South Korean refiner Hyundai Oilbank said Monday that it would expand its support for gasoline quality assessments at gas stations during the winter season.

With a new service called the Mobile Lab, introduced by Hyundai Oilbank in May, mobile gas inspectors carry nine kinds of cutting-edge equipment in a 1-ton truck, visiting gas stations and assessing samples.

Station owners are notified of the results within 30 minutes of an inspection, according to the company.

An accurate quality assessment requires extensive equipment and tools, and it is difficult for gas stations to procure them as they are costly.

To help the stations, which are suffering as a result of skyrocketing international oil prices and local market saturation, Hyundai Oilbank said it has decided to operate the Mobile Lab to control the quality of gas at some 2,500 stations, as station owners are not capable of discerning high-quality products from poorly refined oil.

Currently, gas stations rely on tests conducted by the state-run Korea Petroleum Quality and Distribution Authority, which take at least two weeks, the company said.

The refiner said it will aim to have its stations inspect retail gasoline stations at least three times a year.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)