FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
With a ceremonial flourish of scissors, Defense Logistics Agency Energy Europe & Africa petroleum laboratory celebrated the completion of its $4 million renovation in a ribbon cutting ceremony at Rhine Ordnance Barracks, Kaiserslautern, Germany, April 6.
DLA Energy Europe & Africa Commander Army Lt. Col. Benverren Fortune, Deputy Commander Robert Simms and the petroleum laboratory staff hosted Army Brig. Gen. Wanda N. Williams, deputy commanding general for the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, for the fuel lab’s reopening.
The laboratory supports the quality surveillance mission providing full specification fuel testing services for DLA Energy customer operations across 59 Defense Fuel Support Points in 11 countries. Since the Ukraine invasion, the lab’s processing increased from 2,000 fuel samples each year to 3,500 samples including routine quality surveillance, investigations of possible contamination as well as testing for secured fuels.
“This is a monumental occasion because the renovations began in 2019,” Fortune said. “For the last three years, the team has been operating out of an on-site temporary location known as a ‘B Level’ certified laboratory.”
The “B Level” certification permitted the DLA Energy Europe & Africa petroleum laboratory team to continue to provide fuel quality analysis to the Warfighter and customers throughout the U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Central Command areas of operation including the Presidential Secure Fuel Mission Support.
“We are thrilled, excited and confident to be able to transition back into the upgraded laboratory,” said the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge Army Sgt. 1st Class Troy M. Martinez. “With ‘B Level’ capabilities the laboratory personnel were able to conduct fuel quality analysis to ensure fuels were meeting the military standard specifications. Now the team can operate with more confidence to ensure all fuels utilized by the Warfighter are procured and maintained to military specification in the ‘A level’ certified laboratory.”
The upgraded laboratory features a new emergency fire alarm system, gas detection system, and gas line system. Other improvements included the air handling system, installation of new fume hoods, new bench top workspace, electrical, and miscellaneous construction work.
“The mission stays the same, but the capabilities have increased,” Martinez said. “We are able to process three times more of the amount of sample analysis based on laboratory space and equipment availability.”
Fuel testing is necessary and required to keep military aircraft engines and equipment operating safely and effectively. The DLA Energy Europe & Africa petroleum laboratory is DLA’s only A Level certified laboratory that tests military fuel oils and only one of four laboratories globally managed and operated by DLA civilians, Army soldiers, and local national personnel.
“The ability to operate at the ‘A Level’ permits the laboratory personnel to not only ensure fuels meet specification but enables the technicians and chemists to conduct full spectrum analysis,” said Robert Tate, the quality assurance supervisor for DLA Energy Europe & Africa. “Over time, petroleum products can become contaminated with a multitude of foreign agents.”
Fuel oils are complex and variable mixture of a vast number of individual chemical compounds. Too much water, sediment and microbials in fuel can damage equipment and causes corrosion of storage systems.
“The petroleum products also degrade over time while being transported and stored,” Tate said. “While the tests conducted at the ‘B Level’ can identify if a petroleum product is or is not meeting specification, the ‘A Level’ tests will identify the precise reason for degradation. This capability is critical not only to the quality assurance mission but is also a critical resource for the entire Department of Defense.”