Marathon recognized by CustomsL’Observateur / April 14, 1999NEW ORLEANS – Marathon Ashland has been recognized by the U.S. CustomsService of Laboratories and Scientific Services for its cooperation and assistance in the development of an enforcement program for independent petroleum gaugers.

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, April 14, 1999

The pilot program, initiated in March 1998, has now become the permanent strategy for compliance used across the country.

Marathon Ashland provided a petroleum crude oil storage tank and allowed Customs to invite eight Customs-approved independent gaugers in to measure the quantity of petroleum crude oil present in the selected tank.

The inspectors/gaugers took the measurement, performed all the corrections and reported the results to Customs, who then evaluated their performance to make sure that the independent inspectors/gauger companies were in compliance with government regulations and standards set by the American Petroleum Institute (API).

This standard is beneficial to the Customs Service and all energy companies because it ensures that the highest quality of measurement functions are performed on a regular basis by independent inspection/gauging companies.

In 1985 the U.S. Customs Service privatized its petroleum gauger function. Companies may apply to Customs to become approved to perform gauging tasks for Customs purposes. Today the Customs Service performsregulatory tasks, including collecting duties, based on the measurements taken by these companies.

In a ceremony at the Garyville refinery, George Heavey, director of Laboratories and Scientific Services from Customs headquarters in Washington, D.C., presented a plaque to Larry Echelberger in recognition ofthe company’s exemplary standard of cooperation and professionalism in allowing this test to take place at the plant’s facility.

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