NGHỆ AN — Eleven out of 12 gasoline samples taken from gas stations in the province of Nghệ An are diluted, low quality A92 gasoline with octane numbers lower than regulated.

Chief inspector of the central province’s Sciences and Technology Department, Nguyễn Mạnh Hà, told dantri.com.vn that the samples taken from seven local gas companies were tested by the Centre for Standards, Metrology and Quality in the central city of Đà Nẵng.

Test results can be used as evidence of producing and trading fake gasoline.

Accordingly, three out of four samples of Thanh Ngũ Ltd Company have octane numbers 70.7/92, 46/92 and 46.4/92.

Two samples from Kiên Lục Company have octane numbers 68/92 and 73.1/92.

Kỳ Phương Commercial Ltd Company has octane number 59.1/92, Sáu Hằng Commercial Ltd Company has 61.3/92, Phùng Pha Company has 70.8/92 and two samples from Thuận Thành Private Company has 71.3/92 and 84.7/92.

An octane rating or octane number is a standard measure of the performance of an engine or aviation fuel. The higher the octane number, the more compression the fuel can withstand before detonating (igniting). Use of gasoline with lower octane numbers may lead to the problem of engine knocking.

Late last month, inspectors from Nghệ An Department of Sciences and Technology detected 12 gas stations violating regulations on gasoline quality. A further investigation and co-operation between the inspectors and police revealed that two companies – Thanh Ngũ Ltd Company in Diễn Châu District and Kiên Lục Company in Quỳnh Lưu District – made fake A92 gasoline.

The company owners admitted to the police that since August 2017 to late last month, they bought hundreds of thousands of litres of solvents to be mixed with A92 gasoline, and then sold over 2 million litres of fake gasoline in Nghệ An Province.

Kiên Lục Company confessed it had bought solvents from the southern city of Cần Thơ and then resold it to some gas stations, while mixing the remaining with RON 92 gasoline to be sold to customers.

According to the invoice of the Mekong gas company, under the State-owned Cần Thơ Petrolimex, the price for each litre of solvent is VNĐ10,600 (US$0.46), but RON 92 gasoline is nearly double the price, at VNĐ18,000 per litre ($0.79).

Vietnam News Agency reported earlier that a working group – including the provincial economic police and science department – caught red-handed employees of Thanh Ngũ company offloading solvent-infused gasoline from its trucks to fuel tanks in gas stations on October 10. — VNS