THE LOGISTIC CHAIN OF PETROLEUM EXPORTS

LA CADENA LOGSTICA DE LAS EXPORTACIONES DE

PETRLEO

A CADEIA LOGSTICA DE EXPORTAES PETROLFERAS

German Ramiro Barajas Mesa1
Ariel Fernando Martnez Betancur 2
Fanny Johanna Salamanca Hernndez3
John Henry Snchez Amado4
Received: November 23rd, 2017 Heimer Andersson Santos Amado 5

Abstract
Logistical planning in land transportation by road, oil pipelines or petroleum
products pipelines, has the need to be specific regarding safety, time, cargo
handling, reliability and flexibility; in three levels: strategic, tactical, operational.

In 2011, 14 million tons were mobilized, in 2013 131.5 million tons.

Keywords: cargo, oil, transportation, pipeline, logistics chain, costs, hydrocarbons,

storage, silos.

Resumen
La planeacin logstica en el transporte terrestre por carretera, oleoductos o
poliductos de material petrolero, tiene la necesidad de ser especfica respecto a
seguridad, tiempos, manejo de carga, confiabilidad y flexibilidad; en tres niveles:
estratgico, tctico, operativo.

En el 2011 se movilizaron 14 millones de toneladas, en el 2013 131,5 millones de

toneladas.

1
Undergrad student of Roads and Transportation Engineering, Pedagogical and Technological University of
Colombia (Tunja, Colombia.) ramiro.barajas@uptc.edu.co
2
Undergrad student of Roads and Transportation Engineering, Pedagogical and Technological University of
Colombia (Tunja, Colombia.) ariel.martinez@uptc.edu.co
3
Undergrad student of Roads and Transportation Engineering, Pedagogical and Technological University of
Colombia (Tunja, Colombia.) cindy.acua@uptc.edu.co
4
Undergrad student of Roads and Transportation Engineering, Pedagogical and Technological University of
Colombia (Tunja, Colombia.) fanny.salamanca@uptc.edu.co
5
Undergrad student of Roads and Transportation Engineering, Pedagogical and Technological University of
Colombia (Tunja, Colombia.) heimer.santos@uptc.edu.co
Palabras clave: carga, petrleo, transporte, oleoducto, cadena logstica, costos,
hidrocarburos, almacenamiento, silos.

Resumo
O planejamento logstico no transporte terrestre por via rodoviria, oleodutos ou
oleodutos de produtos petrolferos, precisa ser especfico em termos de
segurana, tempo, manuseio de carga, confiabilidade e flexibilidade; em trs
nveis: estratgico, ttico, operacional.

Em 2011, foram mobilizadas 14 milhes de toneladas, em 2013, 131,5 milhes de

toneladas

Palavras-chave: carga, petrleo, transporte, encanamento, cadeia logstica,

custos, hidrocarbonetos, armazenamento, silos.

INTRODUCTION exploitation of wells that carry oil raw or

natural gas to the surface.
The logistics chain in the hydrocarbon
sector corresponds to the set of Seismic Exploration:
economic activities related to the Process by which waves of energy
exploration, production, transportation, cross the layers of rock, are returned to
refining or processing and the surface and reach special
commercialization of non-renewable equipment called geophones, which
natural resources known as receive the information and transmit it
hydrocarbons (organic material to a computer.
composed mainly of hydrogen and The final product obtained from the
carbon), said set It is also made up of seismic exploration is a representative
the regulation and administration of image of the layers below the earth.
these activities. (ANH)
The Value Chain of hydrocarbons,
consists of two large areas: upstream Perforatory Exploration:
and downstream. It consists of drilling wells, whose
purpose is to reach the rock layer
where hydrocarbons (oil and gas) could
Logistic chain possibly accumulate. This stage usually
starts after the seismic study
A. Upstream information is obtained. (ANH)

Known as exploration and production Production:

(E & P) this sector includes the search It is the process by which hydrocarbons
tasks of potential deposits of crude oil (oil and gas) are extracted from the
and natural gas, both underground and
submarine, the drilling of exploratory
wells, and later the drilling and

UPSTREAM
rock layer to the surface. Two
mechanisms are used to extract the
hydrocarbons: through valves called
the Christmas tree (when the
hydrocarbons flow to the surface on
their own) and through a machine
called the Rocker (when it needs help
to get to the surface.) (ANH).
B. Downstream
It commonly refers to the refining of
crude oil and the processing and
purification of natural gas, as well as
the commercialization and distribution
of products derived from crude oil and
natural gas.
Refinement:
The refining consists in transforming
the oil by subjecting it to high
temperatures, which reach 400 degrees
Celsius, to obtain derivative products.
Process through which a great variety
of derivative products is transformed,
mainly, fuels (ACPM and gasoline) and
petrochemicals (petrolatum, brushes,
tires, plastics).
Transport:
It consists of transporting them from the
mouth of the well to the storage and
processing sites, such as
DOWNSTREAM
Pumping stations, refineries and
marketing centers (ports). The
hydrocarbons are transported through
pipelines (oil), gas pipelines (gas),
tanker trucks (oil) and ships (oil).
Commercialization:
In this link all commercial activities are
carried out, to place the products at the
disposal of the users. Normally
wholesale distributors or retailers are
used.
C. International situation
Storage
Stock or storage of oil and its
derivatives play an important role in the
oil market and particularly its prices, oil
companies are required to have at all
times a number of products that ensure
consumption of the domestic market for
a minimum period of time .
Oil prices
The price of oil is affected by political,
economic, infrastructure and even
climatological events, has experienced
sharp and unexpected changes that
have impacted the economy and the
international financial markets.

Oil reserves in the world
Consumption of oil in the world
World oil demand is growing stronger
than expected due to the rapid
expansion of global economic activity in
China and the United States. The
United States remains the world's
leading oil consumer with around 20.3
million barrels day, a figure that
represents 31% of the total.
Main producers and exporters in the world
D. Colombian situation
The panorama at national level is
different with respect to the logistic
chain of petroleum export, in this
second part the process is explained a
little more in detail from the exploration
until its export.
At the end of 2012, exports at the end
of 2012 reached a total of 622
thousand barrels per day, or 4.1% more
than in 2011 when it reached 598
thousand barrels per day. The crude oil
mix grew by 62.2 percentage points in
relation to the mix in 2000, and on
average during the period, the growth
rate reached 3.3%, with 2004 standing
out as the year of lowest crude oil
exports. The qualities of crude oil that
are offered in the international market
are diverse and their price is
proportional to this characteristic.
However, heavy crudes are opening
spaces, due to the conversion capacity
of refineries to obtain the highest crude
yields every day heavier, but with a
lower price.
Oil imports and exports
At the end of the century, Colombia
exported crude oils of excellent quality,
such as Cusiana, Cupiagua and Cao
Limn, today it is taken to the external
market, oils such as Castilla Blend,
Magdalena Blend and Vasconia, which,
like Castilla, are heavy crude that after
mixing with diluent reaches 18.8 API,
not acidic, but sour, that is to say with a
certain sulfur content and high viscosity.
64% of each barrel of this crude can be
converted into white products.
The other crude exported is the
Magdalena Blend, which is
characterized by being heavy, but less
than Castilla Blend with 20.4 API after
diluted. It is also less sour, since it has
1.6% sulfur, but it is more viscous. In
addition, it is acid (TAN of 2.5), so to be
processed requires a refinery with high
metallurgy, anti-corrosion. In spite of its
acidity, it has a letter of presentation
that has served to quickly take a place
in the market for its ability to produce
more white products than Castilla:
76.4%.
The crude Vasconia Blend is the
lightest variety of the Colombian export
crude, technically it is a raw
intermediate acid (medium sour) with
24.3 API. It is less bitter than Castilla
Blend and Magdalena Blend (1.03%
sulfur). Its viscosity does not exceed 40
centistokes. Unlike Magdalena Blend,
this is a very low acid crude (TAN of
0.2).
At the beginning of this century,
Ecopetrol imported crude oil in low
quantities to improve the diet of crude
oil charged to the refineries, imports
that went down steadily until 2009,
suspended for the next two years and
again activated in 2012, when it returns
to the external market for the
acquisition of crude oil of different
quality in order to optimize the
production of fuels and adapt the
refining scheme to diesel production,
see graph 1.
Considering that imports were
marginal, the trade balance of crude oil
increased in 2012 by 3.79%, its
surpluses compared to the value
reached in 2011 and in volume
represented an increase of 24.6
thousand barrels per day.
Oil exports evolution
The behavior of Colombian oil prices
is linked to the behavior of the prices of
the main international markets, which in
recent years have maintained high
prices, the spot price of WTI crude
considered the most representative
market price in the Western
Hemisphere averaged US $ 94.11 per
barrel and the price of Brent crude oil
averaged US $ 111.6 per barrel during
2012, with a differential that approached
US $ 15.4 / barrel, as shown in graph 2.
During the In 2012, sales abroad of the
Vasconia and Magdalena crude oil
grew, offsetting the lower exports of
Castilla crude, South Blend. The price
of Castilla was supported by the
demand maintained by the Asian
refiners, while in the price of the South
Blend, better price levels were
observed, as indicated by Ecopetrol.
The growth rate in the income of
resources grew on average during the
six years 39% and compared to 2011 it
did to 13%. Alluding to volumes, the
average growth rate in the period was
22% and compared to 2011 it increased
10%, which shows the importance of
the sector in Colombian public finances, The destination countries are the United
remembering that this information only States, Colombia's main trading partner,
considers crude oil; Later, the followed by China, Spain, the
corresponding to exports of its Netherlands, Chile, India and some
derivatives will be analyzed. Between countries of Central America,
2006 and 2012, imports have grown significantly diversifying geographical
484% in terms of revenue, while in and trade areas, even when the
volume terms they increased 224% in American continent maintains the
the same period, from 11,460 to 37,147 largest share of product purchases. The
metric tons, ending in 2012. It is image taken from the Ecopetrol oil letter
estimated that this behavior will be magazine, indicates the main
maintained in the coming years, taking geographic centers of destination of
into account the Colombian geological Colombian crude exports.
prospectivity and the international oil
prices according to the United States Export destinations of Ecopetrol
Department of Energy, in addition to the
contractual plans that are coming as a
result of the contracts signed products
of the different rounds carried out by
ANH . It is logical that with a constant
refining capacity until the projects of the
Cartagena and Barrancabermeja
Refineries come into operation, these
production growths become a high
proportion in exports. The main crude
exported total and those imported by It is evident that the main exporter of
Ecopetrol are presented in table 1. crude is Ecopetrol since it still
maintained the "monopoly" of this
company in relation to the ownership of
the reserves and association contracts
that still remain. In addition, other
companies such as: Homcol Inc.,
Lasmo Oil, Louisiana Land &
Exploration, Nomeco, Perenco (Kelt),
Tepma, Sipetrol Pacific and Triton, also
exported in 2012 although in low
volumes.
Table 1. Commercial oil balance
 Figure 2 shows the distribution of
exports by country of destination for the
year 2012. During this year, as is the
case throughout the period, the United
States is the center of reception of
derivative products with 61% of the total
exported. to a significant decrease with
respect to 2001, followed by Spain and
China with 10% respectively, the latter
that has been increasing its acquisition
of Colombian products in an
accelerated manner.
The Netherlands represented
another important partner for Colombia
when it reached 8% of the total
exported products, as well as India,
which consumed 4% of the total of
crude and derived products exported
from our country. Of the Latin American
nations, only Chile emerges as an
important buyer with a share of 7% of
the total.
In the same way that foreign trade was
shown for crude oil, Table 2 shows in
detail the exports of products and the
import needs based on Ecopetrol data.
Foreign trade is analyzed for liquid fuels
derived from petroleum, grouped by
generic products, highlighting that the
data corresponding to petrochemical
products produced by Ecopetrol are not
included.
Main destination countries for oil and petroleum
exports
II. PORT LOGISTICS
Logistics is defined as the set of means
and methods necessary to carry out the
organization of a company, or a service,
especially distribution at the lowest cost
and in the shortest time.
TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION OF
HYDROCARBONS
Tanker: An oil tanker is a special
construction tanker, designed to
transport crude oil or petroleum
products.
Double-hulled tankers, to the detriment
of the older single-hull designs, are less
sensitive to damage and result in
crashes with other ships or
embarrassment.
The cargoes of an oil tanker are divided
into:
Heavy or dirty: crude, asphalt, fuel oil.
Light or clean: gasolines, diesel,
kerosene, etc.
If crude oil, fuel oil and generally high
viscosity products are transported,
tanks must be heated to give fluidity to
the cargo and facilitate unloading. The
filling and emptying is done through the
bottom. The ballasting was carried out
by filling the cargo tanks with water,
currently in the newly constructed ships
they carry separated ballast tanks.
CLASSIFICATION OF OIL VESSELS
Oil tankers are usually grouped
according to their transport capacity
and suitability for each traffic:
Shuttle Tanker (shuttles): These are
specialized ships that continuously
repeat the round trip, from the well
(offshore installation), to the refinery on
land where it unloads the crude for its
treatment. Its size is not excessively
large 80,000 to 200,000 TPM, but have
great maneuverability, dynamic
positioning and equipment to carry the
load of crude oil in the sea.
Coastal Tanker (Coastal): They are
vessels of up to 16,500 dwt used on
short trips.
General Purpose Tanker
(Multipurpose): They range from
16,500 to 25,000 TPM, they operate in
different traffics.
Handy Size Tanker: These are vessels
of 25,000 to 45,000 dwt, examples of
areas of operation are the Caribbean,
East Coast of the United States,
Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
PANAMAX: The largest oil tanker
which can travel through the Panama
Canal With tonnages between 55,000
and 80,000 TPM. Its name is due to the
fact that originally the dimensions of
these ships met the maximum allowed
for its transit through the Panama
Canal (274 meters in length, 32 meters
in beam and 13 meters in draft).
AFRAMAX: It is a ship size that uses
the Average Freight Rate Assessment
method to calculate the cost of
transportation. (70,000 to 120,000 DWT
or Tons of Deadweight) Your usual
traffic includes shipments between
ports located in areas such as the
Caribbean, the Mediterranean Sea or
the Persian Gulf.
SUEZMAX: The largest oil tanker that
can travel through the Suez Canal even
if it is loaded. (120,000 to 200,000 DWT
or Tons of Deadweight)
VERY LARGE CRUDE CARRIER
(VLCC): This is the size of a large oil
loader (200,000 to 325,000 DWT or
Tons of Deadweight) Panamax (60,000
to 70,000 DWT)
U.L.C.C. (Ultra Large Crude Carrier):
Are all those whose load capacity
exceeds 320,000 TPM. These
supertankers appear on the market in
the late '60s. Due to their large size
they are very limited to operate in
restricted waters.
III. CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Its important to highlight that the
economic effects of the oil prices
produce in oil importing and exporting
economies an increase in the exporting
level which brings to an evolution in the
countries income.
It can be established that a good
business practice in the oil production
and supply sector is to buy reserves in
foreign countries to increase the stock
of reserves from the companies that
intervene in the oil commercial
practices.
To minimize the restrictions that stop
the explorations to increase the
reserves in an efficient way, improving
the conditions of public order improving
the safety and a strategic control for the
citizens habitat.
Mejorar el seguimiento al cumplimiento petrolero en Colombia. Corporacin
de las obligaciones exploratorias y Universitaria Iberoamericana.
minimizar las prrrogas a los plazos de Lajous, a. (2014). Exportaciones de
dichas obligaciones y en ciertos casos, petrleo crudo de estados unidos a
se podran establecer alianzas Mxico. Red De Revistas Cientficas
estratgicas con compaas De Amrica Latina, El Caribe, Espaa
establecidas en el pas para agilizar Y Portugal.
proyectos exploratorios Foro general de la industria (argentina).
(2004). cadena de petrleo y el gas
Disear esquemas contractuales natural en la regin patagnica.
orientados a estimular el desarrollo de Calefate.
campos pequeos, teniendo en cuenta Unidad de planeacin minero
la participacin de la industria nacional. energtica. (2013). cadena de petrleo
2013. Bogot, Colombia. (2017).
Estimular una sociedad de industria La cadena logstica de exportacin de
petrolera nacional que est orientada a la papaya. Ecuador.
la explotacin de yacimientos que Unidad de planeacin minero
logren aumentar el nivel de reservas en energtica. (2004). la cadena del
el panorama nacional. petrleo en Colombia. Bogot.
Fierro Ulloa, i., & Villacre rojas, c.
Contribuir al mejoramiento de los (2014). Exportacin de banano
procesos de la industria nacional del ecuatoriano hacia estados
petrleo para que las empresas unidos. Universidad Espritu Santo.
extranjeras se interesen en la inversin Unidad de planeacin minero
de la industria nacional. energtica. (2013). cadena del
petrleo. Bogot: ministerio de minas y
energa.
REFERENCES LOS BUQUES PETROLEROS Y SU
CLASIFICACION. (2017). Tecnologa
Sistema de respuesta de la AIE ante
maritima.blogspot.com.co. Retrieved 23
situaciones de emergencia en el
November 2017, from http://tecnologia
abastecimiento de petrleo. (2010).
maritima.blogspot.com.co/2012/05/los-
Francia.
buques-petroleros-y-su.html
Unidad de investigacin y desarrollo en
ingeniera civil. (2016). logstica de
hidrocarburos en argentina. Argentina.
Caballero Otlora, f. planeacin
logstica en la distribucin de material