Venturing into Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas distribution sector offers a blend of challenges and rewards. This industry, where I have accumulated many years of experience, demands meticulous attention from loading to delivery to ensure product integrity. I provide a guide for new entrants to navigate the critical stages of this market, from loading to delivery.

Selecting the right truck is crucial. Avoid trucks with internal rust to prevent contamination from hard particles that could block customers’ generator injectors. Avoid renting old trucks! Furthermore, when transporting diesel, do not use trucks that previously carried PMS (Premium Motor Spirit or fuel) to avoid dislodging solid particles that may contaminate your diesel. Always ask the truck driver what kind of product he loaded before you. If he loaded PMS, and you are loading diesel now, so that’s not a good truck.

At the depot, confirm the quality of the product by sampling from a truck loaded immediately before yours using the same loading arm or Gengi. Ensure the product’s density is within the optimal range of 0.84 to 0.86, ideally 0.85. Refrain from using samples provided by marketers that are not from the current loading sequence. Otherwise, you will be cheated. Make sure your customer agrees on your product density otherwise your product will be rejected.

Confirm that the truck is completely loaded with the specified quantity. Pay close attention to the Gengi (the loading arm) and ensure proper hose placement in each compartment.

After loading, measure the content in each compartment and compare these with the truck’s chart. This comparison is critical to ensure quantity accuracy. At the destination, these measurements must be rechecked and should closely align with initial figures. Minor discrepancies are normal, but significant differences could indicate missing product, for which the transporter or driver is accountable.

Seal each compartment and outlet post-loading to maintain the loaded quantity during transit.

Ensure the product is not tampered with during transit. Have a trusted person oversee the driver and motor boy throughout the journey.

If the truck stops overnight, take extra precautions to secure the product. Advise your representative to avoid accepting food or drinks from the driver to mitigate risks of theft or tampering.

Before discharging, recheck the measurements of each compartment against initial data to verify consistent quantity. Any discrepancies should be investigated as they may suggest theft or leakage. Adherence to these guidelines is essential for new companies in efficiently managing the complex process of oil and gas distribution in Nigeria, thereby upholding product integrity and establishing trust within this competitive industry.