Storskalaprojekt med forsyning af AFME biodiesel i ... - Trafikstyrelsen

ased product used. Oil companies have to deal with a complex problem, both with
respect to purchasing of base diesel and biodiesel, in the event that this is not
purchased ready blended from refineries and also with respect to the exchange of
products between oil companies (exchange agreements).
The adjustment of storage facilities and ensuing running, including use of biocomponents
has gone well. The work was greater and more complicated than
expected, but has led to valuable information on the future organisation and
management of storage of bio-component blended products, in the event that oil
companies choose a decentralised blending practice. This includes also the
administrative management of bio-components with respect to tax and excise.
Different solutions were used for the two storage facilities in the project, depending on
the construction in question, but were chosen with respect to existing systems.
Common to both were that a two-step blending system was used, with establishment
of a 50/50% tank, followed by a blending to B5 on the delivery ramp. Heating of the
biodiesel was also used, although the methods and equipment for heating and
insulation of tanks and pipes were different. The control systems for exact blending on
the ramps are also different, but both systems functioned effectively.
It was decided relatively late in the project preparation phase, to go from one-step to
two-step blending to ensure the best possible blending during winter, where base
diesel can be chilled to around 0 degrees in the storage tanks. The decision to change
to a two-step system changed markedly the budget and time plan for conversion of
the storage facilities. On top of this, handling of biodiesel and use of a new base diesel
product both contributed to complicate the process, including changes to the use of
existing tanks and requirements for approval. The need to complete conversion of
storage facilities quickly, so that distribution could be started in the winter months,
contributed to making the construction relatively expensive. Despite this, conversion
has carried out successfully and the oil companies have only minor changes with
respect to future use of these storage units.
In the daily use of the storage facilities, it is now clear that processes and
administration can be run by the oil companies themselves, although it is generally
more demanding, not least with respect for ensuring that product specifications and
standards are maintained. In this way, problems with respect to the cold weather
performance were solved by heating and insulating parts of the systems. Procedures
and a concrete warning system for co-operation between biodiesel suppliers and
storage facilities were created, in order to handle the heated biodiesel most
effectively. Procedures with respect to blending of the fossil fuel and bio-component
have led to restrictions in supply of fuels and increased demands for planning.
There have been no problems with distribution from storage facilities to end users via
commercial petrol stations and to fleet owners. With respect to current guidelines for
handling of bio-components and based on the experience of oil companies in other
countries, a thorough cleaning of all storage tanks was carried out beforehand.
Cleaning of the tanks was carried out by the oil companies themselves and partly
covered under current legal responsibilities regarding regular inspection checks. On
completion of the test, samples were taken for evaluation of water content in the
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