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The Tedious Task of Investigating Fuel Inventory Variances
Warren Rogers Precision Fuel System Diagnostics

PDF version: Investigating Fuel Variances May 2025 v2
Investigating fuel inventory variances remains one of the most labor-intensive and disruptive tasks for fuels compliance, maintenance, and accounting managers. Suspected inventory loss can consume days of follow-up, pulling resources away from standard operations to isolate the source of discrepancy. Much of this cost of doing business is off-the-books and uncalculated, consuming many extra hours of staff time and thousands of dollars of expense. The investigations also lead to long hours and other work not being done in a timely manner, if at all.
Fortunately, many companies today employ technology to assist with decreasing the fuel variances they see in their daily tank inventories and the frequent investigation of suspected losses. Those practices could involve:
• The employment of real-time fuel monitoring and inventory reconciliation, tracking fuel transactions and tank movement to ensure what leaves the fuel tanks match what is dispensed. When suspected discrepancies are recognized, system alerts occur, the operator is informed through various means, and the suspected variances are investigated.
• The key to good fuel inventory control also begins with a good foundation. That foundation would include precision tank charting to ensure that the product levels in the fuel tanks are accurately tracked. Incorrect tank charts can occur due to unknown tilt of the tank in the ground or deformation of the tank since the tanks were installed, leading to a change in the physical size and dimensions of the tank. Precision tank charting can recognize these changes and adjust for more-accurate measurement. Incorrect tank charts lead to fluctuations from day to day in inventories and excessive “noise” that exists only on paper. Precision […]

🔟 Reasons why Warren Rogers and the fuelWRAp monitoring solution are the optimal choices in the industry for high-throughput and multi-location travel center and c-store operators!

Warren Rogers’ FuelWRAp system is a sophisticated fuel management and monitoring solution tailored for retail petroleum operators, including travel centers. Here are the key advantages of the FuelWRAp system:

1. Real-Time Monitoring
Provides continuous, real-time monitoring of underground storage tanks (USTs) and fuel inventory levels. Alerts operators to anomalies like fuel losses, potential theft, or leaks.

2. Accurate Fuel Inventory Management
Utilizes advanced analytics to reconcile fuel deliveries, sales, and tank levels.
Helps minimize shrinkage and ensures accurate inventory tracking.

3. Enhanced Leak Detection
Offers precise, ATG-based leak detection testing that meets or exceeds regulatory standards. Ensures early identification of potential leaks, reducing environmental and financial risks.

4. Regulatory Compliance
Simplifies compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations. Maintains detailed logs and reports required for audits and inspections.

5. Cloud-Based Analytics
Allows operators to access data remotely via a secure, cloud-based platform.
Facilitates better decision-making with easy-to-read dashboards and actionable insights.

6. Operational Efficiency
Automates time-consuming tasks, such as reconciliation and maintenance diagnostics. Reduces manual intervention, freeing up staff to focus on customer-facing operations.

7. Cost Savings
Reduces fuel losses, downtime, and maintenance costs by proactively identifying issues. Improves efficiency, ultimately contributing to higher profitability.

8. Customizable Alerts
Sends customizable alerts and notifications for critical events like low fuel levels, failed deliveries, or equipment malfunctions. Ensures operators can address issues promptly.

9. Secure Data Handling
Offers PCI-compliant and secure data storage, protecting sensitive information. Enhances data reliability and reduces the risk of cyber threats.

10. Proven Industry Adoption
Trusted by major c-store retailers and travel center operators for its reliability and advanced features. Demonstrated success in optimizing fuel management and ensuring compliance.

Warren Rogers’ FuelWRAp system provides a comprehensive, efficient, and […]

GREAT! No fuel leaks! Then where is my product going?

Today’s underground fuel storage regulations are quite stringent for all the right reasons! No fuel operator wants to pollute the environment, primarily due to the high financial impact, out-of-control insurance costs, and it’s just plain bad for business and the local communities where they operate!

If you have recently built, or plan to build a new fuel station or travel center, you understand the costs of the latest technology required to do so. From high-tech tank, sump, and dispenser probes, advanced tank monitors, added sensor requirements, and complex tank, fill, and sump designs to allow for sensor monitoring, the cost of construction adds up quickly. These are all great new features that have reduced the amount of underground storage tanks, lines, and dispenser leaks dramatically.

The latest leak detection methods work very well, but several variables remain that negatively impact your fuel inventories. This impact can be as high as 1-2% of sales revenue. The common reaction from fuel operators is “All my tanks and lines are tight, but I am still losing product. Where the heck is my product going?”

The chart below reflects the advantages and disadvantages of each method of leak detection, including sensors, interstitial monitor, SIR, BIR, and ATG-based line and tank testing. The latest technology is very good at detecting and alerting the operator when leaks or sudden, catastrophic losses are suspected but they do very little to address the other costly areas of fuel loss.

Such fuel inventory variances, or suspected losses, can lead to numerous reactions by the operator, including expensive on-site testing, unnecessary upgrades in equipment, site downtime, and loss of business and profitability. Often, the investigation shows no findings and […]

PRESS RELEASE

fuelWrap Enhancements Help Automate and Track Manual Tasks, Improve Efficiency

 MIDDLETOWN, R.I. — (Aug 29, 2024) Warren Rogers is proud to introduce several new enhancements to their innovative fuelWRAp dashboard during the 2024 NACS/PEI Show, October 7-10, Las Vegas, NV. Attendees can review the new tools at Booth C6959, Fuel Services and Equipment Section, throughout trade show hours or during networking events.

In addition to the robust tools already available with the real-time fuelWRAp dashboard, Warren Rogers has added several new enhancements, including Task Tracking, Document Management, and Store Asset Management. Each tool allows current clients and new customers to better-automate the manual tasks related to scheduling maintenance, compliance inspections, various company-related documents, and details regarding store and fuel-related equipment at each location. These tools allow clients to securely track and capture critical information in the security of the Warren Rogers’ cloud. In addition, clients can allow company users permission to access and share this critical information as needed. Learn more about our new task tracking and file management tools here. For details on fuelWRAp Asset Management, click here.

William Jones, president and CEO of Warren Rogers added, “We continue to improve our technology and offer innovations that our customers need. These new enhancements, related to task and document management, allow our clients to consolidate many of the manual functions that they are currently performing on our fuelWRAp dashboard. Fortunately, our fuelWRAp system is highly scalable, so we’ll be able to continue to support them with all their leak detection, task and document management, compliance and fuel monitoring needs, now and into the future.”

Using fuelWRAp, travel center and conventional convenience store support staff can minimize their time spent each day identifying and addressing issues such as […]