Product · Oil & Gas
Terminal Automation System
Purpose-built software for petroleum distribution, chemical, and bulk liquid terminal operations — from gate entry to custody transfer documentation. Designed and delivered by an engineer with 23+ years of TAS expertise at GE Oil & Gas and Emerson Process Management.
Built by Someone Who Has Delivered This Software for Three Decades
Mehal Thakor, Managing Director of Ath Software Solutions, began his TAS career in 1999 at Advanced Spectra-Tek (a joint venture with Spectra-Tek UK). Over the following 23 years, through Daniel Measurement & Control (Emerson), Advanced Sys-Tek, and GE Oil & Gas, he designed, developed, and delivered Terminal Automation Software for some of the world's largest petroleum and chemical terminal operators.
At AST, he designed and built Smart Terminal Manager entirely from scratch — including the Batch Controller Framework, PLC Communication Framework, database architecture, and device drivers for DanLoad, SmartLoad, AccuLoad, GE-Fanuc, Allen-Bradley, and Modbus. He also developed India's first software for rail wagon loading with national oil company SAP integration.
The Ath TAS is the product of that experience — not a SCADA platform adapted for terminal use, but software designed specifically for how petroleum and chemical terminals actually operate.
End-to-End Terminal Automation
The Ath TAS covers every aspect of terminal operations — from vehicle entry and loading authorisation through metering, documentation, and ERP posting.
Gate Management & Access Control
Vehicle registration, pre-authorisation validation (transporter, driver, vehicle), RFID/barcode entry management, and biometric authentication for secure terminal access. Entry/exit gate control with access logs. Integration with weighbridge systems for tare weight capture at entry.
Loading Bay Assignment & Queuing
Automated bay queuing, bay assignment based on product and loading arm availability, vehicle sequencing, and bay status display. Planning and Sales & Distribution (S&D) workflow from transport planning to bay release. Display board drivers for bay assignment announcements.
Truck Loading & Batch Control
Full truck loading cycle: compartment identification, preset quantity configuration, arm connection interlocks, controlled loading with overfill protection, normal/interrupted loading handling, and compartment sealing with documentation. Multi-product and blended product loading. Railcar wagon loading support.
Custody Transfer Metering
Integration with all major batch preset controllers: DanLoad, SmartLoad (Single/Dual Arm), AccuLoad II/III/IV, Contrec CB 1010A. Flow computer interfaces: OMNI, Daniel, Emerson. ASTM-D-1250/API 2540 compliant volume correction — ASTM tables 54 A/B/C/D, 6 A/B/C/D, 24 A/B/C for custody transfer quantity calculations.
Tank Farm Inventory Management
Real-time tank inventory per product using level, temperature, density, and water bottom measurements. ASTM table-based volume and mass calculations. Inventory reconciliation between receipts, despatches, and tank gauging. Alarm management for high/low inventory, water ingress, and overfill conditions.
Documentation & ERP Integration
Automated document generation: Delivery Notes, Bill of Lading (BOL), quantity certificates, and shift summary reports. ERP integration via REST API or direct database — SAP, JD Edwards, Oracle. Stock posting, invoice generation, and dispatch confirmation. Excise and customs documentation for regulated terminal operations.
Lube Oil Blending Automation — Major Petroleum Facility
Windows application to manage the complete order workflow for lube oil blending operations at a large petroleum facility in India. Handles four order types: Blending, Loading, Unloading, and Filling/Packaging. The system integrates with three external systems simultaneously:
REST API integration for purchase order sync and dispatch recording
WCF services and OPC integration for DCS process control commands
REST API integration for warehouse management synchronisation
Technical Specifications
| Platform | .NET (C#), SQL Server; Windows Server deployment; browser-based management interface |
|---|---|
| BCU / Preset controllers | DanLoad, SmartLoad (Single/Dual Arm), AccuLoad II, III, IV (Single/Dual Arm), Contrec CB 1010A |
| PLC communication | GE-Fanuc (SRTP), Allen-Bradley (DF1), Modbus RTU/TCP, Ethernet/IP, OPC UA/DA |
| Flow computers | OMNI, Daniel, Emerson ROC/FloBoss (direct driver); others via Modbus |
| Volume correction | ASTM-D-1250 / API 2540 — Tables 54 A/B/C/D, 6 A/B/C/D, 24 A/B/C |
| Gate access | RFID, barcode; biometric integration; weighbridge (Rice Lake, Mettler Toledo) |
| Terminal modes | Tank truck loading/unloading, railcar wagon loading, pipeline receipt (HOTO), product blending, filling/packaging |
| ERP integration | SAP (REST API, direct DB); JD Edwards; Oracle ERP; custom REST API connectors |
| Documentation | Delivery Note, BOL, quantity certificate, shift reports — PDF generation, email distribution |
| Safety | Overfill protection interlock, gas detection interface, earthing confirmation, arm connection interlock |
Terminal Types
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Running a Terminal on a Legacy System or Paper?
Whether it is a petroleum depot, a chemical blending facility, or a bulk liquid terminal — tell us your current setup, your loading points, and your integration requirements. We will assess the scope and provide a clear implementation plan.