A filling station, fueling station, gas station, service station, petrol station, or gasbar, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants for motor vehicles. Karlskrona is a city in the province of Blekinge in south-eastern Sweden. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Ampol, the Australian Motorists Petrol Company was incorporated by Sir William Gaston Walkley in 1936 in New South Wales. Canadian English ( CanE, en-CA) is the variety of English used in Canada. The most common fuels sold are gasoline (petrol) or diesel fuel. Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum

Some stations carry specialty fuels, such as liquified petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), hydrogen, biodiesel, ethanol, or kerosene. Liquefied petroleum gas (also called LPG, GPL, LP Gas, or Autogas) is a mixture of Hydrocarbon Gases used as a Fuel Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, The hydrogen economy is a proposed method of deriving the Energy needed for Motive power (cars boats airplanes buildings or portable electronics by reacting Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based Diesel fuel consisting of short chain Alkyl ( Methyl or ethyl) Esters made by Ethanol fuel is Ethanol (ethyl alcohol the same type of Alcohol found in Alcoholic beverages. Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage is a Combustible Hydrocarbon liquid In recent times, filling stations have also begun to sell butane and have added shops to their primary business; convenience stores are now a familiar sight alongside pumps. Butane, also called n -butane, is the unbranched Alkane with four Carbon Atoms CH3CH2CH2CH3 A convenience store is a small store or shop. They are often located alongside busy roads or at gas/petrol stations.

The term "gas station" is mostly used in the Western Hemisphere, including the United States and Canada, where the fuel is known as "gasoline" or "gas". The Western Hemisphere, also Western hemisphere or western hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies West The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page In some regions of Canada, the term "gas bar" is also frequently used. Elsewhere in the English-speaking world, the form "petrol station" or "petrol pump" is used. In the United Kingdom the single noun garage is still commonly used, even though the petrol station may have no service/maintenance facilities which would justify this description. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Similarly, in Australia, the term service station ("servo") describes any petrol station. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. In Japanese English, it is called a "gasoline stand". are Japanese Pseudo-Anglicisms English constructions not in use in Anglophone countries nor by English native speakers but which appear in Japanese. In Indian English, it's called a petrol pump or a petrol bunk. Indian English comprises several Dialects or varieties of English spoken primarily in India, and by first-generation members of the Indian diaspora In some regions of America, filling stations usually have a mechanic on duty, but this is uncommon in other parts of the world. A mechanic is a person who uses Tools to repair things (generally machinery or works to keep things operating properly

Contents 1 Number of petrol stations worldwide 2 History of filling stations in the United States 3 Types of filling stations in the United States and Canada 3.1 Premium brands 3.2 Discount brands 4 Filling stations outside the United States/Canada 5 Features of gas stations in the United States/Canada 5.1 Payment methods 5.2 Full service vs. self service 5.3 Minimum service vs. full service 5.4 Other goods and services commonly available 6 Price at the pump 6.1 Gasoline prices in North America 6.2 Gasoline prices in Europe 6.3 Gasoline prices elsewhere 7 Service stations 8 Octane 9 Differences in fuel dispensers 10 Risk of accidental ignition 11 Decommissioning 12 See also 13 References 14 External links

Number of petrol stations worldwide

As of 2007, there are 9,271 petrol stations in the U. K, down from about 18,000 in 1992. [1]

The USA has perhaps 200,000 gas stations [2]

In Canada, the number is on the decline to about 14,000. [3]

History of filling stations in the United States

The first places that sold gasoline were pharmacies, as a side business. Pharmacy (from the Greek φάρμακον 'pharmakon' = drug is the Health profession that links the Health sciences with the chemical sciences In fact, the first petrol station was the city pharmacy in Wiesloch, where Bertha Benz refilled the tank of the first automobile on its maiden voyage from Mannheim to Pforzheim. Wiesloch is a City in Germany, in northern Baden-Württemberg. Bertha Benz (née Ringer) (born 3 May 1849 in Pforzheim, Germany, married inventor Karl Benz on 20 July Mannheim is a City in Germany. With 327318 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in the state of Baden-Württemberg after the capital Stuttgart Pforzheim is a town of nearly 119000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany at the gate to the Black Forest. The increase in automobile ownership after Henry Ford started to sell automobiles that the middle class could afford resulted in a greater demand for filling stations. Henry Ford ( July 30, 1863 &ndash April 7, 1947) was the American founder of the Ford Motor Company and father of The Ford Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie and also the Flivver) was an Automobile produced by Henry Ford 's Ford The world's first purpose built gas station was constructed in St. Louis, Missouri in 1905 at 412 S. Theresa Avenue. [4] The second gas station was constructed in 1907 by Standard Oil of California (now Chevron) in Seattle, Washington. Reighard's gas station in Altoona, Pennsylvania claims that it dates from 1909 and is the oldest existing gas station in the United States. Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. Early on, they were known to motorists as "filling stations". Standard Oil began erecting roadside signs of their logo to advertise their filling stations.

Types of filling stations in the United States and Canada

There are generally two types of filling stations in the US: premium and discount brands.

Premium brands

Filling stations with premium brands sell well-recognized and often international brands of gasoline, including Exxon and its Esso brand, Citgo, Chevron, Mobil, Shell, Sinclair, BP and Texaco. Exxon is a brand of fuel sold by ExxonMobil. History Exxon formally replaced the Esso, Enco, Esso (SO is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies Citgo Petroleum Corporation (or Citgo) is a United States -incorporated Venezuela -owned refiner and marketer of Gasoline, lubricants Petrochemicals Mobil Gas Station by David Shankbonejpg|thumb|Mobil gas station East Village section of New York City]] Mobil was a major American oil company Shell Oil Company is the United States -based affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company (" Oil major " of Anglo Sinclair Oil is an American Petroleum Corporation, founded by Harry F BP plc, previously known as British Petroleum, is the third largest global Energy company, a multinational oil company (" Oil major Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron" Non-international premium brands include Petrobras, Petro-Canada, and Pemex. Petrobras ( Bovespa: PETR3 / PETR4 ( NYSE: PBR / PBRA( Latibex: XPBR / XPBRA short for Petróleo Brasileiro S Petro-Canada () is a Canadian oil and gas firm Its headquarters are in the Petro-Canada Centre in Calgary, Alberta Petróleos Mexicanos ( PEMEX) is Mexico 's state-owned Petroleum company Premium brand stations accept credit cards, often issue their own company cards (a. A credit card is part of a system of Payments named after the small Plastic card issued to users of the system k. a. fuel cards) and may charge higher prices. A fuel card is a payment card for Petrol (gasoline Diesel and other fuels at Filling stations Account balances are cleared in full when due and payment These stations have numerous locations and more available pumps. They tend to be more modern and cleaner and tend to have brighter lighting. For ease and convenience, many of them have fully automated pay-at-the-pump facilities. Premium gas stations tend to be highly visible from highway and freeway exits, utilizing tall signs to display their brand logos. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Before adding any more images to this * * page please do carefully consider * * whether they would be mere decoration * * or actually improve

Discount brands

Discount brands are often smaller, regional chains or independent stations, offering lower prices on gasoline. Most purchase wholesale gasoline from independent suppliers or from the major petroleum companies. In some cases, discount brands accept cash only; others may accept credit cards. Often the customer must walk inside the store or up to the window to pay, and obtain a receipt later. Discount stations tend to have few locations and, in some cases, use outdated technology (e. g. , non-digital readouts on pumps). Additionally, these discount gas stations are sometimes located well away from highway and freeway exits; many are tucked away in obscure commercial and residential neighborhoods. An exception to these trends is ARCO (a division of BP), which maintains a combination of modern and outdated stations, and Valero, which features modern stations. ARCO (an Acronym for Atlantic Richfield Company) is an Oil company which is since 2000 a subsidiary Valero Energy Corporation ( is a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio, Texas, with 21836 employees and annual revenue of more than US$90 billion

Examples of discount gas station chains in the USA are Valero, Rotten Robbie, and USA Gasoline. Valero Energy Corporation ( is a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio, Texas, with 21836 employees and annual revenue of more than US$90 billion Lower-priced gas stations are also found at some supermarkets (Albertsons, Kroger, Safeway, Vons, Meijer, Loblaws/independent grocer's/Real Canadian Superstore (Canada) and Giant Eagle), convenience stores (7-Eleven and Cumberland Farms), discount stores (Wal-Mart) and warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's). Customer divider barjpg|thumb|In supermarkets sellers periodically change prices for classes of goods in response to market conditions rather than negotiating the price of each good Albertsons (officially New Albertson's Inc) a wholly owned subsidiary of Eden Prairie Minnesota -based Supervalu, is a Supermarket retailer The Kroger Co ( is an American Retail Supermarket chain and Parent company, founded by Bernard Henry Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati Safeway Inc ( a Fortune 500 company is North America's third largest Supermarket chain with as of December 29 2007 1743 stores located throughout the Vons (formerly Von's) is a Southern California Supermarket chain (it also operates locations in and around Las Vegas Nevada) and is a Meijer ( Dutch, ˈmaɪər is a regional American Hypermarket chain based in Walker Michigan. Giant Eagle Inc, is an American Supermarket chain with stores located in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland A convenience store is a small store or shop. They are often located alongside busy roads or at gas/petrol stations. 7-Eleven is a worldwide chain of Convenience stores It is since March 2007 the largest chain store in any category beating McDonald's by 1000 stores Cumberland Farms is a regional chain of Convenience stores based in Canton Massachusetts, and operating primarily in the eastern United States. A discount store is a type of Department store, which sell products at prices lower than those asked by traditional retail outlets Wal-Mart Stores Inc (or Walmart as written in its new logo is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large discount department stores A warehouse club is a Retail store, usually selling a wide variety of Merchandise, in which customers pay annual membership fees in order to shop Costco Wholesale Corporation ( is the largest membership Warehouse club chain in the world based on sales volume headquartered in Issaquah Washington, Sam's Club is an American chain of membership-only retail Warehouse clubs Founded in 1983 it is owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores Inc BJ's Wholesale Club Inc ( is a membership-only Warehouse club chain operating on the United States East Coast, as well as in the state of Ohio. At some stations (such as Vons, Wal-Mart, Costco, BJ's, or Sam's Club), consumers are required to hold a special membership card in order to receive the discounted price, and/or pay only with either the chain's cash card or a credit card issuer exclusive to that chain. Scrip is any Substitute for Currency which is not Legal tender and is often a form of credit. Some convenience stores, such as 7-Eleven and Circle K, have co-branded their stations with one of the premium brands. 7-Eleven is a worldwide chain of Convenience stores It is since March 2007 the largest chain store in any category beating McDonald's by 1000 stores Circle K is a international chain of Convenience stores originally founded in 1951 in El Paso Texas.

Filling stations outside the United States/Canada

Some countries have only one brand of petrol station. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Siem Reap City is the capital of Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East In Mexico, where the oil industry is state-owned and prices are regulated, the country's main operator of petrol stations is called Pemex. Petróleos Mexicanos ( PEMEX) is Mexico 's state-owned Petroleum company In Malaysia, Shell is the dominant player by number of stations with government owned Petronas coming in second; the operator is also moving overseas with the aim of becoming a multinational brand. Royal Dutch Shell plc, commonly known simply as Shell, is a multinational oil company of Dutch and British origins Petronas, short for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is a Malaysian owned oil and gas company that was founded on August 17 1974. Most multinational brands such as ExxonMobil and Shell use their brand worldwide, except Chevron which uses its inherited brand Caltex in Asia Pacific, Australia, and Africa, and its Texaco brand in Europe and Latin America. Caltex is a Petroleum brand name of Chevron Corporation used in more than 60 countries in the Asia-Pacific region the Middle East, and southern Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron" In Brazil, the main operator is Petrobras but Esso, Ipiranga, Texaco and Shell are also big. Petrobras ( Bovespa: PETR3 / PETR4 ( NYSE: PBR / PBRA( Latibex: XPBR / XPBRA short for Petróleo Brasileiro S In Britain many companies supply petrol, the most major being BP and Shell, plus several supermarket filling stations such as ASDA and Tesco. BP plc, previously known as British Petroleum, is the third largest global Energy company, a multinational oil company (" Oil major Asda is a United Kingdom Supermarket chain which retails food clothing and general merchandise Tesco plc is a British -based international grocery and general merchandising retail chain Indian Oil operates approx 15,000 Petrol Stations in India.

Iceland is the only nation in the world that has filling stations dispensing hydrogen fuel for cars powered by fuel cells. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Hydrogen (ˈhaɪdrədʒən is the Chemical element with Atomic number 1 A fuel cell is an electrochemical conversion device It produces electricity from Fuel (on the Anode side and an oxidant (on the It is also the only nation capable of producing hydrogen in adequate quantities at reasonable cost, because Iceland's high level of volcanic activity gives it plentiful geothermal energy. Geothermal power (from the Greek roots geo, meaning earth and therme, meaning heat is energy generated by heat stored in the earth or the collection

Features of gas stations in the United States/Canada

Payment methods

In small towns and rural areas, gas stations sometimes allow customers to pump gas first and pay afterwards. Due to the higher incidence of crime in large urban areas (especially drive-offs), customers must generally pay before pumping fuel. Gasoline theft (sometimes known colloquially as fill and fly, gas and dash and Drive-off) is the removal of Gasoline from a station without payment

Modern gas stations have pay-at-the-pump capabilities — in most cases credit, debit, ATM cards, fuel cards and fleet cards are accepted. A debit card (also known as a bank card) is a plastic card which provides an alternative payment method to Cash when making purchases A fuel card is a payment card for Petrol (gasoline Diesel and other fuels at Filling stations Account balances are cleared in full when due and payment A fleet card is used as a payment card most commonly for gasoline diesel and other fuels at gas stations At some stations, cash is also taken at the pump, although customers must collect their change at a cashier window which is often bullet-proof. Occasionally a station will have a pay-at-the-pump-only period per day, when attendants are not present, often at night, and some stations are pay-at-the-pump-only 24 hours a day.

Full service vs. self service

Traditionally most filling stations in the United States have offered a choice between full service — in which an attendant operates the pumps, often wipes the windshield, and sometimes checks the vehicle's oil level and tire pressure, then collects payment (and perhaps a small tip) — and self service, in which the customer pumps the gas. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. A tip (also called a gratuity) is a payment made to certain Service sector workers in addition to the advertised price of the transaction Until the 1970s, full service was the norm, and self service was rare.

Today, few stations advertise full service, and those that do usually only provide mini service unless a manager is involved. However, full service stations are more common in wealthy and upscale areas. The cost of full service is usually assessed as a fixed amount per U. S.  gallon.

Minimum service vs. full service

All stations in New Jersey and Oregon, however, are mini service; attendants are required to pump gas because customers are barred by statutes in both states from pumping their own gas. Valero Energy Corporation ( is a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio, Texas, with 21836 employees and annual revenue of more than US$90 billion New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Both states prohibited self service in the 1940s because of fears that customers would handle gasoline improperly. Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality has also ordered a ban on self-service gasoline because of inexperienced pumpers being a significant source of groundwater and air pollution. Air pollution is the human introduction into the atmosphere of Chemicals Particulate matter, or Biological materials that cause harm or discomfort Oregon's state fire marshal has also ordered a ban on self-service gasoline. Today, these states enforce the law because of the rapid increase of drive-offs, where people fill up their car and drive away without paying for gas. Gasoline theft (sometimes known colloquially as fill and fly, gas and dash and Drive-off) is the removal of Gasoline from a station without payment In 1982, Oregon voters rejected a ballot measure sponsored by the service station owners, which would have legalized self-service gas.

The Town of Huntington, New York also bans self-service, but for a different reason. The Town of Huntington is a town located on the North Shore of Long Island, in northwestern Suffolk County, New York. The ban went in effect in the early 1970s during a recession. The intent was to save jobs.

There is a widespread belief that mini-serve is more expensive. A comparison between gas prices in Portland, Oregon and its suburb of Vancouver, Washington shows prices at mini-serve stations in Oregon are on average 3 to 10 cents cheaper than their self-service counterparts in Washington, suggesting the net effect of adding attendants to the price may be small or non-existent. Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U However this comparison is skewed by the difference in state gasoline taxes between Oregon and Washington; Washington's excise tax on gasoline is 36 cents per U. S.  gallon, while Oregon's tax is only 27 cents per U. S.  gallon. ^[1] So the actual difference is in the range of 1 cent cheaper to 6 cents more expensive. Likewise, New Jersey almost always has cheaper gas than its neighbors New York and Pennsylvania; such a difference could be explained by the presence of six refineries that produce 50,000 barrels (7,900 m³) per day or more of refined petroleum products, or more likely the state's low gas tax, the third lowest in the country behind Alaska and Georgia, at just 14. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule 50 cents per U. S.  gallon. ^[2]

The constitutionality of the self-service bans has been disputed. The Oregon statute was brought into court in 1989 by ARCO, and the New Jersey statute was challenged in court in 1950 by a small independent service station, Rein Motors. ARCO (an Acronym for Atlantic Richfield Company) is an Oil company which is since 2000 a subsidiary Both failed. In addition, throughout the rest of the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that the equivalent of "mini-serve" be provided to any individual displaying a disabled parking placard. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA is the short title of United States ( codified at et seq

In both New Jersey and Oregon, it is legal for customers to pump their own diesel (although not every station permits diesel customers to do so; truck stops typically do). Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum A truck stop is a commercial facility that provides fuel parking and usually food and other services to long-haul trucks The intent of the Oregon Law is that diesel is not as flammable, and therefore poses less of a hazard to Oregon citizens.

Mini-serve is referred to as "Self Serve" in Canada. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

Other goods and services commonly available

Many gas stations also have convenience stores which sell food, beverages, cigarettes, lottery tickets, motor oil, and sometimes auto parts. A convenience store is a small store or shop. They are often located alongside busy roads or at gas/petrol stations. A cigarette ( French "small Cigar " from cigar + -ette) is a product consumed through Smoking and manufactured Prices for these and other items tend to be higher at convenience stores than they would be at a supermarket or discount store. Customer divider barjpg|thumb|In supermarkets sellers periodically change prices for classes of goods in response to market conditions rather than negotiating the price of each good

In some U. S. states, beer, wine, and liquor are sold in gas stations, though this practice varies according to state law (see Alcohol laws of the United States by state). This list of alcohol laws of the United States by state provides an overview of alcohol-related laws by state throughout the United States. Nevada allows the sale of beer, wine, liquor, and the operation of slot and video poker machines at gas stations 24/7. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. A slot machine ( American) fruit machine ( British) or poker machine ( Australian) is a Casino gambling machine with three Video poker is a Casino game based on Five-card draw Poker. It is played on a computerized console similar in size to a Slot machine. Missouri also allows the sale of beer, wine, and liquor without limitation at gas stations (see Alcohol laws of Missouri). Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee The alcohol laws of Missouri are among the most permissive in the United States; they are similar to those of Nevada and Louisiana.

Many gas stations also provide squeegees, towels, and toilet facilities for customer use, but a large number of discount gas stations do not provide these amenities. A squeegee or squilgee is an onomatopoetically -named Tool with a flat smooth Rubber blade used to remove or control the flow of liquid on a Many gas stations have air compressors with tire gauges and water machines. A gas compressor is a mechanical device that increases the Pressure of a Gas by reducing its Volume. Some machines are free of charge, while others charge a small fee to use (usually around 75 cents). In many states of the U. S. , state law requires that paying customers must be provided with free air compressor service. In most cases, a token provided by the attendant is used in lieu of coins. As late as the 1960s, many service stations in the U. S. provided free maps to customers.

Some gas stations are equipped with car washes. A car wash is a facility used to clean the exterior and in some case the interior of Motor vehicles While there are many different types of car washes most fall into three Car washes are sometimes offered free of charge or at a discounted price with a certain amount of gas purchased. Conversely, some car washes operate gas stations to supplement their businesses.

There are a number of gas stations with a fast food outlet inside, such as McDonald's, Jack in the Box, Pizza Hut, Sbarro, Subway, Dunkin Donuts, Taco Bell, or Wendy's. Jack in the Box ( is an American Fast-food restaurant founded in 1951 in San Diego California, where it is still headquartered today This page describes the American fast food chain For the Swiss automobile producer see Sbarro (automobile. Subway Restaurants, commonly known as Subway, is a Fast food restaurant franchise that primarily sells Sandwiches and Salads called Dunkin' Donuts is an international donut and Coffee retailer founded in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts, U Taco Bell Corp, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands Inc, is a restaurant chain based in Irvine California specializing in Tex-Mex -inspired Wendy's is an international chain of Fast food Restaurants founded by Dave Thomas in 1969 in Columbus Ohio. These are usually "express" versions with limited seating and limited menus, though some may be regular-sized and have spacious seating. In Canada, it is common to find a small Tim Hortons outlet inside gas stations. Tim Hortons Inc is a Coffee -and- Doughnut Fast food restaurant chain

Price at the pump

Gasoline prices in North America

The gasoline market in North America is very competitive. Nearly all filling stations in North America advertise their often-changing prices on large signs outside the stations. Some locations have laws requiring such signage.

In the United States and Canada, federal, state/provincial and local sales taxes are usually included in the price, although Petro Canada has started to provide a complete tax breakdown on purchase receipts and it is also posted at the pump. Petro-Canada () is a Canadian oil and gas firm Its headquarters are in the Petro-Canada Centre in Calgary, Alberta Gas taxes are often intended to fund transportation projects such as the maintenance of existing roads and construction of new ones however, some the funds are directed to other projects or government expenses.

In the United States, the states of California and Hawaii typically have the highest gasoline prices, while the lowest prices can be found in oil producing states like Oklahoma and Texas. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. In Canada, prices are typically highest in the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec, and the lowest in the oil-producing province of Alberta. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Alberta (ælˈbɝtə is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1 1905 The provinces of Prince Edward Island (PEI), Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia have instituted gasoline price regulation. Prince Edward Island (ˌprɪns ˌɛdwɚd ˈaɪlɨnd ( PEI or P Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation New Brunswick ( French: Nouveau-Brunswick /nuvobʁɔnzwik/ is one of Canada 's three Maritime provinces and is the only constitutionally Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's At times, PEI has had the lowest cost of gas in the country but studies have shown that this is due to the provincial sales tax not included in the price.

Price regulation in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia is intended to protect small rural gas stations from low profit margins due to low volume.

Individual gas stations in the United States have little if any control over gasoline prices. The wholesale price of gasoline is determined according to area by oil companies which supply the gasoline, and their prices are largely determined by the world markets for oil. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Individual gas stations are unlikely to sell gasoline at a loss, and the margin—typically between 7 and 11 cents a U. S.  gallon—that they make from gasoline sales is limited by the fact that the market is highly competitive. A gas station which charges significantly more than the wholesale price will lose customers to other gas stations. Because of this, most gas stations sell higher-margin food products inside their convenience stores. A convenience store is a small store or shop. They are often located alongside busy roads or at gas/petrol stations.

During holiday weekends, when American road travel is at its peak, gas prices tend to soar and then drop again as the holidays come to a close; this is due to a fluctuation in demand. Lists of holidays The words holiday or vacation have related meanings in different English-speaking countries and continents but will usually refer to one of Boycotts against individual gas stations to protest against perceived high gas prices have largely failed. A boycott is a form of Consumer activism involving the act of voluntarily abstaining from using buying or dealing with someone or some other organization as an expression of

Even with oil market fluctuations, prices for gasoline in the United States are among the lowest in the industrialized world; this is principally due to a difference in taxes. While the price of gasoline in Europe is more than twice that in the United States, the price of gas excluding taxes is nearly identical in the two areas. Some Canadians and Mexicans, close to the U. S. border, drive into the United States to purchase cheaper gasoline at gas stations in border communities.

Due to heavy fluctuations of gas price in the United States, some gas stations offered their customers the option to buy and store gas for future uses, such as like the service provided by First Fuel Bank.

In order to save money, some consumers in the United States and Canada inform each other about low and high prices through the use of gasoline price websites. A Gasoline price website is a type of Website that provides current fuel price information for different Filling stations Supported fuel types generally include Such websites allow users to share prices advertised at filling stations with each other by posting them to a central server. Consumers then may check the prices listed in their geographic area in order to select the station with the lowest price available at the time.

Gasoline prices in Europe

In European Union (EU) member states, gas prices are much higher than in North America due to higher fuel excise or taxation, although the base price is also higher than in the U. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in S. The high fuel prices are unpopular (particularly after inflationary or retail increases), and have led to harsh criticism of taxation policy from some quarters. Occasionally, there are national protests, although in the UK a large-scale protest in the summer of 2000, known as 'The Fuel Crisis', caused wide-scale havoc not only across the UK, but also in some other EU countries. The fuel protests in the United Kingdom were a series of Campaigns held in the United Kingdom over the cost of Petrol and Diesel for road vehicle The British government eventually backed down by indefinitely postponing a planned increase in fuel duty. This was partially reversed during December 2006 when Gordon Brown (UK Chancellor of the Exchequer) raised the fuel duty by 1. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial 25 pence per liter.

In much of Europe, including Britain, France and Germany, filling stations operated by large supermarket and hypermarket outlets usually price fuel more competitively than stand-alone filling stations, especially for buyers willing to use a charge card to pay at the pump. In most of mainland Europe, sales tax is lower on diesel fuel than on gasoline, and diesel is accordingly the cheaper fuel: in the UK, however, diesel enjoys no tax advantage and retails at a substantially higher price than petrol.

Gasoline prices elsewhere

In other energy-importing countries like Japan, gasoline costs are higher than in the United States because of fuel transportation costs or taxes. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. On the other hand, some of the major oil-producing countries such as the Gulf States, Iran, Iraq, and Venezuela provide subsidized gas at well below market prices. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the This practice tends to encourage heavy consumption. Hong Kong has some of the highest pump prices in the world, but most customers are given significant discounts as card members.

Service stations

In the U. S. , a filling station that also offers services such as oil changes and mechanical repairs to automobiles is called a service station. Until the 1970s, the vast majority of gas stations were service stations; now only a minority are. This kind of business provided the name for the U. S. comic strip Gasoline Alley, where a number of the characters worked. Gasoline Alley is a long-running classic Comic strip, created by Frank King, that was first published on November 24, 1918.

In the UK, a 'service station' refers to much larger facilities, usually attached to motorways (see Motorway service area (UK)) or major trunk routes, which provide food outlets, large parking areas, and often other services such as hotels, arcade games, and shops in addition to 24-hour fuel supplies and a higher standard of restrooms (UK: toilets). Motorway is a term for both a type of Road and a classification or designation Fuel is typically more expensive from these outlets due to their premium locations. UK service stations do not usually repair automobiles.

In New Zealand, a filling station is often referred to as a service station, garage, or petrol station, even though the filling station may not offer mechanical repairs or assistance with dispensing fuel. Various levels of services are available in New Zealand, including full service, for which assistance in dispensing fuel is offered, as well as offers to check tyre pressure or clean vehicle windscreens. This type of service is becoming uncommon in New Zealand. There is also help service or assisted service, for which customers must request assistance before it is given, and self service, for which no assistance is available.

In the U. S. , this arrangement occurs on many toll roads and some interstate freeways and is called an oasis, service plaza, or truck stop. A toll road, (also known as a tollway, turnpike, pike, or toll highway, especially if it is constructed to Freeway standards A rest area, travel plaza, rest stop, or service area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a Highway, Expressway A truck stop is a commercial facility that provides fuel parking and usually food and other services to long-haul trucks In many cases, these centers might have a food court or cafeteria. InfosysElectronicCityCafeteriaJPG|thumb|250px|right|One of a number of cafeterias at Electronic City campus Infosys Technologies Ltd In the U. S. , Flying J and TA TravelCenters of America are two of the most common full-service chains.

Often, the state government maintains public rest areas directly connected to freeways, but does not rent out space to private businesses. A rest area, travel plaza, rest stop, or service area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a Highway, Expressway As a result, such areas often provide only minimal services such as restrooms and vending machines.

In turn, private entrepreneurs develop additional facilities, such as restaurants, gas stations, and motels in clusters on private land adjacent to major interchanges. Because these facilities are not directly connected to the freeway, they usually have huge signs on poles several hundred feet high. This way, travelers will be able to spot them several minutes in advance and exit accordingly. Sometimes, the state will also post small official signs (normally blue) indicating what types of gas stations, restaurants, and/or hotels are available at an upcoming exit; businesses may add their logos to these signs for a fee.

Octane

Main article: Octane rating

In the United States, all motor vehicle gasoline is unleaded and is available in several grades, which are differentiated by octane rating: 87 (Regular), 89 (Mid-Grade), and 93 (Premium) are typical grades[5]. The octane rating is a measure of the resistance of Gasoline and other Fuels to Detonation ( Engine knocking) in spark-ignition The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Tetra-ethyl lead, abbreviated TEL, is an organometallic compound with the formula ( CH3CH2)4 Pb. The octane rating is a measure of the resistance of Gasoline and other Fuels to Detonation ( Engine knocking) in spark-ignition The maximum octane rating in California is generally 91. Minimum octane levels are often lower in the Mountain States, where regular unleaded can be rated as low as 85 octane.

Fuels in the U. S. are described in terms of their "pump octane", which is the mean of their "RON" (Research Octane Number) and "MON" (Motor Octane Number). In Mathematics and Statistics, the arithmetic Mean (or simply the mean) of a list of numbers is the sum of all the members of the list divided Labels on gasoline pumps in the U. S. typically describe this as the "(R+M)/2 Method".

Some nations describe fuels according to the traditional RON or MON ratings, so octane ratings cannot always be compared with the equivalent U. S. rating by the "(R+M)/2 method".

In Canada, the most commonly found octane grades are 87 (regular), 89 (mid grade) and 91 (Premium), using the "(R+M)/2 Method". Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

In Europe, gasoline is unleaded and available in 95 RON (Eurosuper) and 98 RON (Super Plus) octanes; in some countries, 91 RON octane gasoline is offered as well. Some stations offer 98 RON with lead substitute (often called "Lead-Replacement Petrol, or LRP).

In the UK, the most common petrol grade (and lowest octane generally available) is premium 95 RON unleaded. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located 'Super' is widely available at 97 RON and some large brands offer 98 - 99 RON fuel as a premium product costing up to 10% more than standard 'premium' fuel (for example Shell V-Power or BP Ultimate). Shell Oil Company is the United States -based affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company (" Oil major " of Anglo Shell V-Power is the brand name given to Shell 's enhanced high specification fuels for road vehicles Leaded fuel is not widely available, but 99/100 RON petrol is available through the independent oil company Bayford Thrust (also the UK licensees of the famous Gulf Oil brand). Gulf Oil was a major global oil company from the 1900s to the 1980s Greenergy supply 99 RON Super Unleaded Tesco services. Greenergy is a company formed in 1992 for the purpose of supplying Fuels with a lower environmental impact. A 102-octane fuel (BP Ultimate 102) is available in the UK at a limited number of stations, for racers and car enthusiasts.

In Australia, gasoline is unleaded, and available in 91, 95, 98 and 100 Octanes (names of various gasolines differ from brand to brand), fuel additives for use in leaded cars are available at most gas stations. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

In New Zealand, gasoline is most commonly available in unleaded 91 and 95 octane levels. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island 98 octane is also available, and branded as Ultimate at BP service stations, and as Synergy 8000 at Mobil service stations. 96 octane was abolished in 2006.

In China, the most commonly found octane grade is RON 91 (regular), 93 (mid grade) and 97 (premium). China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Almost all of the fuel has been unleaded since 2000. In some premium gas stations in large cities, such as Petrol China and SinoPec, RON 98 gas is sold for racing cars.

Differences in fuel dispensers

Main article: Gas pump

In Europe, the customer selects one of several color-coded nozzles depending on the type of fuel required. The filler pipe of unleaded fuel is smaller than the one for leaded (substitute) ones. The tank filler opening has a corresponding diameter. This is to prevent filling the tank with the wrong fuel. Leaded fuel damages the catalytic converter. A catalytic converter (colloquially "cat" or "catcon" is a device used to reduce the toxicity of emissions from an Internal combustion engine. In some European countries, leaded fuel is no longer generally available, or LRP (lead replacement petrol) may be the only such fuel available.

In most stations in the USA and Canada, the pump often has a single nozzle and the customer selects the desired octane grade by pushing a button. Some pumps require the customer to pick up the nozzle first, then lift a lever underneath it. Others are designed so that lifting the nozzle automatically releases a switch. Some newer stations now have separate nozzles for different types of fuel. Where diesel fuel is provided, it is usually dispensed from a separate nozzle even if the various grades of gasoline share the same nozzle.

Motorists occasionally pump gasoline into a diesel car by accident. The converse is almost impossible because diesel pumps have a large nozzle (15/16 inches) which does not fit the (13/16 inches) filler. However, it is possible and does happen occasionally. Diesel in a gasoline engine however — while creating large amounts of smoke — does not normally cause permanent damage if it is drained once the mistake is realized. Even a liter of gas added to the tank of a modern diesel car can cause irreversible damage to the injection pump and other components through a lack of lubrication. In some cases, the car has to be scrapped because the cost of repairs exceeds its value. The issue is not clear-cut as older diesels using completely mechanical injection can tolerate some gasoline — which has historically been used to "thin" diesel fuel in winter.

Risk of accidental ignition

It is prohibited to use open flames and, in some places, mobile phones on the forecourt of a gas station because of the risk of igniting gasoline vapor. A flame is often defined as the visible (light-emitting part of a Fire. A vapor or vapour (see Spelling differences) is a substance in the Gas phase at a Temperature lower than its Critical temperature

Automobiles can build up static charges by driving on dry pavements. Electric charge is a fundamental conserved property of some Subatomic particles which determines their Electromagnetic interaction. However tire compounds contain enough carbon black to provide an electrical ground and thus are safer. Carbon black is a material produced by the incomplete Combustion of heavy Petroleum products such as FCC tar coal tar ethylene cracking tar and a small amount from In Electrical engineering, the term ground or earth has several meanings depending on the specific application areas A driver who does not discharge static by contacting a conductive part of the automobile will carry it to the insulated handle of the nozzle and the static potential will eventually be discharged when this purposely grounded arrangement is put into contact with the metallic filler neck of the vehicle. Ordinarily, vapor concentrations in the area of this filling operation are below the lower explosive limit (LEL) of the product being dispensed, so the static discharge causes no problem. The problem with ungrounded gas cans results from a combination of vehicular static charge, the potential between the container and the vehicle, and the loose fit between the grounded nozzle and the gas can. This last condition causes a rich vapor concentration in the ullage (the unfilled volume) of the gas can, and a discharge from the can to the grounded hanging hardware (the nozzle, hose, swivels and break-a-ways) can thus occur at a most inopportune point. Ullage refers to the unfilled space in a container of liquid Etymology The word comes ultimately from the Latin oculus “eye” which was used in a figurative

Although urban legends persist that a faulty mobile phone can cause sparks or a build-up of static electricity in the user, this has not been duplicated under any controlled condition. An urban legend or urban myth is a form of modern Folklore consisting of stories thought to be factual by those circulating them Nevertheless, super-cautious mobile phone manufacturers and gas stations ask users to switch off their phones. One suggested origin of this myth is that the scare was started by gas station companies themselves because with some older model fuel pumps the cell phone signal would interfere with the fuel counter causing it to give a lower reading, and thus users could get some gas for free. One is more likely to get a spark from wearing nylon clothing than from a mobile phone, to say nothing of the sparks that can occur in faulty car wiring or troubled starting and ignition systems. Fortunately, most fueling is done in the open air, and there is not often an explosive concentration of vapors present. An episode of the popular television show MythBusters debunked the myth that static electricity from a cellular phone is sufficient to ignite nearby gasoline vapors. MythBusters is a Popular science Television program produced by Australian firm Beyond Television Productions originally for the [6]

The National Fire Protection Association does most of the research and code writing to address the potential for explosions of gasoline vapor. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA is a US organization (albeit with some international members charged with creating and maintaining minimum standards and requirements The customer fueling area, up to 18 inches (46 cm) above the surface, normally does not have explosive concentrations of vapors, but may from time to time. Above this height, where most fuel filler necks are located, there is no expectation of an explosive concentration of gasoline vapor in normal operating conditions.

Decommissioning

After a filling station shuts down and the underground tanks are removed, the area must often be left vacant for a number of years in order for the fuel contaminants to wash out of the soil.

See also

• Gasoline usage and pricing
• Biofuels
• Convenience store
• Gas pump
• Gasoline
• Highway oasis
• Hydrogen station
• List of automotive fuel brands
• Petro-free filling station. For information on the price of oil see Price of petroleum. The usage and pricing of Gasoline (petrol results A convenience store is a small store or shop. They are often located alongside busy roads or at gas/petrol stations. A rest area, travel plaza, rest stop, or service area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a Highway, Expressway A hydrogen station is a storage or Filling station for Hydrogen, usually located along a road or Hydrogen highway, or at home as part of the Distributed This is a list of automotive fuel retail brands (" Petrol " or " Gasoline " " Diesel " etc Alternative propulsion is a term used frequently for Powertrain concepts differing from the Internal combustion engine concept used in only Petroleum fueled
• Petroleum:
  • Autogas (LPG)

References

External links

• Gasoline price comparisons at the Open Directory Project
• Gas-Pumping Robot at HowStuffWorks
• NPN Station Count (USA 1996-2006)
• An interview with architectural historian Jim Draeger about the history of filling stations from Wisconsin Public Television
• Petroleum Equipment Institute
• Petrol station cost structure
• Gasoline Signs — Signs and logos of gas stations in the United States
• British Petrol Stations — Design & branding history of filling stations in Great Britain
• U.S. Department of Energy's Gas Price Watch Hotline — A U. The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory S. government site to report alleged gas price gouging in the United States
• Report: Economics of the Nova Scotia Gasoline Market

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