Since the domestic refined oil price adjustment on October 15, escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have driven international crude oil prices sharply higher.
To cushion the impact on the domestic market, the government has once again taken regulatory measures on refined oil prices.
According to calculations based on the current pricing mechanism, starting from midnight on October 29, the prices of domestic gasoline and diesel (standard grade) should be raised by 440 yuan and 420 yuan per ton respectively. However, after balancing the need to ease the burden on downstream users and ensure a safe and stable supply of refined oil, the actual increases have been set at 345 yuan and 335 yuan.
PetroChina, Sinopec, CNOOC and other crude oil processing enterprises must organize refined oil production and transportation effectively, ensure stable market supply, and strictly implement national pricing policies.
Relevant departments in various regions should intensify market supervision and inspection, strictly investigate and punish actions that fail to comply with national pricing policies, and maintain normal market order.
Consumers can report price violations through the 12315 platform.
Attachment: Maximum retail prices of gasoline and diesel in each province (region, municipality) and central cities (click to enlarge and view).
With a new round of fuel price increases imminent, while car owners focus on fuel costs, they should not overlook safety regulations at gas stations and key points for daily vehicle maintenance.
Avoid wearing synthetic clothing when refueling
Look at this animated image: at a gas station, when a woman wearing synthetic clothing approaches the fuel nozzle, a large spark suddenly ignites!
Nowadays, many gas stations have introduced self-service (or semi-self-service) refueling. Car owners only need to apply for a fuel card and can refuel on their own. Each refueling session involves inserting the fuel card, entering the password, lifting the nozzle to refuel, hanging up the nozzle, and retrieving the card 鈥?the whole process takes only two to three minutes.
When refueling, staff often remind car owners: do not comb your hair, do not wear non-cotton gloves, and do not put on or take off clothing. This is mainly to prevent static electricity. Especially when human skin is dry, static electricity is easily generated, so car owners should be particularly careful!
Police remind: When refueling, car owners must first ensure the car engine is turned off. When lifting the fuel nozzle, lightly touch the fuel tank opening to discharge static electricity. The nozzle should be inserted as deep into the tank opening as possible to avoid generating fuel vapor. After refueling, wait a moment before pulling out the nozzle. Do not wear synthetic clothing, to prevent static electricity from igniting surrounding fuel vapor and causing a fire!
When refueling on your own, first touch a metal object such as the car door or fuel nozzle to discharge static electricity before refueling.
Refuel in the early morning or evening
Gasoline is priced by volume rather than weight, and it expands with heat and contracts with cold. If you choose to refuel in the morning or evening, avoiding the hot sun and high temperatures, the same volume of gasoline can have relatively more mass, saving quite a bit. If calculated based on a temperature difference of 20掳C at night and 35掳C during the day on the day of refueling, the mass difference for filling up an ordinary car's tank could reach 0.62L, equivalent to the capacity of a bottle of Pocari Sweat. So it is advisable to refuel during cooler time periods 鈥?there is a scientific basis for this!
Do not fill the tank to the brim
When driving in the city, there is no need to always fill the tank completely, because city driving involves constant stopping and going. If the tank is filled to the brim, it will increase the engine's load. In summer, it is best not to exceed two-thirds. If gasoline overflows, it can flow along the pipeline into the intake port, causing spark plug "flooding," which can cause the car to stall immediately after refueling, and in severe cases prevent the car from starting normally. Gasoline may even flow out from the carbon canister, which is extremely dangerous if it encounters an open flame!
Turn off the engine before refueling
Absolutely do not refuel the car before the engine is turned off. If the staff has not closed the fuel nozzle, the driver must absolutely not start the car, otherwise it may easily cause a fire. Image source: People's Daily Online file photo.
Do not wait until the tank is empty to refuel
The gasoline pump in the tank is cooled by gasoline. If there is too little gasoline and it does not cover the fuel pump, prolonged operation in hot weather will reduce the lifespan of the gasoline pump. In addition, if there is too little gasoline, once the fuel pump draws up sediment from the bottom of the tank, it can easily clog the fuel pump or block the fuel line.
Do not refuel during thunderstorms
During thunderstorms, the fuel nozzle may introduce stray currents into the car's fuel tank, intensifying the movement of unstable gasoline molecules and creating safety hazards such as fire and explosion. Image source: People's Daily Online file photo.
Have you remembered these fuel-saving and safety tips? Share them with your friends right away!
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