Crude Tagging with TRACERCO™ Taggants

The theft, or bunkering of crude oil is a major loss of income for oil and gas producers throughout the world. Oil majors in 2003 were estimated to be losing $4million per day due to crude theft in Nigeria alone.

The TRACERCO™ C-Tag series is a range of unique organic molecular markers that have been developed specifically for “fingerprinting” crude oil. These molecular markers have been designed and engineered such that they can be detected very accurately, at extremely low levels within crude oil. The TRACERCO™ C-Tag molecular markers have virtually the same physical and chemical properties to crude oil and therefore cannot be removed from it without destroying the crude itself.

All of the TRACERCO™ C-Tag molecular markers are unique, organic compounds that are highly secure and stable within crude such that they can not be removed with any chemical, thermal or physical treatment.

The TRACERCO™ C-Tag technology is utilised as part of anti-theft, anti-bunkering operations undertaken by crude oil producers and transportation companies, as well as national governments trying to eliminate crude oil theft.