CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Problem
The introduction of computer in an automated Sales of petroleum and meter reading will enable Sales of petroleum and meter reading company to know where, whom and when to distribute its product, as it will always be stipulates in ordering form. Computer is hereby seen as a way of handling, by automatically, systematically organizing, and recording, following up with the appropriate action or the like. Automated distribution and sales of petroleum system is a computerized control system for a process, in which autonomous controllers are distributed throughout the system, but there is central operator supervisory control. This is in contrast to manual means of distribution and sales of petroleum. It enables monitoring and supervisory control of the process remotely. Today the functionality of automated distribution and sales petroleum system tends to be used on large continuous process where high reliability and security is important.
Distributed control systems first emerged in large, high value, safety critical process industries, and were attractive because the automated distribution and sales would supply both the local control level and central supervisory equipment as an integrated package, thus reducing design integration risk. Large continuous process where high reliability and security is important. Automation is the replacement of human workers by technology. Its robust in functionalities is needed for managing logistics facilities, storage, recording and tracking of materials on basis of both quantity and value.
Sales of petroleum and meter reading system are designed to effectively measure and manage the use of fuel within the transportation and construction industries. They are typically used for fleets of vehicles, including railway vehicles and aircraft, as well as any vehicle that requires fuel to operate. They employ various methods and technologies to monitor and track fuel inventories, fuel purchases and fuel dispensed. This information can be then stored in computerized systems and reports generated with data to inform management practices. Online fuel management is provided through the use of web portals to provide detailed fueling data, usually the back end of an automated fuel management system. This enables consumption control, cost analysis and tax accounting for fuel purchases. All over the world, companies, offices and organizations keeps records or data of their daily activities. These records cover all areas of human endeavor such as schools, medicals, and business and so on (Feyide, 2013).
For Administrative and future users, keeping track of these data as they accumulate often becomes a tedious, monotonous and time consuming task. The computation of this operations makes it more effective and efficient. We are in computer and information age is no longer news, what is important now is developing program that would make judicious use of computer enormous potentials in alleviating our colossal workload. Technically, a leak is porosity in an enclosure “capable of passing a fluid from a higher pressure side to a lower pressure side”.
Hence, there is need to develop a software that will
- Purpose Statement
The hectic nature of pipe related work and activities vis-à-vis the fact that the computer system has become the means of aiding intellectual work, which is being applied in various complex system in quite a number of diversified fields of technology, economic and social activities for increase in productivity. The objective of this study is to develop a software that will efficiently management fuel distribution and track dispatched location.
The objectives to realize the aim of this project work are as follows:
- Business managers will now manipulate data automatically using computer.
- Reliable outputs will be produce since, accuracy and reliability is one of the computer characteristics.
- Retrieving of data when needed becomes easy.
- Irrespective of quantity of distribution and sale of petroleum accurate figure must be obtained.
- Electronic storage of files and information will stop movements of files from place to place there by providing adequate security in the company.
- Problem Statement
Pipeline products marketing are among the major source of growth and income to the nation. There is therefore needs for the proper tracking of the oil pipes that are processed under a given quality specification and procedures.
- Business manager’s experiences delay in manual manipulation of data.
- Information management system is very cumbersome and elaborate when the processing is done manually and these create an avenue to produce an unreliable outputs.
- Retrieving of data when needed becomes a major circumstance in manual method of storage.
- Miss calculation of figures as a result of unreliable figures either by increasing or decreasing the result in paper work especially when Sales of petroleum and meter reading are much.
- There are poor security and loss of information in paper storage due to movements of files from place to place.
- Scope of Study
This project work or study is aimed at designing and implementation of Sales of petroleum and meter reading software for Pipeline and product marketing company (P.P.M.C).
Furthermore, it is also aimed at saving the management of Pipeline and product marketing company the difficulties in running their business manually.
- Definition of Terms
Analyst: This is a person or professional who studies the problem encountered by a system and creates means of solving them by introducing a better system.
Automation: is the technology by which a process or procedure is performed without human assistance (Groover, & Mikell, 2014).
Code: It is a written guideline that helps to determine whether a specific action is ethical or unethical.
Computer: Computer is an electronic device operating the control of instructions stored in its memory that can accept data (input) manipulate the data according to a specified rules (processing) produces result output and stores the result for future use.
Consumer: consumer is a person or organization that use economic services or commodities (Krohn, 2013).
Data processing: is defined as the entire process of converting or manipulating data into definite meaningful information (Okoye, & Adigwe, 2013).
Data: It is the facts collected for decision making they are facts that are kept to be processed to get more information.
Database Management System (DBMS): it is software which controls the flow of data and checks and checks on how data are stored.
Database: is an organized /unique collection of related files. It is a collection of schemas, tables, queries, reports, views and other object.
Design: is the art or process of designing how something will look, work.
Distribution Centre: distribution center for a set of products is a warehouse or other specialized building, often with refrigeration or air conditioning, which is stocked with products (goods) to be redistributed to retailers, to wholesalers, or directly to consumers.
Distribution Channel: This is a set of firms and individuals that take titles in transferring titles to a particular goods as it moves from the point of production to the points of consumption.
Distribution Strategy: The overall approach to distributing products or services depends on a number of factors including the type of product, especially perishability; the market served; the geographic scope of operations and the firm’s overall mission and vision.
Distribution: Distribution is fundamentally concerned with ensuring that products reach target customers in the most direct and cost efficient manner. In the case of services, distribution is principally concerned with access (Dent, 2014).
Information: is a processed data that can be read and understand.
Inventory: this is the quantity of goods and materials on hand that a manufacturer uses to represent those items that are ready and available for sale.
Meter Reading: is the act of collecting datum from a meter or an equivalent device that represents the data about the physical changes.
Petroleum: is a naturally occurring, yellow-to-black liquid found in geological formations beneath the Earth’s surface (Zhiguo, 2014).
Pipeline: Pipeline transport is the long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas through a system of pipes—a pipeline—typically to a market area for consumption (Waldman, 2017).
Product: a product is a system made available for consumer use; it is anything that can be offered to a market to satisfy the desire or need of a customer (Kotler, 2013).
Security: This helps to prevent unauthorized users from illegally accessing certain data within the database, it protects your data/ files.
Software: These are set of logically related instructions given to the computer to perform some specific task.
System: Is the collection of hardware and software, data information procedure and people.
Transportation: is the movement of humans, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles and operations. Transport is important because it enables trade between people, which is essential for the development of civilizations.
1.6 Assumption, Limitation Delimitation
Assumptions
Assumptions are conditions related to the study that are taken for granted, accepted as true, or are assumed to be true or at least plausible, without proof or verification. The following assumptions were noted in this study.
The first assumption was that the needs for the proper tracking and distribution of oil products and its services has been on a poor quality.
Another assumption was that the participants would answer the interview questions in an honest and unbiased manner.
The next assumption was that participants would participate in the research with a sincere interest without ulterior motives.
Limitations of the Study
At different stages of this research, some hiccups were encountered that speed-humped the project. Among them are;
- Inadequate fund to finance the project.
- Constraint of time: this is as a result of the research work colliding with academic work schedules thereby reducing the time for doing the research.
- The employees at the case study were reluctant to disclose some vital information needed but after much persuasion, they eventually obliged.
Delimitations
Delimitations are the definitions set by the researcher that define the boundaries of the study so that the goals of the study do not become impossibly large to complete. The study was confined to Pipeline and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) Port Harcourt, to reduce economic and financial stress. The population of participants interviewed was software development of Automated Sales of petroleum and meter reading system, chosen among qualified and experienced interface developers from an organization in the state.
- Significance of Study
Production and sales of oil products are the major source of income to a nation, especially to Nigeria. It enhances economic growth and development. Environmental pollution caused by oil spillage has negative impacts it imposed on human livings within the scene.
Like any other application development, the significance of this project are:
- To make sales of petroleum and meter reading system much easier to the owner.
- To enhanced effective security in sales of petroleum and meter reading system.
- The software is intended to stop the manual means of operation (i.e. the use of pen and paper) and will be automatic with the use of computer.
- It help the investors to make good decision.
- This acceptance will be reliable, dependable and accurate in the (P.P.M.C) and all area of business.
- Furthermore, so scholars who may also have the needs to embark on similar problem, to serve as a guide or to give them the advantage or merit of learning.
- Contribution to IT Practice
This study if well implemented may cause a tremendous technological impact because more users will embrace technology in Nigeria as the interfaces become easy-to use and cater to a broad range of users with varying abilities and literacy levels, especially among illiterate or semiliterate Nigerians.
As a result, more users will be interconnected with oil sector. This may also bring about better communication of technological ideas among developers that will establish best practices and will allow them to create easy-to-use and successful distribution of the products. The study will adequately give record of their transactions.
- Implications For Social Change
The findings from this study may encourage social change as more pipeline product marketing company in Nigeria learn to create easy-to-use interfaces that may improve user morale, preference, attraction, and productivity, and increase the use of automated system in Nigeria. Furthermore, users will perform their tasks with minimal delays, thereby reducing the long queue at the organization. In Nigeria, easy-to-use system will greatly enrich knowledge in automated distribution system of pipeline products. In addition, using successfully implemented automated pipeline product distribution system.
A successful result of this study may bring social change because it may advance the use of other technology outlets that require automated system. When incorporated in Nigerian politics, there may be great social change as automation would then accommodate all the marketers, thereby encouraging direct participation of all without mediation.
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