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Sprague Energy First Oil Terminal Operator to Earn BQ-9000 Certification

Accreditation from National Biodiesel Board to Market Biodiesel and Bioheating Fuels

Sprague Energy Corp., an energy wholesaler at the forefront of clean fuels development and marketing, is now the first oil terminal operator in the United States to earn BQ-9000 Certified Marketer status by the National Biodiesel Board. 

The BQ-9000 certification proves that Sprague Energy has demonstrated the ability to provide biodiesel that meets or exceeds ASTM D 6751, the standard specification for biodiesel as a blend stock for Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel and heating oil.  Sprague has also proven to have an effective process for managing quality assurance.  The certification process included both a desk audit to verify written compliance with BQ-9000 criteria and an on-site registration audit to verify compliance by a National Biodiesel Board auditor. 

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) is the national trade association representing the biodiesel industry as the coordinating body for research and development in the United States.  The NBB's mission is to "advance the interests of its members by creating sustainable biodiesel industry growth."  The NBB also focuses on promoting the commercial success and public acceptance of biodiesel.

"Having petroleum marketers become certified is one of the last pieces of the puzzle in our aggressive pursuit of fuel quality through the production and supply chains," said Leland Tong, chairman of the National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission.  "Sprague Energy is a leader in what we hope will become a long line of petroleum distributors answering the call to provide only the best fuel blends to their customers."

Sprague Energy, along with its parent, Axel Johnson, Inc., is a company with a long tradition of being ahead of the curve in terms of fuel technology.  Sprague's entry into biofuel marketing is part of a strong history of clean fuels marketing, adding biodiesel and bioheating fuel to a product line that includes Natural Gas, Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel and E85 fuels.

"This designation demonstrates Sprague's commitment to supplying our customers with the highest quality biodiesel," said Sprague President and CEO John McClellan.  "It is our responsibility to prevent off-specification biodiesel from entering the marketplace and the BQ-9000 program ensures this. Put simply, if it doesn't meet BQ-9000 quality standards, we won't sell it."

This year, Sprague has opened the first rack-blended biodiesel terminal in Albany, NY, enabling home heating and diesel fuel retailers throughout Upstate New York, Vermont and Western Massachusetts to supply a precisely blended biofuel product to their customers.   Sprague's Albany terminal, which also stores approximately 40 million gallons of traditional petroleum fuels, stores 40,000 gallons of pure biodiesel (also referred to as "neat" or B100).  The B100 is blended with diesel fuel ("Biodiesel") for over-the-road applications and #2 heating oil ("Bioheat") for residential and commercial heating applications.  The biofuel content is typically 2, 5, or 20 percent of the blended fuel.

New York Governor George E. Pataki, speaking at the Albany facility's grand opening said "We recognize the need to reduce our dependence on imported energy, and this new facility shows that this vital energy transition is not only possible, but already underway."

Terry Moran, owner of the Hugh Duffy Coal & Oil Company of Rutland, VT, said of Sprague's biodiesel, "We've now converted our entire fleet of delivery trucks to run on biodiesel.  Sprague Energy's precise rack blending system, combined with their BQ-9000 certified fuel ensures that I'm taking the best product in the easiest and most efficient manner possible."

"Diminishing our dependence on foreign oil at this point," added Moran "is the right thing to do."

The Albany terminal has been joined by a facility in Oceanside, NY and also other throughput locations where Sprague's partners sell the biodiesel.  Other locations within Sprague's geographic footprint, from Maine to New York, are currently in the planning stages.

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