Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Have wholesale fuel available for emergencies

Before contacting fuel oil distributors, estimate your business's usage for a given period of time. This calculation will allow you to buy wholesale gasoline in bulk. It also will allow your firm to avoid the seasonal fluctuations in supply and price, usually seen during the winter months. With good estimates you can make the most of your supply, and have fuel when you really need it.

I recommend: For accurate fuel consumption estimates, consult with the experts at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). Not only will they help with data mining for estimates, they can suggest cost-saving fuel-efficiency business modifications. Have Associated Systems tailor software to turn your firm's usage data into usable estimates.

Don't let wholesale gas prices nip at profits

Wholesale fuel distributors base pricing on market influences. Using an ongoing knowledge of prices and happenings in the marketplace will help you get the most for your money when you negotiate with your gas wholesalers. Assign staff to check online for data and with your firm's fuel distributor.

I recommend: Use the online version of the Financial Times, FT.com, to keep up with oil price and market events. Track the ups and downs of oil prices on CNNMoney.com.

Work with your wholesale diesel fuel supplier for best results

Your business doesn't want to pull its fleet off the road or shut down its equipment. That's why keeping in touch with the 'fuel guys' and the lines of communications open with oil distributors is crucial. Planning usage and resupply timing will allow your business to get the most out of its wholesale fuel purchases.

I recommend: Rely on Carroll Independent Fuel to keep your tanks full. Work with it to schedule deliveries before inventory becomes a problem. See Castle Oil for your commercial natural gas supplies. Also check with it on safety recommendations.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make the most of your selection of gasoline distributors by letting your business setting help determine your choice. For large, widespread enterprises, consider a deal with a national supplier. A smaller business might partner with regional or local fuel distributors.

1. The time you have to devote to oil and gas wholesale distribution research, including fluctuating wholesale gas prices.
2. The overall wholesale gas and oil needs for your fleet, including how much fuel you’ll buy and how often you’ll need to restock.
3. The specialized petroleum and oil needs that your fleet may have.

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The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Keep abreast of market fluctuations for wholesale fuel

Since wholesale gas and wholesale diesel fuel are commodities traded on the open market, the price can change by the minute, which may influence your cost structure. If you understand the market, though, you'll be able to better budget for your fuel needs--and be sure that you're getting a fair price from fuel distributors.

I recommend: OPIS provides a range of newsletters and daily pricing updates so you can know the trends in fuel pricing. Explore a trial version of the OPIS Rack Report or get wholesale fuel rack prices delivered to your email. If you want to keep up minute-by-minute, try out the OPIS Spot Ticker.

Find wholesale gasoline distributors online

Look for a fuel distributor online who covers your region. Many gasoline distributors are regional, meaning that they cover a three to five state area. However, some nationwide companies can meet your wholesale gasoline and diesel needs no matter where you live in the country.

I recommend: Petroleum Traders Corporation serves government agencies and private industries throughout the US. With a range of pricing structures, you can buy gasoline and diesel in the way that best fits your business. Get a quote from them by completing their Response Form, and fill out the Credit Application Form if you want to start doing business. Also check out Mansfield Oil Company, a provider of private label gasoline.

Locate oil distributors to serve your fleet needs

In addition to fuel, your fleet needs oil to keep running. Take care of those oil needs with wholesale oil distributors.

I recommend: Santies Wholesale Oil Company can provide you with lubricants and oils of all sorts, and they offer delivery services as well. Contact them to order, or for a quote. Kelso Oil Company is also a provider of gasoline by pick-up or delivery.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider hedging, or purchasing gasoline futures in an attempt to lock in specific prices for delivery on a specific date in the future. But be forewarned: Do your research, or you'll risk paying extra for wholesale fuel when you engage in hedging.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Collect information about oil and gas wholesale distribution

Use online sources to locate a general information about wholesale fuel distribution. Your staff can learn how wholesale distribution works as well as the key forces on the market. Use that information to plan your fuel options and to select a wholesaler.

I recommend: Make the First Research a stop on your quest for information about locating wholesale fuel distributors. Your team will find a wealth of information about the industry and market. Use BizMiner for familiarize your staff with trends and market forces in oil and gas wholesale distribution.

Keep tabs on wholesale gas prices

To get the most for your company's wholesale gas dollar, you need to know something about pricing. Have your staff find independent sources of information about price influences as well as for current price information. Use the data when you negotiate with your firm's fuel distributor.

I recommend: Take the primer offered by the Energy Information Administration. It shows the key components of fuel prices and what affects them. You can download a printer-friendly version for future reference. To complete your team's education about fuel prices, use the search function at Oil Gas Prices to access the most recent news about fuel pricing.

Gather info from a wholesale fuel supplier

Get a glimpse of the economics (and the best deal) by establishing a business relationship with a reputable fuel distributor. The keys to the relationship from your company's end are fair pricing and guaranteed supplies. Discuss specifics with several potential partners for find the one best suited for your needs.

I recommend: Widespread locations or massive oil and gas needs? Contact Caltex, a global fuel partnership between Texaco and Chevron. Use its fingerprint business solution template to tailor their services to your needs. Get guaranteed firm prices from Petroleum Traders, the largest wholesaler of gas and diesel fuels in the U.S.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If your business uses alternative fuels such as propane, check with organizations like the National Propane Council for fuel distributors that offer that commodity at wholesale prices.

Guide to Oil and Gas Wholesale Distribution Key Terms

Sound like a pro discussing oil and gas wholesale distribution key terms

By Kim Hill, Owner, Karsun Designs

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Combustion engines

A combustion engine is an engine in which the ignition occurs with an oxidizer in a chamber. This turns pistons or turbine blades in the engine to make it work.

I recommend: NASA has a handy guide showcasing the combustion engine.

Propane

Propane is another form of fuel; it is an alkane that can be made into a transportable liquid. It is normally used in propane tanks for grills and is derived from other fuel products.

I recommend: The National Propane Gas Association has a page that explains propane and how it is used.

Diesel fuel

Diesel fuel is another form of gasoline used in certain types of vehicles, usually trucks. It is made with crude oil and has a heavy mineral oil, in which hydrocarbons make up the highest content.

I recommend: How Stuff Works shows the differences between diesel, gasoline and kerosene.

Alternative fuels

Alternative fuels are not your normal fuel such as gasoline. These are fuels found by other means, such as the production of natural fuels and methanol.

I recommend: The Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center has a list of all alternative fuels and how they are created.

Energy Information Administration

The Energy Information Administration supplies data on a variety of items such as energy production, demand of fuel, stocks, prices of fuel, imports and exports, and compiles them all into a data and analysis format.

I recommend: The Energy Information Administration has an informative site explaining what they do.

The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership

The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) is an enterprise of certain countries that believe in the expansion of nuclear energy for solidarity purposes worldwide.

I recommend: Global Nuclear Energy Partnership explains how the global fuel partnership works.