The Gasoline Problem

It was few months ago when the government started the campaign to reduce the consumption of subsidized gasoline. Not very long after that, there are many "fuel pump" problems. Fuel pumps get clogged and even burnt. Many found that there is something wrong with the gasoline (at least their preliminary conclusion). Not very long after that two big taxi operators also reported that hundreds not to mention thousands cars of their fleet also have fuel pump problems. This creates suspicion to the government. Many says that government through state owned oil company try to reduce the consumption of subsidized fuel (gasoline) by putting something bad in the liquid.

All the allegations have not been proved. No one still can not prove that either government or state own company or even the car user or the fuel station owner played dirty. The state own company defended it self to being strict to the standard. Everything come out from their refineries or central distribution points are tested according to the regulation and standard. There are no violations what so ever. Taxi operators even sent the fuel sample to an independent lab in Thailand for a test and the lab showed that the gasoline has too much sulfur content. Sulfur content is always a problem for the diesel fuel here in Indonesia. The quality of diesel fuel is not so clean. Sulfur content is a bit high so that advance common rail systems would not drink it. I am a bit afraid that the fuel station wrongly refuel the underground tanks. The one usually for diesel fuel is refilled with gasoline. They mix and increase sulfur content in the gasoline. But, how likely this is in reality? I guess zero.

Next question will be: is the sulfur content really the core of problem? Does it make the fuel pumps died? I did not do deep Internet research on this but if the sulfur is mixed with water (even the smallest part in the fuel), it might create an acidic chemical that can create problems with metals. If this is the case then the fuel tanks should also be leaking not just the fuel pumps breaking. What about the slurry like deposits in the fuel pump filter? what it is? We still do not know. Investigating team is now working on that. They are working to find out what has been wrong with the subsidized gasoline chain of distribution and quality.

In some internet forum it is said that if the fuel station owners try to cheat, they will cheat on the volume not with quality. In the old days when the diesel fuel price is lower than the gasoline, they might try to mix those fuel and get more volume of "mixed" gasoline. These days that modus does not apply. If fuel quality is the problem then it might come from the refinery. Maybe at the refinery the test was not done very well since I am quite sure that the tests are conducted randomly. If the fuel is imported then the refinery on the other side of the earth is the problem. The investigation team must find it.

The underline message is: let's not use car as much as now. Reduce and use public transport or do you bicycling routine. The fuel pump problem will not rise up if the rich use better fuel (RON 92 or more). Many nice cars are still using subsidized fuel. Last time I refuelled, I saw a new Honda CRV filling the tank with subsidized fuel. It's a pity and also a sad condition. Rich people in Indonesia are not ready to be rich. They are just oportunists.