Shell Oil US/Martinez Refinery Settlement
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Shell Oil Products US/ Shell Martinez Refinery Settled for $195,000
In November 2019, a case was settled for $195,000 with Shell Oil Products US related to a reformulated gasoline violation at their Shell Martinez Refinery. Shell was penalized for violating the California Reformulated Gasoline Regulation (CaRFG) as codified in California Code of Regulations (CCR), title 13, sections 2250-2273.5, et seq. (13 CCR § 2250-2273.5); and specifically, CaRFG section 2262.4 and 2268.
Shell self-disclosed an incident at the Martinez Refinery. Shell failed to submit a tank designation notification resulting in the mixing of a certified Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP)‑controlled gasoline with a certified Non-RVP‑controlled gasoline. Analysis of a sample of the blended gasoline revealed a RVP content that failed to comply with the regulatory control period (April1 through October 31) for RVP in the San Francisco Bay Area Basin.
Once Shell was aware of the problem, they immediately stopped transferring fuel into commerce and called CARB to disclose the violation. Factors that influenced their penalty included Shell’s full cooperation with CARB’s investigation to meet California’s regulatory requirements to be in compliance, and their compliance history.
Shell agreed to pay $195,000 to the California Air Pollution Control Fund.