Free resource
Export Documentation Checklist
The document set an oilfield equipment shipment leaving the United States normally needs, in the order it should be assembled.
Most delays are documentary, not logistical
Cargo is rarely held because a ship was late. It is held because the commercial invoice and the packing list disagree, a certificate of origin is missing, or the incoterm on the paperwork does not match what the parties actually agreed.
Work through this checklist before the purchase order rather than after the goods are ready. Items marked as transaction-specific vary by destination, commodity and end use, and should be confirmed for each shipment rather than assumed from the last one.
1. Before the purchase order
- Buyer, end user and every intermediary identified by full legal name and address
- Restricted-party screening completed on all parties and recorded with the date
- End use and end user statement obtained in writing
- Export classification of the commodity determined and documented
- Authorization path for the specific goods, destination and end use confirmed
- Any licence or authorization requirement identified before pricing
2. Commercial documents
- Purchase order matching the quotation line for line
- Proforma invoice issued and accepted before production
- Commercial invoice with correct incoterm stated explicitly
- Packing list matching the commercial invoice item by item
- Currency, payment terms and bank details consistent across documents
- Consignee and notify party details confirmed with the receiver
3. Technical and quality documents
- Material test reports for pressure-containing components
- Certificates of conformity to the applicable standard
- NACE MR0175 documentation where sour service applies
- Manufacturer data book or certification package as required by the receiving quality department
- Inspection release note or witnessed inspection report where specified
- Serial numbers and heat numbers recorded and matched to the packing list
4. Origin and shipping documents
- Certificate of origin, legalized where the destination requires it
- Bill of lading or air waybill with consignee details verified
- Shipper letter of instruction issued to the freight forwarder
- Dangerous goods declaration where applicable
- Insurance certificate covering the agreed incoterm
- Photographs of packed cargo and markings retained before departure
5. Packing and marking
- Export-grade packing appropriate to transit time and climate
- Wood packaging heat treated and stamped where required
- Shipping marks legible and matching the packing list
- Preservation applied to machined surfaces and flange faces
- Loose items, spares and consumables listed rather than left unlabelled
- Weights and dimensions verified against the booking
Notes on using this list
- Requirements vary by destination, commodity, end use and the parties involved. Treat this as a working checklist, not legal or regulatory advice.
- Confirm the authorization position for each transaction rather than relying on how a previous shipment was handled.
- Consistency between documents matters as much as their presence. A single mismatch between the invoice and the packing list can hold a container.
Want this reviewed against a specific shipment?
Send your details and we will follow up with the documentation scope for your destination and commodity.