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Save your infrastructure assets from fuel pilferages – Cause and prevention

Machineries and their fuel consumption patterns can get quite unpredictable- more so if the machinery/asset is being operated by more than one person and maintained through manual record books. Being an infra-asset owner, you must have been exposed to several cycles of unexplained changes in fuel consumption by your asset. The possibility of fuel pilferage must have crossed your mind more than once. However, lack of substantial evidence and solid data to back your suspicion must have held you back from taking a suitable action.

This article aims to identify the most common cause of fuel pilferages in assets with the intention to help asset owners take preventive measures to eliminate such pilferages and enhance their asset performance.

Top 3 causes of fuel pilferage

1. Stealing – This is undeniably the top-most reason for inconsistent fuel consumption by an asset. The asset operator, supervisor or any other person responsible behind operating or monitoring an asset, might fill your asset with lesser amount of fuel and submit higher bill amounts against the same (for personal financial gains). The unwarranted spike in fuel consumption pattern thus becomes a cause of concern for the asset owner, who is unable to pinpoint the exact reason.

1. No records to Log – Manual record keeping is the most common flaw that asset monitoring system in India faces today. Lack of automation disallows upkeep of proper counter logs and prevents the asset owner from keeping track of fuel consumption/pilferage on a certain day and over a period of time.

1. Faulty asset – Fault in the asset might also lead to fuel pilferage and result in diminishing asset output. This can be identified in case a wide variation in asset performance is marked against the same amount of fuel consumed, before and after the fault occurs.

Ways to prevent fuel pilferage

The above cause for pilferages, if timely identified, can be prevented and cause a direct improvement in your asset output and profitability. Take a look at the following easy ways to monitor and manage pilferages better:-

1. Tracking of fuel-filling – Try and calculate the average consumption of fuel by an asset over a period of time. In case of fuel theft, the average consumption will show a sudden spike and shall help in identifying and monitoring pilferages in a timely fashion.

1. Comparison of fuel consumption pattern – Comparing the fuel consumption pattern of a particular asset vis-a-vis similar assets in the industry is a good mechanism to notice marked variations. Such variations can help an asset owner/supervisor draw an accurate picture of fuel pilferage. Preventive steps can then be taken to control the damage and enhance asset output.

1. Tracking abrupt change in consumption – An abrupt spike in average fuel consumption that continues for a longer period of time, may suggest a technical fault in the equipment. In such case, the asset owner might consider looking at possible causes such as fuel leakage in equipments or other such faults and adopt corrective measures.

Manual record keeping is ineffective- Switch to automated solution

Though the above solutions might look simple, they can be quite tricky to observe through manual record keeping. Think of it - manual record books besides being bulky and tedious to maintain, is also prone to manual errors. Neither can they generate automated reports that can instantly notify the asset owner about changes in pattern or a sudden spike in fuel consumption. If you are looking for a sure shot mechanism for optimized asset performance, automation is undeniably the key.

Look no further. Track fuel consumption, compare your asset with the community, identify gaps and monitor your asset like never before. TappetBox, the leading infrastructure asset management solutions, through its smart features can control fuel pilferages and look into varied aspects of your asset performance. To know more, contact us at 92123 11151.