Stabilising a Distressed Petroleum Terminal

In 2022, CONSULTPLUS was engaged to support petroleum terminal operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo following a period of severe operational distress. The terminal handled complex logistics including receipt of products from oil tankers via barges, transfer through gantries, bulk storage in vertical tanks, and onward river transport to inland locations.

 Prior to engagement, the organisation had experienced some very serious incidents across different activities, alongside numerous near misses and minor events. Confidence had deteriorated internally, and pressure was mounting from the Board of Directors and government authorities.

Equipment failures were frequent. Maintenance costs were escalating without corresponding improvements in reliability. External inspections and certifications were largely absent, and internal maintenance teams lacked sufficient training and structure.

The HSEQ function had lost effective control of operations. Effort was absorbed by administrative activity that did not reduce risk exposure, while employees were increasingly reluctant to report incidents due to fear and lack of trust in investigation outcomes.

Prior to CONSULTPLUS involvement, the organisation had attempted internal audits, investigations, new procedures, and reinforced disciplinary actions. These efforts failed to surface root causes or reduce incidents.

Incident investigations lacked quality and consistency, making corrective actions ineffective. Disciplinary measures were difficult to apply fairly when underlying causes were not clearly understood. Additional procedures increased administrative burden without restoring control.

CONSULTPLUS was engaged directly by the CEO and executive leadership team, who were already familiar with our work in comparable high-risk operations.

The engagement began with a comprehensive, risk-centred diagnostic covering all operational areas. This included a two-week on-site assessment followed by detailed analysis and reporting. As part of this process, CONSULTPLUS re-investigated the two serious incidents to identify true root causes rather than surface-level failures.

Findings were presented to leadership in a structured manner, highlighting unmitigated risks, systemic weaknesses, and governance failures. A clear and prioritised recovery plan was developed to restore control.

Following the diagnostic, the HSEQ and operational control systems were comprehensively rebuilt and aligned with international standards and recognised industry practices.

Key changes included the introduction of an anonymous incident reporting system, enabling employees to report unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, near misses, and incidents without fear. Reporting volumes increased significantly, while accident frequency began to decline.

All reported events were investigated using structured root cause methodologies, with corrective actions implemented and shared through formalised weekly toolbox talks. A permit to work system was introduced to ensure high-risk activities were planned and controlled appropriately.

Extensive training was rolled out across the organisation using a dedicated learning management platform, with content adapted to local language and context. Behavioural safety principles, alcohol testing, and process safety concepts were progressively introduced.

Digital platforms including MangoQHSE and e-Permit were deployed to provide leadership with real-time visibility and control over operational risks.