Abstract

In the context of the hydrocarbon sector, which is crucial for the global and regional economies of Latin America, significant issues were identified in the operational efficiency of fuel supply terminals. These challenges included deficiencies in machine maintenance, lack of process standardization, and congestion in dispatch areas, negatively impacting productivity and increasing operational costs. This situation highlighted the need to apply method engineering techniques to optimize processes and improve operational efficiency.

The contribution of this research consisted of developing and implementing a process improvement model based on method engineering to increase productivity in the dispatch area of a fuel supply terminal. The proposed model included stages of process selection, detailed diagramming, analysis and development of a new method, implementation, and control. These stages allowed for the identification and elimination of redundant activities, optimization of loading times, and improved resource utilization.

The most outstanding results of implementing the new method included: a reduction in total process time from 77 to 62 minutes, representing a 19.48% improvement; an increase in the man-machine utilization percentage from 85% to 91%; a significant decrease in the waiting times for tanker trucks; and an improvement in operational efficiency, reaching a maximum efficiency of 98% on high productivity days. These indicators demonstrated that the application of method engineering effectively resolved the identified problems, increasing the productivity and efficiency of the fuel dispatch area.