how did that get there

It's a mass of bacteria that lives in the interface twixt diesel and water. Marine engine types apply a biocide to kill it off, just drying out the tank doesn't seem to work because as soon as moisture gets back in the jelly re appears and clogs the filters.

AJH

Almost scuppered the task force in the Falklands as they had problems with the filters in the marine propulsion units and almost came to grief. Did you know that there was also a problem with bacteria producing Sulfuric acid and eating into the subs hulls ?

Cladosporium something-or-other I think. It's a pity it turns diesel into jelly and not ditch water into diesel.

Steve

Now there's a thought :-)))

Cladysporium Resinae. Some older designs of aircraft fuel tanks have capsules of Strontium Chromate in the tanks to prevent it's formation, but most aviation fuels now have chemicals in the anti-icing additive pack to prevent it's formation. Badger.

Nope, I was just familiar with the jelly blocking the tank filter on just one of my tractors.

AJH

There's a fair amount of interest in an algae that has a high oil content, even some discussion about injecting just the dry algae.

AJH

I bet someone somewhere is working on it. In fact the required bacterium probably already exists and just needs to be discovered and "adjusted". Thinking of the oily patches that you sometimes see floating on stagnant pools with thick black anerobic mud undeneath.

You may find this interesting