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Compare international to domestic oil and gas transportation methods

Check out international oil tanker ports versus gas transportation methods and what impact each would have on your business. Do you need access to crude oil, or do you simply need the finished gas products available stateside?

I recommend: Look up geographical data for ports in the Energy Institute HMC-4 Oil Transportation Measurement Committee database to find out the country, the region and the load or discharge. Check out companies like Macro Transportation, who truck fuel products domestically.

Examine oil transportation via waterway

Look at oil transportation via oil tanker. Check out the costs and how owning your own vessel varies from having someone transport it for you.

I recommend: Find out about waterborne oil transportation from PetroStrategies. Pacific L.A. Marine Terminal discusses the two basic business models used when transporting crude oil via waterway.

Keep up with the latest oil and gas transportation news

Stay informed of the latest oil transportation news and information before heading into your next business meeting. It will help you appear knowledgeable, and it might even influence your next business decision.

I recommend: Catch up on the latest oil and gas transport news and information from Oil & Gas Industry Today. Worldoils Daily Newsletter also offers daily information on oil and gas transport.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure that your gas trucking company is OSHA compliant and has all of the proper HAZMAT training necessary. For example, if you own a gas station, you don't want an inexperienced driver, refilling your station's pump's and making a costly mistake that could cost irreparable damage or human life because of his or her carelessness. Proper training and safety precautions are key, and finding the right company that cares enough to properly train its employees is imperative.

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Start with an industry specific ail and gas transportation directory

Skip Yahoo or Google, go straight to an industry specific list of oil and gas transportation providers.

I recommend: PR.com has a gas and oil transportation listing of U.S. providers. RigZone.com also offers a directory listing for the oil and gas industries.

Find safe gas trucking

Whether you are looking to transport your gas or oil by fleet or by boat, finding the right service provider is imperative to your safe product transport.

I recommend: Lykins Oil can provide you the sales, delivery, and equipment solutions for those of you looking for delivery quantities of 5,000 gallons or less. This is great for farms, construction companies, trucking companies or fleet fueling. Lykins Companies have been in business since 1948. Companies like California Oil Transport, Inc. offer your oil collection services, oil delivery services, and pump jobs.

Stay informed about the oil transportation industry

Oil and gas transport are vital to the success of many countries, and being knowledgeable about the hows and whys will give you a better understanding of how the industry works.

I recommend: PetroStrategies, Inc. has helpful background information on the transport of oil. The Energy Institute offers voyage data as well as port and crude oil information. The U.S. Department of Energy not only offers industry information, but lists industry events as well.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Gas trucking and oil tanker companies are in the business of transportation, not web design, so don't let a poorly designed website deter you from a company. They might offer the best service in the world, but just may not be Internet savvy. Speak with the company, visit their facilities and gain a better feeling for the company and its crew instead, before making your final decision.

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Familiarize yourself with oil transportation regulations

Start by becoming familiar with state and federal oil transportation and gas transportation regulation. Oil and gas transport is highly regulated due to flammability of the contents of the trucks and ships, so make sure that your drivers and transporters are well trained in all safety precautions.

I recommend: Look up the state regulations for tanker transportation in Maine. Find out the US laws pertaining to US crude oil transportation on Justia.

Know the oil and gas transportation threats

Be mindful of threats to oil transport, and make your own plans to combat this global terrorism and spills. Fire is another threat to your trucks and ships, so make sure that you have ample fire safety precautions in place and the proper training to use them.

I recommend: Check out the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security's information on threats to oil transport. Look at the information provided by the Energy Information Administration on disruptions, piracy, spills and more.

Learn about US oil transportation providers

Start working with oil and gas transportation providers. Be it having them provide you gas, diesel or products stateside, or nailing out contracts overseas, start to build a working relationship that will ensure the success of both of your businesses.

I recommend: Lykins Oil can help you with your fuel US transportation needs whether they are large or small. They are a family owned and operated business started in 1948. Frontera is a Houston, Texas company that exports oil to international markets using the Georgian Black Sea.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Learn from famous oil transportation spills such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989. See what companies did wrong, and learn from their mistakes and clean up efforts. Critical errors like that not only have a lasting environmental impact, but also tarnish a business's image irreparably.

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Time charter

A time charter refers to a method used for shipping crude oil. The owner of the crude oil company hires the boat for a certain period of time to transport the oil. Also, when crude oil is being shipped via time charter, there is usually more flexibility when it comes to unloading the supply. Meaning the owner of the crude oil company may choose one of several ports in the area that are convenient.

I recommend: Visit the website for Pacific LA Marine Terminal for further information on how a time charter operates.

Downstream

Downstream refers to the direction that oil is sent while in the crude stage before it has been refined. Oil is said to be harvested 'upstream' before being sent downstream. Downstream also refers to the general process of sending the oil through the pipelines.

I recommend: Visit the website of Exxon Mobil for more information on the process of moving oil and gas downstream.

Batching

Batching refers to the process of sending more than one type of oil through a pipeline. If two types of oil mix at the start or end of a 'batch,' then they may be refined again once they have finished being transported.

I recommend: Visit the website for Petro Strategies for further information on batching and how it relates to oil and gas transportation. (The information is toward the bottom of the page).

Hydro Carbon Management Committee 4, HMC-4

Hydro Carbon Management Committee 4 or HMC-4, as it is commonly referred to, is an international committee that seeks the improvement and development of standards and procedures by all companies that are associated with the transportation of oil and gas. The HMC-4 procedures and policies are commonly referred to when dealing with oil and gas transportation companies.

I recommend: Visit the website for Oil Transport.Info for more information on membership and the policies and procedures of HMC-4 in relation to the transportation of oil and gas.

Marine vapor recovery system

A Marine Vapor Recovery System or MVRS as it's sometimes called, refers to the process of recovering the vapors that escape when liquid oil is transported on and off the tankers. These vapors contain volatile organic compounds, which must be captured by a vacuum type device known as the Marine Vapor Recovery System.

I recommend: Visit the website for Chevron for further information on how a Marine Vapor Recovery System operates.

Pipeline

A pipeline refers to a wide pipe through which crude oil is transferred on its way to the refining process. Oil pipelines run throughout Alaska, Canada and other oil rich fields bringing the crude substance to a place where it can be made into usable oil and gas.

I recommend: Visit the website for the Centre for Energy for more information on how oil is transported through pipelines.