Thursday, October 23, 2008

Gulf Oil opens E85 fuel station in Boston

By Mass High Tech Staff

Newton-based fuel company Gulf Oil LP has opened its first E85 filling station in New England, aimed at servicing local commuters driving flex-fuel vehicles and located on Service Road at Logan Airport.

According to Gulf Oil executives, there is more than 75,000 flex-fuel vehicles registered in Massachusetts, in addition to national organizations such as Enterprise Rent-A-Car and the U.S. Postal Service, which have been integrating such vehicles into their fleet.

The Gulf Oil station is the second E85 station in the state. The other, operated by Burke Oil, is located in Chelsea.

E85 is a clean-burning combination of gasoline and ethanol, comprised of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. According to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, there are more than 1,800 E85 ethanol fueling stations in the U.S. The fuel is also a cheaper alternative to traditional gasoline, according to the coalition, averaging 68 cents less per gallon than gasoline over the past August.

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, representatives from Massport and Massachusetts Congressman Bill Delahunt are expected to attend today’s opening ceremony.

Gulf Oil is one of the Northeast’s largest wholesalers of refined petroleum products, including gasoline, heating oil, diesel fuel, jet fuel and kerosene. The company operates 2,400 branded gasoline stations and about 60 additional terminals in new England.