KARACHI: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has mandated that oil marketing companies (OMCs) strictly comply with updated safety and branding standards for tank lorries transporting petroleum products throughout Pakistan.
In a circular, OGRA outlined specific safety, color, and branding guidelines, requiring tank lorries to display the OMC’s designated color scheme, logo, and brand, and to be equipped with tracker devices for enhanced monitoring. The directive follows OGRA’s observation that some OMCs were not fully adhering to branding protocols, which are essential for ensuring uniformity and physical reporting compliance.
OMCs are now required to ensure that their tank lorries are exclusively used for their operations and clearly distinguishable by their specific branding. Non-compliance may lead OGRA to disallow transportation claims. However, multinational OMCs with security concerns are permitted to use alternative color schemes, provided they notify OGRA.
OGRA also published a list of authorized tank lorries on its website, advising depot hosts to verify that tankers transporting an OMC’s products are officially associated with that company. In Pakistan, where 69% of oil movement relies on road transport, approximately 14,000-16,000 oil tankers, with capacities of 10 to 30 metric tonnes, ensure petroleum supply to fuel stations, supported by limited pipeline and rail options due to infrastructure constraints.
This updated directive aims to enhance safety, efficiency, and visibility within Pakistan’s critical petroleum transport network.
Story by Tanveer Malik
