샴페인의 미국 생활기

요새는 정말 기름값이 내려서 숨을 돌릴만 합니다.  얼마전까지 이곳 미국에서 1갤런 (3.8 리터)에 $4.50 까지 갈 때는 다들 너무나 힘들어 하셨습니다.  다행히 저는 하이브리드 자동차 (도요타 프리우스)를 타기 때문에 기름값이 올라가는 만큼 절약폭은 더 커져서 하이브리드 자동차를 사느라고 더 들인 돈을 예상보다 더 빨리 뽑을 수 있다는 긍정적인 면도 있었지만 어쨌거나 기름값이 올라가는 것은 모두에게 너무 힘든 일입니다 (하이브리드 자동차에 대해서는 별도의 글로 심층 분석을 해볼 예정입니다.  2년간 타면서 정말 좋았습니다 ^^).

우리 가족의 충실한 발이 되어주는 하이브리드 자동차 도요타 프리우스

한참 기름값이 극성일때 제가 직장동료에게 받았던 글을 번역해서 한두곳에 올린 적이 있습니다.  과학적인 근거가 얼마나 있는지 모르겠지만 혹시라도 조금이라도 도움이 될 듯하여 여기에 다시 게재를 해봅니다.  물론 한국처럼 주유원이 주유를 해주는 곳에서는 크게 도움이 되지 못할 것 같습니다만 미국처럼 거의 대부분 셀프주유를 하는 곳에서는 적용 가능한 팁이며 한국에서 적용 가능한 것도 있습니다.

원래의 글을 보면 저자가 정유회사에 31년간 근무하셨다는 분이 썼다고 되어 있는데 제가 허접하게 번역을 좀 해보았습니다.  이 글을 읽고나니 저도 모르게 신경이 쓰여서 글 중에 나오는 데로 따르게 되더군요. ^^;;  번역문을 먼저 쓰고 원문인 영문은 그 다음에 부칩니다.  막판에 정치적인 내용이 있는 것은 해석하지 않았습니다.  ^^

미국의 전형적인 주유소

TIPS ON PUMPING GAS

I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... 
but here in California we are also paying higher, up 
to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in 
petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some 
tricks to get more of your money's worth for every 
gallon..

Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San 
Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 
24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel 
the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and 
premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a 
total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early 
morning when the ground temperature is still cold. 
Remember that all service stations have their storage 
tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the 
more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline 
expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the 
evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the 
petroleum business, the specific gravity and the 
temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, 
ethanol and other petroleum products plays an 
important role.

A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this 
business. But the service stations do not have 
temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of 
the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see 
that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and 
high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, 
thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while 
you are pumping.

All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are 
pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes 
to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being 
sucked up and back into the underground storage tank 
so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your 
gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for 
this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less 
air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates 
faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks 
have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as 
zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so 
it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, 
here where I work, every truck that we load is 
temperature compensated so that every gallon is 
actually the exact amount.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping 
into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO 
NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred 
up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick 
up some of the dirt that normally settles on the 
bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for 
your money.

DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!

WHERE TO BUY USA GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. 
READ ON

Gas rationing in the 80's worked even though we 
grumbled about it. It might even be good for us! The 
Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return 
the favor.

An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS.

Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting 
more money into the coffers of Saudi Arabia. Just buy 
from gas companies that don't import their oil from 
the Saudis.

Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that 
every time I fill-up the tank, I am sending my money 
to people who are trying to kill me, my family, and my 
friends.

I thought it might be interesting for you to know 
which oil companies are the best to buy gas from and 
which major companies import Middle Eastern oil.

These companies import Middle Eastern oil:

Shell....... . ......... . 205,742,000 barrels 
Chevron/Texaco. .144, 332,000 barrels 
Exxon /Mobil...... ......... 130,082,000 barrels 
Marathon/Speedway. .117,740, 000 = barrels 
Amoco....... . ........62, 231,000 barrels 
Citgo gas is from South America, from a Dictator who 
hates Americans. If you do the math at $30/barrel, 
these imports amount to over $18 BILLION! (oil is now 
$90 - $100 a barrel

Here are some large companies that do not import 
Middle Eastern oil:

Sunoco...... . ..0 barrels 
Conoco...... . ..0 barrels 
Sinclair.... . ....0 barrels 
BP/Phillips. . ..0 barrels 
Hess........ . ...0 barrels 
ARC0........ . .0 barrels

If you go to Sunoco.com, you will get a list of the 
station locations near you.

All of this information is available from the 
Department of Energy and each is 
required to state where they get their oil and how 
much they are importing.

웹포토 출처:

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