The short answer to last month's expensive gasoline/diesel fuel debacle is that old standby: human error.

But when you look at the complex network of pipelines, trucking routes, terminal hubs and "truck racks" that slake New Mexico's annual 50 million barrel thirst for gasoline -- outlined by business writer Andrew Webb in this morning's Albuquerque Journal -- you may wonder why it doesn't happen more often.

Currently, the AG's Office is referring consumers who may be affected to Western Refining Co., 123 W. Mills Ave., Suite 200, El Paso TX 79901, phone (915) 534-1400 or (480) 585-8762, fax (915) 881-0002.

"We are continuing to closely monitor the situation, including any reports from consumers that gas stations and/or Western are not working for them," the AG's Office said.

5:40am 3/28/08 -- Fixing Bad Gas Goof Can Be Costly: Motorists report spending $650 to $700 to repair damage from diesel mix-up.

Those who filled their tanks with an accidental mix of diesel fuel and regular unleaded gasoline at some 40 gas stations around New Mexico Tuesday are paying upwards of $650 to $700 to repair their cars, the Albuquerque Journal reported this morning.

While it is safe to fill up your tanks now, here's where customers who may have been affected can report car trouble, according to KOAT-TV:

Stations in the Giant and Allsup's chains are asking customers to call Western directly at 480-585-8818.

Shell is asking drivers to call a number they've set up: 888-GO-SHELL or 888-467-4355.

Costco says customers should bring receipts from their repairs to the station where they bought the gas.

Conoco/Phillips says they'll handle complaints on a case-by-case basis. Call 800-527-5476.

6:30am UPDATE: If you purchased unleaded gasoline mixed with diesel fuel at an Albuquerque Costco between noon and 6 p.m. Tuesday, take your membership number and all your receipts to Costco, which has confirmed it will pay for a tank flush from your mechanic, according to KRQE News 13.

Western Refining, whose Albuquerque distribution center mistakenly sent out the bad gas on Tuesday, urges customers to go back to retail outlets that may have sold the gas and the stations will advise those customers as to what to do, News 13 reported.

Meanwhile, The New Mexican said this morning that problems were reported at Peerless Tyre, 3010 Cerrillos Road; Giant Service Station, 2961 Sawmill Road; Brewer Shell, 4061 Cerrillos Road; and at other Shell stations in Santa Fe.

Santa Fe mechanic Stephen Inoue told The New Mexican that he was told a Giant tanker filled gasoline tanks with diesel fuel at 10 stations in the Santa Fe area.

And Inoue said the extent of problems likely to be faced by motorists depends on how far the car was driven and the ratio of gasoline to diesel, The New Mexican reported.

Inouye recommended that affected cars have their fuel tanks drained, their entire fuel systems flushed and fuel filters replaced, the paper said.

Once tanks are filled with fresh gasoline, vehicles should be test-driven, computer information monitored and spark plugs replaced, Inoue told The New Mexican.

And once the engine is warm, oil that might have been mixed with diesel should be replaced, said Inoue, who told the paper that the whole process should cost from $200 to $500 but more if there has been damage. 

5:55am 3/27/08 -- Bad Gas Went to About 40 N.M. Stations: Refinery tracking outlets where diesel mixed with unleaded fuel was sent.

El Paso-based Western Refining said 40 Albuquerque- and Santa Fe-area retailers bought fuel that accidentally mixed diesel with regular unleaded gasoline that had engines sputtering and dying on Tuesday, the Albuquerque Journal reported.

The Albuquerque area's three Costcos sold the bad gas for about six hours (from noon to 6 p.m.) on Tuesday and some Shell stations in and around Albuquerque and Santa Fe were affected, according to the Journal and KOAT-TV.

Only two of some 17 Shell stations that received the gas/diesel mix have been identified -- the station at N.M. 528 across from Intel in Rio Rancho and a Shell station at Cerrillos and Airport roads in Santa Fe, according to KOAT-TV, which also reported that the Allsup's in the 4400 block of Ridgecrest in Rio Rancho was affected.

Western Refining has notified all gas stations that received the bad shipments and are working on reimbursing affected customers, Action 7 News reported. 

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