Word of Advice

28 July 2008

Are you pumping the perfect petrol?

Aside from the cost, you probably don’t give a second thought to the fuel you pump into your car. Petrol is petrol, right? Well, petrol and diesel are quite complex products and a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make sure that the fuel you’re getting is both of a good quality and that you’re getting the amount you pay for.

Fuel quality regulations

Regulations exist to protect consumers and the environment regarding petrol and diesel. These regulations give the most important performance properties of your fuel, such as the octane number and also specify limits for components that could harm you, your vehicle or the environment such as aromatics, lead and sulphur.

Monitoring fuel quality in NZ

The Measurement and Product Safety Service, part of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, runs the national fuel quality monitoring scheme. They organise testing of petrol and diesel samples to ensure that oil companies are complying with the regulations.

Fuel samples are tested each month from around the country to see if they meet the regulations and are of acceptable quality.

What happens if a fuel sample fails the test?

Most fuel samples pass the test. Those few that don’t will generally have failed by a very small degree. When this happens, the oil company that supplied the fuel has to investigate why this happened (to prevent it from happening again) and take appropriate action depending on the circumstances, such as removing the fuel from sale. The oil company then tells the Ministry what it has done to solve the problem and the Ministry reviews their actions.

How can I make a complaint about my fuel?

If you think there’s a problem with your fuel, contact the service station or oil company that sold it to you. They will investigate your complaint and possibly test the fuel involved then let you know the result. You can also lay a complaint with the Measurement and Product Safety Service who will follow it up with the oil company concerned.

What about the amount of fuel I get?

How can you be sure that when you buy 10 litres of petrol from the pump, that you are actually receiving what you pay for?

In New Zealand, under the Weights and Measures Act, all measuring equipment used to dispense fuel (the petrol pumps) must be approved for trade use and stamped with a ‘mark of verification’. This mark of verification shows that when the fuel dispenser was first installed (or after it’s been repaired) that it has been tested and found to be accurate.

This work is carried out by authorised personnel called Accredited Persons. Most service stations have their dispensers tested every year to make sure they comply with the requirements of the Weights and Measures Regulations. If the dispensers pass the test, they are issued with a Certificate of Accuracy which is valid for 12 months.

Additionally, Measurement and Product Safety Officers randomly visit service stations to make sure fuel dispensers are accurate. They also monitor Accredited Persons to make sure they carry out their work in accordance with the legislative requirements.

More information?

To find out more, visit the Ministry of Consumer Affairs website