The AZ Dept. of Weights and Measures responded and took samples at the Chevron Station owned by Shay Oil Company, on Tuesday, March 20, 2012.
The results published online shows the Ethanol percentages
of the four samples taken are:
9.7%, 8.2%, 9.8% and 9.1%,
all below legal limits.
There was also NO water found in any of the samples.
Chevron's manager, Paul Norris, told Shanana Golden-Bear, of Desert Messenger, that customers have been coming into the station with questions about the alleged inferior fuel they read about online. The initial story was reported Tuesday by Jennifer Jones, of The Desert Freedom Press, without contacting the station's manager for a statement. Desert Messenger attempted to contact Mr. Bertrand for a comment, but there has been no reply as of this afternoon. Bradley Chevrolet General Sales Manager deferred all questions to Service Manager, Jim Burdette, who had left for the day.
Jones' article stated, "A local man whose vehicle may have been affected then purchased a gallon of gas and sealed it up, along with the receipt from Chevron." Bradley Chevrolet tested the fuel and it tested "around 18% Ethanol. Jones stated, "Independent stations are owned by individuals and can purchase some of their fuel from an outside source, and this fuel source can be the reason for high ethanol in the fuel." The results have been published online for many hours now, but there is no notice of the results on the original article posted online by Jones.
Chevron's station opened in Quartzsite in 1964. Norris has been with Shay Oil Company in Quartzsite for the past 19 years, which he said is the oldest continuous business in Quartzsite. Readers of Desert Messenger also voted Chevron their favorite gas station in "Best of Quartzsite 2011."
The Shay Oil Company is locally-owned and locally-operated.
They started in South Dakota in 1930. The operation in Yuma and La Paz Counties
began in 1961 with a Phillips 66 Station on East 32nd St /Old Highway 80 in
Yuma. They have been carrying Chevron fuel since the 1990's. All stores
carry Chevron fuels. For more information on the company visit their website at: http://www.cstoreyuma.com
If consumers have questions about any fueling station, they may visit the Arizona Department of Weights and Measures at https://www.azdwm.gov/ click the "Consumer" Tab, then "Inspection Reports", then click "Inspection Search Page" in first paragraph.
