Oil and Gas
Oil and Gas Companies
Surety support for petroleum importers, refiners, depots, and service contractors.
Industry overview
The sector covers upstream service contract holders, petroleum importers and traders, depot and terminal operators, LPG distributors, and the contractors that build and maintain their facilities.
Common security needs include customs obligations on imported petroleum products, performance undertakings under supply and distribution agreements, security for facility construction contracts, and compliance undertakings tied to permits.
Because duty and excise exposure can be substantial, customs-related bonds are among the most frequently requested instruments in this sector.
Typical surety bonds
Typical documentary requirements
- Accomplished bond application with obligee and contract details
- SEC or DTI registration, Articles of Incorporation, and business permit
- BIR Certificate of Registration and latest income tax return with filing proof
- Audited financial statements for the last two to three years
- Valid government IDs of signatories plus board or partnership authority
- Copy of the obligee's exact bond requirement or prescribed wording
- DOE registrations and permits for the activity concerned
- Import documents, invoices, and bills of lading
- Storage, distribution, or supply agreements
- Latest audited financial statements and bank references
Documentary requirements vary depending on the issuing insurance company and the specific transaction. The list above reflects what is commonly requested, not a fixed rule.
Typical application process
- 1Application
- 2Document submission
- 3Review
- 4Insurer evaluation
- 5Quotation
- 6Payment
- 7Bond issuance
Frequently asked questions
What customs bonds apply to petroleum importation?
Bond requirements depend on the entry type and Bureau of Customs rules applicable to the shipment, including warehousing and provisional assessment situations. The specific requirement should come from the entry documents.
Are depot construction contracts bonded?
Yes, construction and mechanical works for tanks, pipelines, and terminals commonly require performance and warranty security.
Can supply agreements be secured?
Performance security under fuel supply and distribution agreements is common where the counterparty requires it.
What underwriting information is typically requested?
Corporate documents, audited financial statements, the underlying contract or customs requirement, and details of existing bond exposure.
Questions we frequently receive from Oil and Gas Companies
Can a newly established company obtain a surety bond?
Applications from newly registered companies are accepted for evaluation. Underwriters usually look at opening financial statements, capitalisation, the experience of the principals, and the nature of the obligation. Some insurers ask for collateral or indemnity support where trading history is short. Approval rests with the issuing insurance company.
Can several projects or transactions be covered at the same time?
Companies with recurring requirements often ask for a surety line so individual bonds are issued against an approved aggregate limit. Whether a line is granted, and its size, is determined by the insurer after reviewing financial capacity and existing exposure.
Do banks require the same documents as surety companies?
There is overlap - registration papers, financial statements, and tax filings - but the assessment differs. Banks focus on cash cover and credit facilities, while surety underwriters look at the obligation, experience, and capacity to perform. Document lists vary per institution.
Can financial statements from the previous year be used?
Insurers generally require the latest audited financial statements. Where a new audit is not yet available, some accept the prior year's audited statements together with recent interim statements. Acceptance varies among insurers.
How can approval chances be improved?
Submit a complete file at first endorsement, keep audited statements current, disclose existing bond exposure, and provide the obligee's exact bond wording. Complete and consistent documents reduce clarifications, but they do not guarantee approval.
Can an application be expedited?
Urgent submissions are commonly accommodated, and complete files move fastest. Actual turnaround still depends on the insurer's evaluation and any additional requirements raised, so no processing time is guaranteed.
Can collateral sometimes be waived?
Collateral practice varies by insurer, bond type, amount, and the applicant's financial standing. Some submissions are approved on financial strength alone; others require collateral or an indemnity agreement. Only the issuing insurance company can decide.
Related knowledge articles
Underwriting Basics
How surety underwriters evaluate a submission: the classic three Cs and what they look at.
Banking Requirements
How bank documents, credit lines, and collateral arrangements interact with surety underwriting.
Corporate Surety
How corporations and groups use surety facilities across multiple obligations.
Related bond products
Bid Bond
Bid security for government and private tenders.
Performance Bond
Performance security posted after award.
Advance Payment Bond
Security for mobilisation or advance payments.
Warranty Bond
Covers defects during the warranty period.
Customs Bond
Bureau of Customs undertakings for importers and brokers.
Judicial Bond
Court bonds used in litigation and appeals.
Start your application
Send us the obligee's bond requirement and we will advise the documents needed for your transaction.
SuretyPH is a digital information and lead-generation platform owned and operated by McMatthise Global Group Corporation. It does not independently underwrite, approve, bind, issue, or guarantee any insurance policy or surety bond. Evaluation, underwriting, premiums, approval, and issuance remain the responsibility of the relevant duly licensed insurance company.