Technology alone won’t stop oil theft, waste; vigilance must grow too

Modern technology is vital to preventing theft and wastage in the transport of fuel oil by pipeline, and a SCADA-based monitoring system can play an effective role. It makes it possible to observe pipeline pressure, oil flow, temperature and valve status in real time. By comparing the volume of oil entering and leaving the pipeline, operators can also check the balance of mass and volume, so any abnormal difference in quantity can be detected quickly.

Computational pipeline monitoring (CPM) can also be used. This method uses mathematical models to compare a pipeline's normal operation with actual conditions, allowing abnormal flow, leakage or possible theft to be identified swiftly.

Condensate, the by-product of natural gas extraction, is a highly valuable national resource. It is processed to produce petrol, diesel and other fuels, as well as fuel solvents. Yet questions have long been raised over the absence of a full and transparent account of how much condensate the country produces each year, how much is sold and distributed, and how much is lost to wastage or system loss. Last year, the country again produced around 2.6 million barrels of condensate. Transparency and accountability must be ensured in the production, transport and distribution of such a valuable resource.

Illegal tapping at a specific point along a pipeline is technically difficult to detect instantly from an operational desk. Such theft usually comes to notice only when an abnormality appears in the flow rate or total supply over a long period. If theft is not caught at once, there is a risk that it will be hidden within ordinary system-loss figures. Technology alone is therefore not enough: regular supervision and transparent accounting are needed at every stage of supply and distribution.

The recent theft of condensate from a pipeline in Madhabpur, and of oil through a punctured pipeline in Mirsarai, have brought the weaknesses in fuel transport and management back into focus. To prevent such incidents, the vigilance and accountability of the agencies responsible for protecting national resources must be strengthened. Effective coordination must also be built among local administrations, elected representatives and the central agencies concerned to secure the pipelines. Local people, too, must be involved.

Alongside greater technical capacity, administrative action and institutional accountability must be ensured. It is equally important to foster a sense of moral responsibility among individuals and in society. Technology alone cannot end theft and wastage completely. That requires strict vigilance, a sense of responsibility and collective effort.

The writer is an energy expert and professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)