Cargo theft cost Pemex MXN$5.8 million in 2018

Fuel theft from 14 Pemex tanker trucks represented a MXN$5.8 million loss in 2018 .

According to the state oil company Pemex (Mexican Petroleums) ’s Legal Department, this type of crime is rising and there is a possibility that it will escalate in the next few years since 500 new tanker trucks have been put into circulation to counter fuel shortage in Mexico.

The figures reported only took into account Pemex’s vehicle fleet composed of 1,485 tanker trucks , though private vehicles rented by the state-owned company are also vulnerable to attacks by fuel thieves.

There are 141 companies that offer private services to Pemex for the transport of oil-derivative products and gases via tanker trucks. Said companies account for some 3,010 transport units , according to the state company’s Commercial Information System .

During the first five days of the year, when the Mexican government launched a plan to increase the amount of tanker trucks to supply diesel fuel and gasoline in the country, the National Chamber of Cargo Trucking (CANACAR) reported that six tanker trucks had been stolen from the company’s associates.

In terms of operation costs, Pemex spends around MXN$8.86 billion a year on fuel transport via tanker trucks.

Each tanker with a capacity of between 20 and 30 thousand liters that is stolen from Pemex represents a loss of MXN$418,285.7 ,

14 tanker trucks that were used to distribute fuel to gas stations in Chiapas, Puebla, Michoacán, and Guanajuato were stolen last year.

In all cases, the trucks were recovered, though fuel thieves managed to empty tanker trucks coming out of Distribution Terminals in said states.

According to Pemex estimates, these 14 tanker trucks were carrying 320,000 liters of gasoline and diesel fuel which, considering their estimate cost of MXN$18.30 per liter , represented a loss of MXN$5.8 million .

On November 5, 2018 , EL UNIVERSAL reported that, during the first eight months of the year, nine tanker trucks had been stolen from Pemex. Said figure rose to 14 by the end of the year.

Pemex’s Legal Department concluded that fuel thieves were most active during the months of October and December , stealing an average of three tanker trucks per month.

In October, fuel thieves stole a tanker truck in Puebla, another in Chiapas, and another in Guanajuato, carrying a total of 70 thousand liters of unleaded gasoline.

In December, three tanker trucks were stolen in the state of Puebla carrying the same volume of unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel.

The study shows that the theft of Pemex tanker trucks used to distribute gasoline and diesel fuel to gas stations in Mexico has become a serious problem for the oil company.

Data provided by Pemex Logistics indicated that the theft of tanker trucks increased by 180% over the last three years.

Fuel theft: success or failed strategy?

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