Delivery Escrow

Prepay the load. Release on proof.

When a buyer prepays for a load of diesel, gasoline, or residual oil, the money doesn't transfer on a promise. It locks in a neutral hold the moment the order is authorized, and releases only when delivery is confirmed: on time, full quantity, on spec at the receiving terminal.

Release outcomes · last 30 days

91%
Released on verified delivery 91%
Refunded · late / short 6%
Refunded · off-spec 3%

What the hold enforces

Four terms, verified at the terminal

On time

Delivery lands inside the agreed window. The demurrage timer runs against it continuously.

Full quantity

Gallons received match gallons ordered. A short load fails the term and cancels the hold.

On spec

The grade matches what was agreed. An authorized inspector attests; Sentinel records the reference.

Per load

Each load carries its own correlation ID, pickup to terminal handoff produces one clean record.

Pickup to handoff

The full lifecycle of a prepaid load

01 · AUTHORIZE

Money locks the moment the order is placed

The buyer's prepayment doesn't reach the refiner. It locks in a neutral pending account against the agreed terms, with a correlation ID minted for the load.

  • Funds belong to no party until terms are met
  • Escrow-versus-immediate is chosen per counterparty
  • One correlation ID for the entire lifecycle
hold · load 0x8d90

7,400 gal ULSD

Buyer prepaid → Evergreen Refining

Held
Amount locked$184,200Neutral
Release window07:00–08:00 · terminal 3Set
02 · CONFIRM

Release on a verified terminal handoff

When the load arrives and an authorized inspector or terminal operator attests that it met terms, that claim event releases the funds. Sentinel records the delivery-confirmation reference without adjudicating it.

  • Claims are events submitted by authorized parties
  • The payment layer never evaluates correctness itself
  • A clean trust boundary between enforce and attest
claim.ts
// terminal operator attests the handoff
await sentinel.events.claim("0x8d90", {
  ref:    "terminal-3/att-5521",
  on_spec: true,
  gallons: 7400
})
→ pending → released
→ $184,200 to Evergreen · audited
03 · RECONCILE

Late, short, or off-spec refunds automatically

A timeout mechanism running continuous reconciliation scans cancels the hold and refunds the buyer, no party forced to chase the other. The commercial promise becomes a settlement guarantee a counterparty can underwrite.

  • Continuous reconciliation, not a manual claim
  • Refund returns through the standard release path
  • Row-locking guarantees exactly one outcome
reconciliation
Load 0x7c14 · 3h past window timeout
Load 0x6a02 · 240 gal short cancel
Both refunded to buyer closed

Demurrage, measured

What protected delivery looks like in numbers

Where the timer lands

88%
Inside window 88%
Timed out · refunded 12%

Settlement speed for clean loads

<1m
Released at attest 96%
Manual review 4%

Disputes that became phone calls

0
Escalated off-platform 0%
Settled by the record 100%

Turn the delivery promise into a guarantee.

Lock prepayment at authorization and release it on a verified terminal handoff, with automatic refund when terms aren't met.