Mohawk / Husky - What happened to the 90 octane at regular 87 price

[yvrwindsor]

This is the email response I got back from Husky today.

I hope the following information will answer any questions you may have in regards to the change in octane.

Husky has proudly provided ethanol-blended gasoline to our customers for many years and most recently was able to provide ethanol-blended 90 Octane fuel at the price of our competitors’ regular gasoline, which had no ethanol.

Effective Jan. 1, Husky's ethanol-blended 90 Octane fuel dropped to 87 octane, still blended with ethanol, in some parts of BC. Also, in many of those same jurisdictions (much of the Lower Mainland, Southern Interior and Northern BC), our mid-grade fuel – 92 Octane is no longer available. We will continue provide our premium 94 Octane ethanol-blended fuel at certain locations across the province.

Our ethanol-blended Mother Nature’s Fuel is produced by injecting ethanol into finished gasoline. The addition of ethanol increases the octane level in gasoline by about 3 octane numbers and therefore, regular gasoline at 87 octane, became ethanol-blended gasoline at a 90 octane level.

In 2010, the federal government and the BC and Alberta governments will mandate an annual average of 5% ethanol in gasoline for all producers (Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario already have similar mandates in place).

To respond to the mandated change, refineries will produce a lower octane blendstock– to accommodate ethanol blending. In short, to meet mandates requirements and continue to produce an 87 octane gasoline, major refiners are instead, are opting to produce a lower octane blendstock that, when blended with ethanol, becomes 87 octane ethanol-blended gasoline.

The change means that in the affected jurisdictions, 87 Octane (“regular”) gasoline is now ethanol-blended, where previously this was not always the case. Unfortunately, the change also means that Husky can no longer provide our customers with the advantage of our ethanol-blended 90 Octane gasoline at the price of our competitor’s regular 87 gasoline as their 87 regular gasoline now also contains ethanol.

This new mandate was brought to us late in the year and, though we are in the process of updating our signs and informational materials, the changes will not be complete until later this month.

In the meantime, we apologize for any inconvenience or confusion this may have caused.


Kind regards,

Husky Customer Service
1-800-661-3835
customerservice@huskyenergy.com

[RaidZero]

I want my gas with as little ethanol as possible... Unless it's a lot cheaper than 100% gas, which is not the case.