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October 22, 2014

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Sinopec gasoline tested after dilution claim

A SINOPEC filling station is being investigated by a local quality watchdog after being accused of selling watered-down gasoline.

The Songjiang Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau told Shanghai Daily it is conducting tests on fuel samples after a customer complained that his Saab failed to start after he filled it with 95-octane gasoline at Sinopec’s Yunshan outlet on Shenzhuan Highway during the National Day holiday.

After several unsuccessful attempts to start the vehicle, the driver, surnamed Zhang, contacted his insurance company to have it towed to a Saab dealership 40 kilometers away.

Technicians conducted a series of tests on the car and concluded the ignition problem was a result of diluted fuel.

“Checks showed that the fuel contained a large amount of water,” a worker surnamed Xu was quoted as saying.

Once the fuel tank had been emptied and refilled with regular gas, the car started without a problem, he said.

After receiving a bill for 6,800 yuan (US$1,100) for the checks and repairs, Zhang contacted the authorities and media to complain about Sinopec.

The watchdog said it had collected gasoline samples from the filling station and sent them for testing. The results will be available in about two weeks.

Sales of 95-octane gasoline have been suspended at the Yunshan outlet, though staff there dismissed claims there was a problem with the fuel.

Zhang said the manager of the gas station has expressed a willingness to resolve the issue, though state-owned oil and gas giant Sinopec was unavailable for comment.

In January, CCTV reported that diesel sold at a PetroChina filling station in Shangzhi, north China’s Heilongjiang Province, contained 40 times the national legal amount of water.

The incident came to light after several people complained of their vehicles breaking down after refueling at the outlet.




 

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