At Greg’s Petroleum Service, we continue to take proactive steps where possible to ensure our employees are safe and to ensure the continuity of business operations including no disruption in supply and deliveries of our products or quality of service and support to our customers.

As many of you know, Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a California statewide “Shelter-in-Place.” This will affect many companies and people across our state, however, Greg’s Petroleum Service is exempt from the “Shelter-in-Place” order because we are considered an “Essential Business.”

We have implemented several precautionary measures for both employees and visitors to reduce the risk of exposure to our workforce and the community.

Our office is in process of transitioning to service all customers primarily from remote, home offices with no in-person meetings. We will still be running business as usual, but we will be doing it from home with limited staff on-site. Please be prepared for more phone, email and video communication until further notice during these uncertain times. If you have any questions, please give us a call. If no one answers, follow the prompts and you will be directed to the person you need.

While we work on transitioning, we are practicing social distancing, consistent sanitization and minimal in-person contact in order to protect our staff, our customers and our families.

Please rest assured, we do not expect any disruption to our services. We remain committed to providing exceptional reliability and are taking several actions to help continue meeting your supply expectations.

Product Deliveries

• Delivery services will continue to operate as normal.
• Please contact your Sales representative or call our Warehouse to place orders.

Customer Pick-up Protocol

• We will be limiting in-office visits, please call ahead for pick-up orders.
• Dispatcher will issue pick-up time.
• Order will be staged and ready for pick-up.
• Customers should call us to notify when they arrive for the pick-up.
• Greg’s Petroleum Service employee will load the order.
• Customer will sign.
• Greg’s Petroleum Service employee to follow standard sanitary procedures after each transaction is complete.

CFN Cards

• For the time being, all CFN cards will be mailed directly to the customer.

We are part of an essential industry, and outside of health and safety, we take the servicing and support of our customers as our top priority. As always, please reach out to me directly or one of our team members if you have any questions or concerns.

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues, and there is increasing concern and questions, Greg’s Petroleum Service will continue to keep communication high where necessary to avoid any concern or questions related to our business as there is enough to worry about already.

Stay safe and please let us know anything we can do to assist during this challenging time.

Sincerely,

Ron Mariani
President
Greg's Petroleum Service

Located at 1297 E Paige Ave in Tulare, Paige Truck Stop is now open! This location includes a CFN diesel island with four full size truck lanes, an unbranded fuel island, and a convenience store.

The location boasts easy access from the 99, and easy in/out for any size of vehicle.

The full-size unbranded station provides safe, reliable fuel products including regular, plus and supreme gasoline at affordable costs.

The convenience store offers all the best convenient, grab-and-go items that will satisfy your cravings whether drivers have a short or long route ahead of them.

This location offers truckers an easily accessible and affordable place to grab a snack, rest and refuel on their way to delivering supplies and products to our nation.

If you're in the area, be sure to check out this new location!

Did you know a major cause of bearing and equipment downtime is lubrication failure? As a southern California fuel and lubricant supplier, we’ve seen nearly every type of lubrication mistake. We’ve supported our customers through their lubrication failures and helped them avoid making the same mistake again. All of our experience has taught us a few things, and we’d like to share some of our knowledge with you today. Here’s the big lesson: you need to understand grease.

Grease errors are always one of the top lubrication failures. In fact, in the tragic crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 in January 2000, a grease failure was cited as one reason the plane crashed. The investigation revealed that inadequate lubrication of the threads in the horizontal stabilizer caused them to strip away and for the plane to lose control. This dramatic example shows just how crucial proper lubrication and grease knowledge can be.

So what is grease? It’s important to start with the basics. Grease is a solid or semi-fluid lubricant. It is used for lubrication in places where oil won’t work well, like gears, bearings, and other machinery components. Grease is longer-lasting and can also act as a sealant to stop leakage and keep out containments. There are three main properties of grease:

1. Base Oil: Grease is formed out of mineral oils. Some greases may use synthetic oils as well or a combination of the two.
2. Thickener: Metallic soaps like lithium, aluminum, clay, sodium, calcium, and polyurea are some of the materials used to create the solid to semi-solid state of grease.
3. Additives: Like lubricating oils, additives are also added to grease mixes for various purposes. Some of the most commonly used additives include rust inhibitors, extreme pressure, anti-wear, and friction-reducing agents.

Many greases come in a variety of colors. The colors are usually determined by the manufacturer and are used to identify the product. Some manufacturers use different color schemes for their grease products. Many people organize their grease products by color. What are grease lubricants used for? Grease lubricants are best used for lubrication purposes where oil won’t work—for example, a spinning wheel or a set of gears. Lubricating such machinery with oil wouldn’t work. It would simply drip off as the wheel moves. Here are a few of the types of machinery that work well with grease lubricants.

• Machinery that sits in storage for long periods of time or runs intermittently. Grease doesn’t wear out easily and is great as a long-term lubrication solution.
• Machinery that operates under extreme conditions like temperature shifts, high pressure, and high or low speeds.
• Parts of machinery that are not easily accessible for frequent lubrication. Since grease lubricants last a long time, they are ideal for lubricating hard-to-reach machinery or components within motors or equipment.
• Older components. Older machinery with worn-out components benefits from the thicker substance of grease lubrication. In some cases, grease lubricants may even extend the life of worn-out parts.

What are the benefits of choosing a grease lubricant? These are a few of the characteristics that make it ideal for lubrication.

• Water resistance. The thick nature of grease makes it less susceptible to contamination and water damage.
• Pumpability. There are various ways to apply grease, but it works well in grease guns and other nozzle systems, making it easy to apply to machinery.
• Temperature stability. Most greases are great at withstanding temperature shifts. Check the supplier guide for your grease temperature points. At high temperatures, grease will begin to lose structure and drip, flowing away from the area. Low temperatures cause grease to get too hard, and it may gum up the equipment.

Now that you know what grease is, it’s time to talk about the best way to use it. Here’s a quick guide to the best grease lubrication practices.

• Choose the right grease. You can’t just use any grease for your lubrication needs. Just like selecting the right oil for your engine, you need to choose the right grease lubricant for your specific needs. To choose the right grease, you need to consider the base oil viscosity, base oil type, thickener type, NLGI grade, and additives. Our lubricant delivery team is highly skilled at recommending lubrication products and can help you find what you need when you place your order.
• Determine when you need to use it and how often. The best thing to do when using grease lubricants is to determine your lubricant procedure. This is a breakdown of where you need to use the grease on your equipment and how often you need to apply it. Consult your equipment manual and review your mechanical needs while determining your procedures. Keep track of what methods work best for your equipment and which grease works best.
• Monitor your grease for effectiveness. The best way to make sure your grease is working the way it should is to check. There are a variety of ways you can do this, from spot checks to grease sampling. Regularly inspect your grease for signs of breakdown like hardening, melting, or contamination. You can even get your grease samples tested to make sure they are still performing properly.
• Learn from your mistakes. Every mechanic can tell you that you’re going to make lubrication mistakes. But the best mechanics learn from their mistakes and don’t repeat them. Keep a detailed history of your lubrication practices so you can avoid past mistakes.

Our final note on grease lubricants is a word on proper storage and handling practices. If you fail to store your grease properly, it will degrade and could be wasted. Follow these tips and other safe storage practices to get the most value out of your grease lubricants.

• Don’t use old grease. Grease deteriorates over time. Make sure to check your product guidelines for how long a grease lubricant lasts. The National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI) recommends testing grease that’s more than a year old before using it.
• Store in a dry, temperature-controlled space. High or low temperatures can cause grease lubricants to wear down. Water and other contaminants can also affect grease lubricants. Avoid storing grease in areas with direct sunlight or next to a heat source.

Choosing the right grease for your lubricant needs is an important part of equipment maintenance. As a fuel and lubricant supplier, we’ve helped many of our customers choose the right supplies to keep their machinery in good working order for years to come. If you need product recommendations or help with your lubrication needs, give us a call. We’re always here to help!

Early this year, General Motors made a landmark announcement. They decided that by 2035 they will only sell zero-emission cars and trucks. This announcement came a day after President Biden signed a new executive order on climate change and represented a striking change for the company. General Motors was previously suing the state of California for its high fuel standards. It was a shock for many and a sign of the direction the industry may be moving in.

For over fifty years, we’ve been a California fuel and lubricant supplier. We’ve seen many changes come and go, such as new rules and emissions standards. In the past few years, as climate change has only gotten worse, the trend toward electric vehicle adoption has only grown, but the U.S. still lags behind much of the world. Only 3% of the vehicles in the US are electric. But that number is expected to multiply.

Transportation is the largest source of carbon pollution in the US. Transitioning to electric vehicles is one way to reduce carbon emissions, but it would have to be a significant shift. Research from Carnegie Mellon University found that 80% of miles driven in the US will need to be electrified to produce a significant drop in carbon emissions. That’s roughly 100 to 200 million electric vehicles. In 2019, plug-in electric vehicle sales reached 327,000. But even though the numbers are low now, the industry believes that widespread adoption of electric cars is coming.

Electric vehicle sales are becoming more popular, and automakers are making electric vehicles a priority. By 2025 electric vehicle sales will hit 10% of all passenger vehicles, rising to 28% in 2030 and 58% in 2040, according to a study from BNEF. Across the globe, the US is the slowest to embrace this trend. Electric cars are expected to account for as much as 50% of all cars sold in Europe and China by 2030.

So what does this mean for you and your business? As a fuel supplier, we know how vital fuel is for your work. Our customers rely on gasoline, diesel, and other fossil fuel-based lubricants to power their vehicles, machinery, and heavy equipment. Will it all go electric? The answer is a little murky. No one can definitively say when the switch will happen or how it will affect the local economy. After the rollercoaster year of 2020, we can all agree that attempting to predict the future is a mixed bag. But we can try to make sense of where the fuel industry is and where it hopes to go in the next few years. Here are a few things to consider.

• Electric car infrastructure. Going electric is a great choice if you have the charging stations to support it. Right now, the infrastructure for widespread charging is not in place in the United States. The charging grid is a patchwork of stations across the nation. The average electric vehicle requires 30-kilowatt hours to travel 100 miles. That’s the equivalent electricity one American home uses each day. That’s quite a bit. We will need significant investment into building fast-charging stations across the nation.
• Stable power supply. This year, a huge winter storm devastated our neighbors in Texas. Temperatures dropped lower than ever, and much of the state suffered from power outages due to record-high electricity demand. Texas is a unique case as they have their own grid designed for their needs. It was not prepared for the record low temperatures or increased demand. Severe weather is increasing, and its effect on our society and infrastructure cannot be ruled out. One of the reasons fossil fuels remain so popular is how easily these fuels can be utilized in inclement temperatures. Increased power supply from intermittent resources like solar and wind energy could affect a stable power supply.
• Heavy equipment will make the transition slower. Investing in heavy equipment isn’t cheap. Buying a backhoe or an excavator is not the same as buying a car. These machines are designed for heavy use and long lifespans. Businesses will not be able to quickly switch over to electric alternatives, and there are still only a limited number of electric options available on the market. It’s more likely that the EPA and other government agencies will introduce progressive targets to reduce emissions from heavy construction equipment first.
• New lubricants will need to be developed for electric engine technology. Electric engines may not need engine oil, but they may still need some form of lubrication. The oil industry’s role in the development of lubricants may increase as the years go on. Lubricant manufacturers may also begin to develop new synthetic lubricants with specialized formulas for electric engines. Many of our customers who use lubricants for their business will have to adapt to these changes and adopt new products with electric motors.
• It will take significant time and money to switch refineries over. Refining fossil fuels to create gasoline, diesel, and other lubricants is a complicated, energy-intensive process. The refinery and industrial industries accounted for nearly 27% of all carbon emissions in 2019. The industry is looking for ways to reduce its energy consumption and carbon output, but it is a significant endeavor. Refineries and industrial plants are a considerable investment of time and money. The technology they use is complex. You can’t just switch out a few gears and go electric. The refinery industry will have to make significant investments to revamp equipment and switch to electric processes. These upgrades will not be cheap or easy to make.

As a bulk fuel delivery company, we keep an eye on these types of industry changes. It’s the smart thing to do, and as a business owner, you should do the same. Bulk fuel use is not going anywhere quickly, but change is coming. Industries and businesses will have to make changes as new methods and technologies are developed. That’s the way the world works. The best thing you can do as a business owner is stay informed and be prepared. The future is changing, and how it will affect the fuel industry is yet to be seen. For now, trust that we are here to support your business with the bulk fuel, diesel, gasoline, and lubricant supplies that you need.

St. Jude has partnered with Sinclair Broadcast Group and John Balfanz Homes, as well as many other local companies, to build and give away the 17th annual St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway house in Bakersfield, CA.

We are proud to announce that we are the Early Bird Sponsor of the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway for the fourth year in a row! As part of our sponsorship, we will be giving away FREE FUEL FOR A YEAR to a very lucky winner!

To be entered into the drawing for a chance to win the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway and/or one of several other main prizes, Kern County residents can reserve a ticket for $100 by visiting dreamhome.org or by calling 800-385-9134. Purchase your ticket by Friday, March 19th for your chance to win our prize of FUEL FOR A YEAR.

Ticket proceeds benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago.

Tune in to Eyewitness News to see the drawing for the house and all other prizes on April 29, 2021.

Help us make a difference and join the fight to end childhood cancer. Purchase your ticket today!