Feeling the pinch from the increased cost of Super gasoline, scores of motorists are flocking to the Carousel Service Station in San Fernando to fill their tanks with Regular gasoline, commonly sold as fuel for fishing boats.
Regular gas, which has an 87 Research Octane Number (RON), is a lower grade than Super gasoline (92 RON) and Premium gasoline (95 RON).
Not many motorists filling their tanks seem to be concerned with the octane levels of the fuel but rather the drastic price difference.
A litre of Super gasoline now costs $4.97, up by one dollar since the reading of the Budget on October, in comparison to $2.60 for a litre of Regular gasoline.
Over the past two weeks, there has been an increased demand for the cheaper fuel.
Every night from 9 pm until 9 am, with motorists creating a traffic pile up along the Naparima/Mayaro Road, Cocoyea Village to fill their tanks. The queue includes many taxi drivers who utilise significant litres of fuel in plying their trade.
Motorists said that the increased cost of Super gasoline was a burden to their pockets as the cost of living continues to rise. While it takes about $224 to fill a 45-litre tank with Super gasoline, at $2.60 per litre of Regular gas, it cost motorists $117, a savings of $107 at the pump.
Currently, Regular gasoline is available in Cocoyea Village, Orange Valley and Chaguanas Main Road.
Otis John fills up his tank with Regular gas at the NP Carousel Gas Station, Cocoyea, San Fernando yesterday.
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A pump attendant at the Cocoyea Village gas station said that for the past two weeks, there has increase of customers filling up their tanks with the cheaper fuel.
“I guess everybody putting Regular gas because it is costing cheaper so they are not putting the Super. The hike in Super has a major effect on people so every night from 9 to 9 am, the lines are long,” the attendant said.
But research has shown that using the wrong fuel can damage engines as octane levels determine the amount of compression the fuel and air mixture can handle.
Adding high compression to low octane fuel and air means that the fuel could ignite on its own, which is bad. If a Regular gasoline goes into an engine with a compression level that requires Super or Premium gasoline, the vehicles will experience engine knocking, which signifies premature ignition. If continued, this would eventually lead to permanent engine damage.
Despite the ill-effects, president of the Petroleum Dealers Association Robindranath Naraynsingh said once there is a demand for fuel, the fuel station operators would request the product from its supplier National Petroleum. He said there was nothing stopping motorists from using the product, even if it is to their vehicles’ detriment.
“If the person who is persisting with Regular did not do research for the vehicle, they are to be held responsible for the consequences that will flow from their action. It’s all driven by market forces; if there is a demand, the operator will provide,” Naraynsingh said.
Driver Otis John, who was filling his Hyundai Trajet SUV, said the trick was to fill half of the tank with Regular gasoline and the other half with Super gasoline so that the engine will not be damaged.
Motorists wait to fill their tanks at the Carousel Gas Station, Cocoyea, San Fernando yesterday.
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Some drivers purchase octane boosters as a fuel additive but most of the brands that offer higher octane levels and anti-knock additives would be too expensive to make savings when used with Regular gas.
One customer said that despite the warning against using Regular gasoline, it was one of the few choices poor people have.
“This is a real detrimental situation for human beings in this country. People have to look for other means of getting fuel at a cheaper rate because they have their children to mind. That is how it is out here because these bigger heads don’t care about poor people. Poor people just have to remain and see trouble.”
Another customer said, “That is how it does work, it is a reality. If you have a good car, you have to put regular in it.”
Trinbago Unified FisherFolk president Kishore Boodram said Regular gasoline is the fuel used in the engines of their fishing pirogues.
Boodram said fishermen have been lobbying for more stations to be allocated the cheaper gas to supply fisherfolk. He said that people were suffering from the increased cost of Super gasoline and had to find creative ways to reduce their expenses.
Fisherman Nick Young ties off a fishing boat at Otaheite Fishing Bay earlier this month.
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