Comfort Line - Questions and Answers
Ultrablend Heating Oil by Charles J. Brand You may have seen the Ultrablend logo on our stationery and our trucks or heard about Ultrablend on the radio. This quarter, our Question & Answer segment discusses our Exclusive Ultrablend Heating Oil.What is Ultrablend?
Ultrablend is first quality heating oil that is blended with a series of additives to improve its quality and performance. We buy the additives in 200-gallon containers called port-a-feeds. At our bulk plant, we have a chemical feed pump that automatically blends every gallon of heating oil with our exclusive Ultrablend additive package.
What additives does Ultrablend contain?
Ultrablend contains detergents, stabilizers, dispersants, inhibitors and a microbiocide that is approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Why is it helpful to treat heating oil with these additives?
Crude oil is refined by heating it to 700° F. At this temperature, the various products, including gasoline, kerosene/jet fuel and heating oil/diesel fuel, naturally separate from the crude oil. During the normal refining process, called "straight run," a certain amount of each product naturally flows from the crude oil.
Today, after the straight run process, virtually every refinery uses a secondary refining process known as "catalytic cracking." This process applies additional heat and pressure in order to force a higher percentage of gasoline from the crude oil. Catalytic cracking is very effective in increasing the gasoline yield from every barrel, but the harshness of the process makes the gasoline and other petroleum products unstable.
If you had two bottles containing samples of heating oil, one from a straight run process and the other from a catalytic cracking process, the samples would initially look the same. However, after a few weeks, some of the parafins in the catalytically cracked product would start to separate, causing the oil to begin to break down and change color, thus creating a visible difference.
Because it contains stabilizers and dispersants, Ultrablend does not break down over time, thereby retaining the characteristics of heating oil produced in a straight run process. In addition, Ultrablend contains detergents to keep your fuel system clean and an inhibitor to prevent wear and tear on the metal components of your fuel system.
What is a microbiocide and how does it work?
There is a type of algae that can grow in heating oil. This algae will cause sludge formation in the oil tank. In order for the algae to grow, there must be some water present in the bottom of the tank. As a result of condensation, and the fact that water is heavier than oil, virtually every oil tank contains some small amounts of water in the bottom. Ultrablend contains a microbiocide that inhibits the growth of algae and prevents sludge formation in the tank. This microbiocide is approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (Registration No. 1706-101).
Specifically, how does Ultrablend benefit me?
Ultrablend doesn’t degrade over time, retaining its pristine straight run characteristics. It cleans and protects your fuel system, inhibits the growth of algae and prevents sludge formation. Cleaner oil means your system runs cleaner and more efficiently. Since the introduction of Ultrablend, our customers have experienced a 75% reduction in fuel-related service calls. For more information about Ultrablend, visit our website at www.hartandiliff.com or call us at 973-383-1421 for a brochure.
