First look: your tank inventory, throughput, and scheduling habits

• How many active tanks do you operate or contract at this hub? Options: 1-5, 6-20, 21-50, 51+
• Tell me about the mix of product grades you handle and which ones require heated storage Options: Crude oil, Gasoline, Diesel, Jet fuel, Naphtha, Chemicals, Other
• Walk me through a typical weekly receipt and delivery schedule, including any regular windows and busiest days
• Describe your current process for booking inbound receipts and outbound loads, noting any manual steps Options: Fully manual, Partially manual, Digital scheduling tool, ERP integrated, Phone and email workflows, Other
• Who usually approves an ad hoc schedule change and how quickly do they typically respond? Options: Operations manager, Terminal scheduler, Trading desk, Logistics manager, Plant manager, Other

When schedules slip: the immediate costs and frustrations

• When a scheduled receipt or load slips, what is the first tangible cost or operational pain you see downstream? Options: Demurrage, Missed market window, Reblending, Storage overflow, Operational delays, Regulatory fines, Other
• How often do schedule slips translate into demurrage, missed market windows, or reblending needs in a typical quarter? Options: Almost every month, Once a quarter, A few times a year, Rarely
• Who on your team feels the pressure first when congestion happens, and what do they need to resolve it? Options: Scheduler, Operations supervisor, Trader, Cargo planner, Accounting, Logistics coordinator
• Where do manual handoffs between operations, scheduling, and accounting create the most errors? Options: Scheduling to operations, Operations to accounting, Scheduling to trading desk, Field to control room, Other
• Tell me about the last congestion event that cost you a trading opportunity or caused a missed shipment, what happened and why did it stick with you?

Measurement matters: custody-transfer accuracy and reconciliation

• If a custody-transfer discrepancy exceeded your tolerance during cutover, how large would it need to be and who would refuse to accept the transition? Options: <0.5%, 0.5-1%, 1-2%, 2%+
• Describe the instruments you rely on for custody transfer at this site, including tank gauging methods and meter types Options: Tank gauging (manual), Automatic tank gauging (ATG), Ultrasonic meters, Coriolis meters, Turbine meters, Load cell, Manual gauging, Other
• Which measurement standards or reference methods must be used for commercial transfers at your sites? Options: API tables, ASTM methods, Custody-transfer meter standards, Local regulatory standard, Company SOPs
• Which role is formally responsible for signing off on measurement calibration and reconciliation, and how quickly can they approve a re-calibration? Options: Measurement engineer, Operations manager, Quality assurance, Trading lead, Third-party surveyor, Other
• Is there an existing tolerance band for volume and quality during custody transfer that your trading or accounting teams would reject? Options: Yes, clearly defined, Partially defined, No formal tolerance, Unknown

Integration and data readiness, the technical gate

• Name the integration dependency that, if unavailable, would prevent you from starting the project Options: ERP access, Pipeline SCADA, Loading rack controller, Weighbridge system, Field meters and gauges, No blockers
• Do you currently have API access to pipeline SCADA, loading systems, and ERP, or are those connections restricted or proprietary? Options: Full API access, Limited API with gateway, No API, proprietary protocol, Manual extracts only, Unknown
• Identify the team that maintains field instrumentation protocols and can grant access to meters and gauges Options: Internal maintenance/SCADA team, Third-party contractor, Meter vendor support, No dedicated team
• Are your current data logs continuous and timestamped, or do you rely on periodic manual entries? Options: Continuous timestamped logs, Periodic automated logs, Manual entries only, Mixed automated and manual
• How many dedicated IT or OT staff can be assigned to support integrations during cutover? Options: 0, 1-2, 3-5, 6+

Safety, regulation, and site access that set the calendar

• What approvals, permits, or regulatory reviews could delay a cutover beyond 12 weeks? Options: Environmental permit, Local regulator sign-off, Operational safety clearance, Port authority approval, Land/ownership access, No approvals needed, Other
• How long does it typically take to get site access and lock out tag out clearances for vendor work at your terminals? Options: 1-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks, 1-2 months, More than 2 months
• Are any third-party safety audits or environmental reviews required before we connect to custody-transfer points? Options: Yes, always, Sometimes depending on scope, No, Unknown
• List any hazardous area classifications or intrinsically safe requirements that affect instrumentation choices Options: Zone 0, Zone 1, Zone 2, Non-hazardous, Unknown
• What single regulatory gap would force you to pause work until resolved?

The other options on the table

• Name the other vendors or internal teams you are seriously considering for this work, and why Options: Incumbent terminal operator, Another multi-modal terminal vendor, Internal build by IT/Operations, Regional aggregator, Systems integrator, Other
• Identify the incumbent option and the specific conditions that would have to change for you to keep it Options: Cost, Timeline, Data access, Existing integrations, Trusted relationship, No change needed
• Has anyone on your team proposed solving this with an internal build instead of an external partner, and what trade-offs did they highlight? Options: Yes, active proposal, Yes, discussed informally, No internal proposal, Unknown
• Under what measurable condition would you decide to stay with your current mix of tools rather than move to an external platform? Options: Cost parity, Faster timeline, No integration effort, Data ownership, Other
• List the internal decision criteria that would make an internal build preferable, including budget, timeline, and headcount Options: Budget available, Headcount capacity, Lower total cost, Faster timeline, Regulatory control, Other

Terms, acceptance criteria, and the deal brakes

• If the pilot proves measurement within your tolerance, what would still stop you from signing that week?
• Point to the contractual term that has caused the most friction in prior negotiations and why it matters to your legal or trading teams Options: Liability cap, Data access, Service credits, Audit rights, Termination terms, Other
• Walk me through who must sign acceptance and the specific reconciliation milestone they require
• When you consider cutover liability, which single exposure would make your risk team veto the project? Options: Loss of product, Accounting discrepancy, Environmental liability, Safety incident, Data breach, Other
• Rate how constraining your current procurement timeline is, on a scale from 1 very flexible to 5 locked to a specific date Options: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Specify any insurance, indemnity, or reporting terms that are non-negotiable for your finance team Options: Professional indemnity, Public liability, Environmental liability, Cyber insurance, No non-negotiables, Other

Pilot success definition and timeline triggers

• Point to the single pilot metric that would make you sign within seven days of completion Options: Measurement reconciliation within tolerance, Scheduling throughput match, Zero safety incidents, ERP integration verified, Operator acceptance signoff, Other
• How soon after pilot completion could your accounting team close any outstanding reconciliations? Options: Within 48 hours, Within 1 week, Within 2-4 weeks, Longer than 4 weeks
• Explain the acceptance data package you need from the pilot so auditors, trading, and accounting can approve final cutover
• Assign the owner role for post-go-live monitoring and recurring reconciliation Options: Operations supervisor, Measurement engineer, Trading desk lead, Shared responsibility, Third-party service
• In calendar weeks, what is your target window for full cutover after pilot success? Options: 0-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 8+ weeks

Practical next steps and immediate information we need

• Call out the single missing item that would block kickoff in the next two weeks
• Estimate the number of on-site days you will allow for vendor technicians during a standard cutover week Options: 0, 1-5, 6-10, 10+
• Do you have a preferred time window for calibration runs and parallel operation that minimizes business impact? Options: Night shifts, Weekend windows, Weekdays during low throughput, Any time with notice, No preference
• Provide the contact role for the control room or field staff who grant equipment access and coordinate safety briefings Options: Control room supervisor, Field operations lead, Maintenance foreman, Site safety officer, Regional operations manager, Other
• Report any blackout dates, peak windows, or seasonal risks we must avoid during cutover

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• Integrate Tank Gauging and Temperature Telemetry
• Calibrate and Certify Custody Transfer Meters
• Provide Custody Meter Maintenance and Verification
• Deploy Electronic Custody Transfer Documentation
• Provide Real‑time Inventory Tracking and Reconciliation
• Integrate with Pipeline SCADA and Interconnections
• Integrate with Truck, Rail, and Marine Loading Systems
• Operate Multi‑grade Blending Manifold and Blending Services
• Implement Blending Optimization in the Platform
• Provide Heated Storage Conditioning and Tank Heating
• Generate Regulatory Compliance Reporting Packages
• Integrate Platform with ERP and Billing Systems
• Train Terminal Operators and Support Parallel Operation

Integrate Tank Gauging and Temperature Telemetry

• List the tank IDs and tank types (fixed roof, floating roof, heated) to be connected for live sounding and temperature telemetry
• Do you already have gauge transmitters with Modbus/4-20mA outputs or will the installation require new sensor mounts and transmitters? Options: Existing transmitters with Modbus/4-20mA, New transmitters required, Mixed (some existing, some new)
• Which SCADA point tags or sensor registers (by tag name or register address) must the platform ingest for each tank sounding and temperature probe
• How many sounding points per tank (e.g., ullage gauge + 2 temperature probes) should be captured in the telemetry stream Options: 1, 2-3, 4+
• Specify the required telemetry polling interval for tank level and temperature (seconds/minutes) and the acceptable data latency for dashboard updates Options: 15 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, Custom

Calibrate and Certify Custody Transfer Meters

• Which custody transfer meters (meter IDs, manufacturer and model) require on-site calibration and certification as part of this engagement
• Provide the meter run test records you already have (run sheets, prover certificates) and indicate which runs we must reproduce for certification
• Which calibration standard must be followed for custody transfer certification (for example API Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards (MPMS) procedures, or a local regulator specification)? Options: API MPMS, Local regulator standard, Customer-specified procedure
• Which acceptance threshold will confirm a successful custody meter certification (for example meter error within ±0.25% over a 10-run prover test) Options: ±0.25% over 10-run prover, ±0.5% over 5-run prover, Customer to define
• Who is the authorized signatory for meter certification certificates and which document format do you require (PDF test certificate, signed hard copy) Options: Authorized signer will be provided, Electronic PDF acceptable, Signed hard copy required

Provide Custody Meter Maintenance and Verification

• How many custody meters are on a routine maintenance cadence and what is the current maintenance interval (days/months) per meter Options: Monthly, Quarterly, Biannual, Annual, Custom
• Describe the existing meter verification workflow including who performs prover runs, how run sheets are stored, and how exceptions are handled
• Do you require ongoing preventative maintenance tasks (filter changes, electronics checks) to be tracked in the platform with work-order generation? Options: Yes, No
• Are spare parts and calibration gases considered part of scope or will you supply them from your maintenance stores? Options: We supply parts and gases, Include parts and gases in scope, Mixed arrangement
• Who will be the meter owner for maintenance scheduling and which contact (name/email) receives maintenance alerts from the platform

Deploy Electronic Custody Transfer Documentation

• Which existing paper custody documents or run sheets must be transformed into electronic templates (delivery ticket, bill of lading, meter run sheet) Options: Delivery ticket, Meter run sheet, Bill of lading, All of the above
• Do your counterparties require documents to be signed and exchanged by a specific channel (email PDF, SFTP, EDI) for custody transfer acceptance Options: Email PDF, SFTP file drop, EDI, Portal upload
• Which data fields from the custody run (meter ID, prover ID, start/end volumes, temperature, density) must appear on the electronic custody ticket
• How long do you require electronic custody documents to be retained and archived in the platform for audit (months/years) Options: 1 year, 3 years, 7 years, Custom
• Describe your current custody-acceptance workflow for counterparties (manual sign-off, email approval, EDI confirmation) so we can map electronic flows

Provide Real‑time Inventory Tracking and Reconciliation

• Which inventory sources must be reconciled daily (tank sounding telemetry, meter receipts/deliveries, manual gauging) and how are they currently labeled in your records Options: Telemetry, Meter records, Manual gauging, All listed sources
• Which reconciliation thresholds do you require for automated alerts (for example daily variance >0.5% triggers investigation) Options: Daily variance >0.5%, Daily variance >1.0%, Custom threshold
• How frequently do you require inventory position snapshots for trading and planning (real-time dashboard, hourly, end-of-day) Options: Real-time, Hourly, End-of-day
• Do you need the platform to calculate temperature and pressure corrections to standard volume using a specific density table or ASTM/API reference Options: API/ASTM correction tables, Customer-supplied density table, No correction required
• Who will own daily reconciliation sign-off and which evidence (run sheets, telemetry logs) must be attached to close an exception

Integrate with Pipeline SCADA and Interconnections

• Which pipeline interconnection points and SCADA tags (by tag name or point ID) must be integrated for throughput and pressure telemetry
• Which communications protocol does the pipeline SCADA use at each interconnect (OPC UA, Modbus TCP, DNP3, REST API, SFTP) Options: OPC UA, Modbus TCP, DNP3, REST API, SFTP
• Do you require flow imbalance alarms and pipeline nomination visibility in the platform for each interconnect Options: Yes, No
• Describe any third-party operator gating or firewall requirements at the pipeline interface that would affect on-site protocol adapters
• Which nominal throughput rates (bbl/day) and pressure ranges should be modeled for each pipeline interconnect in scheduling templates

Integrate with Truck, Rail, and Marine Loading Systems

• Which loading systems must be integrated (truck loading rack PLC, rail car loadout system, marine terminal loading control) and provide the system vendor or protocol if known
• Do loading systems expose an API, OPC, or SFTP ticketing interface for schedule confirmation and POD exchange Options: REST API, OPC/OPC UA, SFTP file drop, None / manual only
• How many loading lanes/platforms by mode (truck lanes, rail tracks, berths) must the platform model for scheduling and capacity planning
• Are there loading-rate constraints we must encode (max GPM per lane, tank backpressure limits) for automated schedule conflict checking Options: Yes, provide constraints, No
• Which POD (proof of delivery) artifacts do your customers require after loading (signed delivery ticket, loading meter run sheet, LAB certificate) Options: Signed delivery ticket, Meter run sheet, Lab certificate, Other

Operate Multi‑grade Blending Manifold and Blending Services

• Which blending manifold lines and grade connections are available (list valves/manifolds by ID) and how many simultaneous grades must be supported
• Do you require the operator service to run physical blend operations or only platform orchestration of blending recipes Options: Operator-run physical blends, Platform orchestration only, Both
• Which lab or sampling procedure do you follow for post-blend verification (ASTM method reference or internal SOP)
• How are source component stocks for blends identified (tank IDs with API gravity/density) and should we enforce component compatibility rules in the platform Options: Yes enforce compatibility, No
• What maximum number of blend recipes should the manifold support concurrently and which lead time is required to prepare a new recipe Options: Up to 6, 7-12, 12+

Implement Blending Optimization in the Platform

• Which objective should the optimizer prioritize (minimize cost of feedstock, maximize margin, meet spec with minimal throughput disruption) Options: Minimize cost, Maximize margin, Meet spec with stability, Custom
• Provide the allowable spec ranges for target grades (cetane/RON, sulfur, viscosity, density) so the optimizer can validate blends
• Which component pricing inputs and update cadence (spot price, contract price, weekly index) must feed the blending optimizer Options: Spot prices, Contract prices, Weekly index, Other
• Do you require the optimizer to produce a recommended blend recipe and a tradable summary (component volumes, expected margin) for trader review Options: Yes, No
• Who owns final sign-off for an optimized blend before execution and which controls (temperature limits, tank availability) must block automatic execution

Provide Heated Storage Conditioning and Tank Heating

• Which tanks require heated storage and what heating method is installed (hot oil coils, steam coils, electric tracing) Options: Hot oil coils, Steam coils, Electric tracing, None
• What minimum temperature band must be maintained for the product in each heated tank (target °C/°F) and acceptable fluctuation band
• Do you require remote monitoring and control of tank heating setpoints via the platform (setpoint change history and alarms) Options: Yes, No
• Are heating system control protocols available for integration (Modbus, BACnet, proprietary PLC) and provide the control interface if known
• Who will maintain heating equipment (internal maintenance team or contracted third party) and should maintenance tasks be scheduled in the platform Options: Internal team, Contractor, Schedule in platform

Generate Regulatory Compliance Reporting Packages

• Which regulatory regimes and report types must be produced (environmental emissions reports, custody transfer audit packs, hazardous materials logs) and name the regulator filing IDs if applicable
• What reporting cadence is required for each package (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly) and the acceptable submission formats (CSV, PDF, XML) Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, PDF, CSV, XML
• Do regulators require signed custody transfer evidence or physical seals that must be represented in the compliance package Options: Yes, signed evidence required, No signed evidence required
• Which historical retention period do your regulators require for custody and inventory records (years) so archive policies can be configured Options: 1 year, 3 years, 7 years, Custom
• Identify any third-party reporting endpoints (regulatory portal URL, SFTP drop) or required submission schemas for automated filing

Integrate Platform with ERP and Billing Systems

• Which ERP or billing system endpoints must be integrated and what interface types are available (REST API, SOAP, SFTP, flat-file drop) Options: REST API, SOAP, SFTP, Flat-file
• Which invoice and billing fields must be exported from the platform to the ERP (contract ID, movement volumes, price, product code, tax fields)
• Do you require automated accruals and settlement runs for custody transfers and at which frequency (daily, weekly, monthly) Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, No accruals
• How many counterparty billing mappings (customer codes, GL accounts) need to be configured for go-live Options: 1-10, 11-50, 50+
• Are historical billing records required to be migrated into the ERP from prior systems for reconciliation at cutover Options: Yes, full historical migration, Partial migration (last 12 months), No migration required

• Subscription Agreement
• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
• Acceptance Criteria Attachment
• Liability & Indemnity Schedule
• Cutover Governance Agreement
• Data Access & API Access Agreement
• Change Order Agreement
• Regulatory Compliance Rider (conditional)

• Go-live Health Check (week 1-4)
• First Measurement Review and Incumbent Wind-down (weeks 4-10)
• 90-day Realization Review (around day 90)
• Quarterly Operational Review

• Confirm maintenance and calibration bookings and publish operator training refresh slots.
• Publish the measurement data extracts and reconciliation logs requested for the 90-day realization review.
• Outcomes versus Solution Scope targets
• Document the degree to which inventory accuracy and custody-transfer reconciliation meet Solution Scope targets and capture any residual gaps.
• Set a durable calibration and reconciliation control plan that prevents recurrence of measurement drift.
• Produce a prioritized backlog with delivery windows for the top operational defects and enhancements.
• Implement the agreed calibration cadence and publish the schedule and expected validation artifacts.
• Close or escalate high-severity reconciliation discrepancies and record resolution evidence in the shared channel.
• Publish the prioritized enhancement backlog with target delivery windows and acceptance checks.
• KPI dashboard and trend review
• Ensure integration uptime and measurement discrepancy counts remain within agreed operational bounds.
• Agree a prioritized set of enhancements for the next release and record their target delivery windows.
• Confirm the upcoming maintenance and calibration schedule and any impact to operations.
• Publish the quarterly KPI report and update the shared dashboard with any corrected data or annotations.
• Move prioritized enhancement requests into the release schedule and publish expected delivery dates.
• Re-confirm success criteria and owner roster
• All critical deployment checkpoints verified and any gaps logged with named owners and target dates.
• Shared channel populated with prioritized issues and a short remediation plan for the next 30 days.
• Confirm test windows and access for calibration runs required before the first measurement review.
• Publish the deployment validation checklist and owner roster in the shared channel.
• Schedule required instrumentation calibration windows and reserve test slots with terminal operations.
• Log all open incidents into the shared issues tracker and tag severity and target resolution dates.
• Present first measurement data versus Solution Scope targets
• Determine whether custody-transfer reconciliation variance and schedule on-time fulfillment rate are trending toward Solution Scope targets and document gaps.
• Verify incumbent system is properly decommissioned or retained read-only and that no team members are using it for live operations.
• Agree a remediation plan with named owners and completion dates to address the top 3 measured gaps.
• Archive and confirm migration completeness of legacy system data, or document the read-only retention configuration.
• Execute prioritized corrective actions for instrumentation or configuration issues and record calibration runs performed.
• Detailed review on persistent gaps
• Deployment and migration validation
• Enhancement request triage in the shared channel
• Root-cause diagnosis for any gaps
• Incumbent system wind-down verification
• Early adoption signals and usage patterns
• Calibration, measurement drift, and reconciliation controls
• Scheduled maintenance, calibration, and training refresh
• Risk and incident review
• Enhancement and defect backlog review
• Remediation plan and timeline to steady-state
• Blockers, defects, and open issues
• Confirm next checkpoint and required evidence
• Immediate remediation actions
• Agree long-term operational routines