuel terminal the gas goes in to different storage tanks dependent of the grade of fuel. Only during the loading process in to the delivery trucks do the fuel additives get input in to the fuel.

When delivering to a branded station you went to their terminal to load the fuel. When loading the fuel you had to either input a code/ use special card to get the branded fuel to get the branded company additives. You could also get unbranded fuel from the same terminal by using different codes/ cards. With the unbranded fuels you got some additives but not the good stuff.

I used to go to HESS, Texaco, Exxon, Citgo, Crown and get their branded fuels. But I would also get the unbranded grades of fuel at the same terminals, from the same tanks at a cheaper price. The company I worked at, a local oil company, used to buy hundred's of thousands of gallons and then rent tank space from the terminal to store it. It was not like "our" fuel; was sitting in a tank all by itself. It was in a tank that held millions, it just meant that our fuel was there when we needed it.

Yes most terminals just have premium and regular and the mid-grade is blended either automatically at the terminal or by the driver when he loads it on his/her truck. Crown's premium was rated at 93 octane at the terminal but at the stations it is 92. So the drivers would actually load some regular unlead with the premium to drop the rating from 93 to 92..Duh never figured out why they just did not list it at 93 on the pumps.

Now it must be clear as mud how this stuff works huh!!

Gregg S.