Alcor Petrolab
1300 Corporate Dr. E , Arlington, Texas, United States

Alcor Petrolab is an independent quality control testing laboratory that also operates as Phoenix Chemical Laboratory. We offer a wide range of testing services for liquid fuels, lubricants, petroleum products and plastics. We test jet fuel, diesel, gasoline, ethanol, and biodiesel. We also test lubricants, grease, hydraulic fluids, heat transfer fluids, crude oil, refinery intermediates, elastomers and plastics.  Our company has been testing fuel and lubricants since 1927. Our quality assurance testing helps our customers save money, meet industry standards and comply with government regulations. We are ISO 9001:2015 certified and are active members in ASTM, SAE, STLE, and ASQ.  Phoenix Chemical Laboratory joined Alcor Petrolab in 2016, and has performed fuel, lubricant, and chemical testing since 1927. Phoenix Chemical Laboratory and Alcor Petrolab are both subsidiaries of Southern Petroleum Laboratories, Inc.   We provide very quick turnaround times from our well-equipped laboratories in Arlington (Dallas/Fort Worth) and Pleasanton (San Antonio), Texas.  Our customers include leading oil producers, refiners, lubricant manufacturers, pipelines, terminal operators and fuel distributors. We also serve fuel and oil consumers, including airlines, the US military, and fleet operators. We serve customers located in the USA, Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America.

Our History

  Phoenix Chemical Laboratory was founded in 1927 in Chicago and performed quality research and testing for petroleum products and lubricants under the direction of Dr. Arthur Krawetz. Dr. Krawetz was well known in the lubricants and grease testing industry. He was a member of ASTM International for more than 50 years, and developed numerous standardized test methods, including ASTM D2879 and ASTM D2717.  In 1968, T& T Labs was founded by J.V. Taylor, a petroleum chemist that worked for Howell Hydrocarbons of San Antonio.  T&T Labs initially focused on analyzing water and wastewater, but when J.V.s son, Chris, joined the company in 1980, their services expanded into fuel testing.  In 2001, T&T Labs acquired a high-performance lubricants testing laboratory and the company was renamed Alcor Petrolab.  Nathan Wicker formed Zelva Holdings LLC and purchased Alcor Petrolab in 2011 and Phoenix Chemical Laboratory in 2016.  Alcor Petrolab and Phoenix Chemical Laboratory combine to form one of the leading independent testing laboratories for high-performance lubricants in the world.  In 2018, Southern Petroleum Laboratories, Inc. (“SPL”) purchased Zelva Holdings LLC and brought Alcor Petrolab and Phoenix Chemical Laboratory into the SPL family of laboratory and measurement companies.  As the largest independent fuel testing laboratory in the Dallas/Fort Worth and San Antonio/Austin areas, Alcor Petrolab serves a wide variety of lubricant manufacturers, refineries, pipelines, fuel distributors and many others.  The team of more than 30 experienced chemists, engineers, and lab technicians work together to continue the tradition of high-quality testing, rapid turnaround times, creative engineering solutions, and distinctive levels of customer service.

Quality: 

Quality is the most important aspect of laboratory testing. We commit to deliver accurate and reproducible test results on every sample for every customer. We achieve this through an extensive ISO 9001:2015 quality management system that includes a large statistical quality control testing program. We participate in ASTM proficiency testing programs for turbine oil, gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, biodiesel, and ethanol.

Flexibility: 

We work with the largest and most demanding companies in the world as well as independent lubricant manufacturers, transmix processors, and refineries. We are able to provide a huge range of tests and we tailor our services according to your specific needs. You can learn more about the variety of fuel and lubricant testing that we offer by clicking HERE. If you need testing that is not listed on our website, or if you have a sample but dont know which test will tell you what you need to know, please contact us today. We welcome the opportunity to work with you to meet all of your testing needs.

Fuel Quality & Compliance Programs

Alcor Petrolab is an independent lab and offers a wide range of quality control testing that can be tailored to specific quality and compliance programs. We participate in many companies  compliance programs to provide third-party testing. We conduct internal audits quarterly and annually to maintain our high standards of quality, and we work with our customers whenever they request an external audit of our laboratory procedures and quality processes. 

Diesel Testing & Certification 

We can perform all of the tests required for the ASTM D975 specification for low sulfur (LSD) and ultralow sulfur (ULSD) No. 1 and No. 2 diesel fuel.  No. 1 diesel fuel flows more easily than No. 2 diesel fuel and is preferred for use at lower temperatures, such as in the winter in the US Midwest. However, No. 2 diesel fuel is less volatile than No. 1 diesel, and is much more commonly used. Diesel fuel is used in many types of engines and vehicles, and has many different applications. Most diesel sold in the US is a blend of diesel and biodiesel. Blend rates of 5% biodiesel (B5) are common, with blends up to B20 available in some locations.  Diesel has much better storage stability properties compared with gasoline. Nevertheless, the fuel can undergo important changes during storage that can compromise the fuel system. Water is commonly found in diesel storage tanks, especially those that are exposed to large temperature variation, such as outside storage tanks. The tanks must “breathe” to allow for the fuel to expand and contract with changes in temperature. This allows moist air to enter the tank, where it condenses and the water falls to the bottom of the tank. Over time, a significant amount of water can accumulate in this fashion, which promotes corrosion and microbial activity. Diesel fuel systems can be contaminated with fungus and bacteria, which if undetected and treated can cause corrosion, plug fuel filters and damage fuel pumps and injectors. Diesel can also oxidize after extended storage, which leads to the formation of fine particulate matter in the fuel that plugs fuel filters and damages fuel pumps and injectors.   Diesel fuel is certified before being sold by refineries.  Pipelines routinely perform quality oversight checks. Diesel storage for mission-critical applications, such as backup generators and fire suppression systems at nuclear power plants, hospitals and data centers, are checked frequently to ensure that the fuel will be suitable for use when needed. Fuel distributors and consumers rely on the refiners and pipelines to deliver high-quality fuel, but still need testing when problems, such as contamination or unexpected fuel system damage, are identified.  

Gasoline Testing & Certification

  We can perform all of the tests required for the ASTM D4814 specification for gasoline including octane using CFR octane engines.  We can also perform all of the tests required to calculate EPA Complex VOC reduction model, which is relevant in EPA-designated ozone nonattainment areas.  Gasoline is a blend of volatile liquids that breaks down over time. Oxidation, or the reaction of the liquid with oxygen, can lead to the formation of solid contaminants.  Evaporation can leave a sticky residue, known as “gum” or non-volatile residue.  These can cause clogged fuel filters and fuel injectors and can damage fuel pumps and carburetors.  Ethanol (alcohol) is commonly blended with gasoline.  Gasoline-ethanol blends are particularly likely to absorb moisture and can separate into two phases (a hydrocarbon phase floating on top of a water-alcohol phase, similar to the separation of oil and water). Phase separated gasoline is unusable because the water/alcohol layer will plug filters, cause corrosion and damage engine components and the gasoline layer doesnt meet octane specifications.

Biodiesel Testing & Certification

  We perform biodiesel quality testing on a wide range of biodiesel blends. We also perform testing to determine the biodiesel content in regular diesel fuel. We can conduct a full set of tests on biodiesel according to the ASTM D6751 and ASTM D7467 specifications.  Biodiesel is becoming an increasingly important fuel. Biodiesel is made from a variety of materials, including soybean oil, recycled cooking oil, and animal fats. It is blended with diesel to make automotive fuel. Biodiesel blends are labeled BX or BXX, X being the percentage of biodiesel in the mixture. Most major diesel fuel retailers are now selling B5 biodiesel blends. Industry standards allow the use of up to 5 percent biodiesel without special labeling on the fuel pump.  Tax incentives currently encourage blending, so most diesel currently for sale is in fact B5.  Vehicle owners and operators should check their owners manual or consult their auto manufacturer before using biodiesel, since using the wrong grade of fuel can cause engine damage.  Biodiesel is a biodegradable fuel that produces less air pollution than petroleum-based diesel. Biodiesel is also non-toxic and safer to handle than most conventional fuels. However, biodiesel frequently has problems with low-temperature fluidity (e.g., freezing/gelling), so high percentage biodiesel blends are usually not suitable for use in low temperatures.  The most common issues with biodiesel are related to low-temperature properties and oxidation stability.  As biodiesel oxidizes it can produce solid particles that can plug filters and fuel injectors.

Crude Oil Testing

  We perform custom anti-fouling testing for refineries and crude additive producers using Alcor Hot Liquid Process Simulator (HLPS) instruments. Our extensive experience in this area provides high quality data. HLPS data is used in process optimization, additive selection and dose rate optimization. We can perform HLPS testing at custom temperatures and run times as needed.  We offer several other tests for crude oil producers and refiners. These tests help determine the quality of crude oil. See the list of tests below for more details on crude oil tests we provide. If you are curious about other crude oil testing, contact us and we will do our best to meet your testing needs. We are continuing to expand our testing services.