Shell 93 vs Costco 93

[burnsniper]

Chemical Engineer here. There is no difference between gas brands.

1. Regional feed oil stocks come from different wells, are blended together and shipped/piped to a refinery.

2. Refined gas is then shipped out of a refinery and blended together with other gas from different refineries and piped to a distribution center.

3. A local distribution company then picks up the gas in a tanker truck and then drives it to multiple different gas stations... that's right the same truck will deliver the same gas to multiple different branded gas stations on a single trip.

The only thing that really matters is the Octane and some regional blends (no ethanol, California specific gas blends, etc).

[HyeM3]

Originally Posted by burnsniper

Chemical Engineer here. There is no difference between gas brands.

1. Regional feed oil stocks come from different wells, are blended together and shipped/piped to a refinery.

2. Refined gas is then shipped out of a refinery and blended together with other gas from different refineries and piped to a distribution center.

3. A local distribution company then picks up the gas in a tanker truck and then drives it to multiple different gas stations... that's right the same truck will deliver the same gas to multiple different branded gas stations on a single trip.

A family friend of mine has always told me this same thing. It just confuses me how all these companies can get away with boasting about how they're so much better than the competition because of their additives and stuff.

I don't have any experience with all the brands because my family liked Shell growing up so I just followed suit. For what it's worth though, several years ago I experimented between Costco and Shell and would consistently get about 20-30 miles less per tank with Costco gas on my old car

[Ropes]

Several years ago Costco has was not top tier gas

[burnsniper]

Originally Posted by Ropes

Several years ago Costco has was not top tier gas

Top tier is just marketing as well.

[Rantlers]

Originally Posted by burnsniper

Top tier is just marketing as well.

Have had multiple chemical engineers that have worked at different refineries tell me the same thing.

[nepats81]

I like going to shell. For one thing its just higher class people there. I don't want to be harassed by riff raff at Costco. Ive also found gas stations to be a good place to pick up girls. Costco you're just going to find soccer moms.

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by burnsniper

Chemical Engineer here. There is no difference between gas brands.

1. Regional feed oil stocks come from different wells, are blended together and shipped/piped to a refinery.

2. Refined gas is then shipped out of a refinery and blended together with other gas from different refineries and piped to a distribution center.

3. A local distribution company then picks up the gas in a tanker truck and then drives it to multiple different gas stations... that's right the same truck will deliver the same gas to multiple different branded gas stations on a single trip.

The only thing that really matters is the Octane and some regional blends (no ethanol, California specific gas blends, etc).

My friend used to wok at BP, and he said all gas was the same, except for some premium - like theirs and Shell.

[Mr. Hankey]

My understanding (from a tuner) is the Shell premium is shipped separately and octane content is always slightly higher than its rating. Unfortunately I don't have any Shell stations around me...

[BhamDavid]

All petroleum fuel products are delivered to the distribution centers by the pipeline companies. Every company’s refineries pump their gasoline, heating oil, and Diesel fuel into the same pipe. The pipeline companies distribute these products to the distribution centers based on their needs. There is no guarantee that the Shell gasoline you buy was produced at a Shell refinery. All fuel products pumped into the pipeline must meet the same specifications so at the point fuels are delivered to the distribution centers, all fuel products are the same. In certain areas of the country, you might see Shell and Costco and many other oil company’s delivery trucks being filled at the same location. Obviously Costco owns no refineries.

Where fuel products differ from company to company are their proprietary additive packages which are added to the truck as it is filled. The additive packages do not affect the BTU content of the fuel, and thus power produced, and are usually just detergents to keep the fuel system of your car clean.

Yes, some mixing of Diesel fuels (which is also heating oil and jet fuel) occurs at the interface with gasoline in the pipeline. As different fuels arrive at the distribution center storage tanks, the specific gravity of the product is monitored and out of specification products are pumped to a "slop tank" that is sold to local companies for other purposes.

I once spent a very cold night in an unheated shed in Ohio watching a hydrometer floating in the continuous sample from the pipeline waiting to turn some valves to swap from tank to tank as the product being delivered slowly changed from one product to another.

[Yessir]

Gas here in the SF Bay area can be $.70 more per gallon for 91 at competing gas stations. With the new bigger upgraded stations with upwards of 30 pumps and lighting that shows which pumps are available, it is not so much a hassle as it was it previous years. Additionally, the stations I go to now have access to nitrogen tire stations for customer self service. Its a win win for me and definitely worth it to save 10 bucks plus per tank.

[kyrix1st]

I exclusively use Shell because my M engines run smoothest with it and don't leave much residue thanks to their additives. That being said I still use fuel cleaner once every two fill up.

[N1rve]

I prefer Costco just because it's cheaper.

Difference in my area is 50 cent a gallon (For reals). Plus 2% back on Executive and 4% on Costco Credit card.

Currently is $3.55 for the nearest shell (credit price, 3.49 for cash), and the Costco near my home is $3.05.

A 13 gallon fill up is saving me $6.50 and I fill up once a week which is a 26 dollar saving a month. That 26 dollars can get me like...4 Peach Green Tea Lemonade from Starbucks

Which translate to 312 dollars a year savings...which can buy me some track time.

[PhatLyfe]

Premium 91 at BP or Sunoco varies from &2.65 and up with CC and Costco in my area is $2.08 today. Costco, please filler up.

[MNR]

Originally Posted by nepats81

I like going to shell. For one thing its just higher class people there. I don't want to be harassed by riff raff at Costco. Ive also found gas stations to be a good place to pick up girls. Costco you're just going to find soccer moms.

Gold

[Msm1984]

Quick chime in that I absolutely notice shell 93 burns slower than costco. Prob just the additives but it is noticeable

[MisterF80M3]

Originally Posted by nepats81

I like going to shell. For one thing its just higher class people there. I don't want to be harassed by riff raff at Costco. Ive also found gas stations to be a good place to pick up girls. Costco you're just going to find soccer moms.

Picking up girls at a gas station? That's the first time I've heard that...

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by MisterF80M3

Picking up girls at a gas station? That's the first time I've heard that...

When I first bought my Silverstone Metallic 2000 S2000 in September 1999 it was new and unusual and it got a lot of looks. Like people would swarm it when I parked and I had one guy run out in front of me at a light to take a picture, so it was kind of crazy. I'd never experienced that before or since with any car I've owned.

So I was at a gas station filling up and this really hot woman drove up to other side of the pump, got out and said "Ohh, I love that color, it's SMOKY!" If I wasn't 50 and married, I totally would have chatted that up.

But that was the first and only time that I ever saw any chance at a gas station...

[///MB ///M3]

Originally Posted by nepats81

I like going to shell. For one thing its just higher class people there. I don't want to be harassed by riff raff at Costco. Ive also found gas stations to be a good place to pick up girls. Costco you're just going to find soccer moms.

It's a shagin' wagon, chicks dig it.

[Msm1984]

This thread has gotten a lot more relevant for me and I am sure a lot of others as gas prices are so high right now.

[kyrix1st]

Originally Posted by Laostuh

Not sure if performance is effected but I know I feel like Costco gas burns alot quicker than Shell or Chevron. Thats just my 2 cents though..

Likely result of higher ethanol content thus lower energy density. Your performance is driven by octane so only fuel economy is affected.

[hellokitty]

Originally Posted by Msm1984

This thread has gotten a lot more relevant for me and I am sure a lot of others as gas prices are so high right now.

That's why I switched to full e85 lmao

[hellokitty]

Originally Posted by kyrix1st

Likely result of higher ethanol content thus lower energy density. Your performance is driven by octane so only fuel economy is affected.

I worked out the math and basically, I get 20% less mileage on full e85 but the cost of gas between 91 and E85 works out to be 40% more so I'm still ahead in this game