When you choose a grade of gasoline at the fuel pump, you’re taking the gas station at its word that the gasoline coming out of the nozzle is the octane you selected. But the Attorney General for the state of Texas has filed a lawsuit against a chain of filling stations, alleging that its premium- and medium-grade gasoline has been diluted with the regular stuff.

Texas AG Greg Abbott filed the lawsuit against Petroleum Wholesale L.P., which operates a chain of gas stations called Sunmart Travel Centers (not to be confused with SunMart Foods; an entirely separate company). The suit alleges that the stations defrauded customers by falsifying octane levels.

From the Houston Chronicle:

According to data released by the Texas attorney general’s office, 48 stations in the state that had 60 percent of their pumps out of compliance. Of those 48, 24 stations were in the Houston area. Five stations had all the pumps out of compliance.

The lawsuit seeks a temporary and permanent injunction against the defendants and civil penalties.

Texas AG accuses Woodlands-based company of diluting gasoline [Houston Chronicle]

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