Two lawsuits in Kansas fighting against the practice of "hot fuel" have become the first in the nation to receive class action status
, according to reports by the Kansas City Star.

"Hot fuel" involves expanded diesel fuel or gasoline that is sold at retail pumps at temperatures higher than the government standard of 60 degrees. That is the temperature/volume used in the petrochemical industry to measure petroleum liquids at the refinery and every point after the refinery, except at the retail pump.

At the 60-degree standard, a gallon of fuel delivers a certain amount of measurable energy, referred to as Btu. But when expanded by higher temperatures, that same amount of fuel actually delivers less energy, according to automatic temperature compensation advocates. The warmer the fuel, the less measurable energy and fewer miles to the gallons a vehicle will receive. For example, if a vehicle averages six mpg, 200 gallons of 98-degree fuel is going to take that vehicle 36 fewer miles than 60-degree fuel.

The Kansas City Star reported that U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil found the two suits to meet the requirements for class action, with the individuals named in the suits representing a larger group of consumers hit by the hot fuel issue.

The defendants in the cases include BP, Casey's General Stores, Chevron, Circle K, Citgo, ConocoPhillips, 7-Eleven, Shell Oil, Valero, Kum & Go, QuikTrip and Wal-Mart, the Star reports. The defendants have not decided whether to appeal the judge's decision, but they were pleased the ruling didn't involve damages, just liability and injunctive relief, the publication reported.