Assessing the operations of the bulk oil storage and transportation company limited in petroleum products delivery to northern Ghana

Type Thesis or Dissertation - Master of Science
Title Assessing the operations of the bulk oil storage and transportation company limited in petroleum products delivery to northern Ghana
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2011
Abstract
The government of Ghana realising the importance of petroleum products, established the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) in 1961 in order to process crude oil into finished products for the Ghanaian market. Also knowing that the growing demand for petroleum products throughout the country was posing distribution challenges in the midst of a poor road network system, it established the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) with depots across the country. The depots in northern Ghana are located in Buipe and Bolgatanga to store petroleum products not only for strategic reasons but also to serve the people there. Buipe lies close to the Black Volta River, and was strategically chosen to enable cost effective Lake Transportation of petroleum products to northern Ghana. But the use of road transport to convey products to the north continues while the area occasionally experience shortages of petroleum products. The study adopted the case study method to find out the factors that hinder the smooth operations of BOST, Buipe, in the delivery of petroleum products to northern Ghana. The targeted units of analysis were BOST, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the Tamale Metropolis and Tanker drivers who lift products at the depot. The study revealed that BOST, Buipe, has enough physical storage capacity. The major causes of products shortages in the north included shortages of products at the depot, breakdown of tankers, upfront payment for products by OMCs, and periods of change of government. Recommendations such as full utilization of the storage capacity of the depot, strategically using Lake Transportation and transparency in contracts for the supply of crude or finished products have been made. These are meant to improve the operations of BOST, Buipe, in the delivery of petroleum products to northern Ghana in an effort to boost agricultural production and trade, alleviate poverty and better the living standards of the people.

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