No doubt you have noticed the reports about the closure of three
refineries in Australia. The profitability of the Australian refineries
has fallen so low because the large Asian refineries can sell
distillates at lower prices than Australian refineries can sell at.
We produce about 300,000 barrels of crude oil a day.
We consume something over 1,000,000 barrels a day.
We either export some of our crude or refine it here at a loss.

If a commercial ban or military action was applied to middle east
operations, then after those tankers already at sea arrived we would
have less than one third or less of our needs.
But not if those cargoes were sold at sea.
With no refineries we would have no fuel at all !
Immediate food and petrol rationing would have to be implemented.
All available fuel would be reserved for food production and what
was left over would be available to the armed services and emergency services.
There may not be enough for the electricity industry to move coal.

The governments are aware of this risk but no steps have been taken
to administer such a problem. Having secret plans is no answer.

Bazz,

The lack of action on this supremely (no fuel, no nothing) important matter is a disgrace. The stupid government talked about it some months ago, but nothing has happened, as usual.

It's not China we have to worry about stopping our fuel supply: it's our own useless politicians. Maybe they are working with the CCP. The laid back attitude of the Morrison government is very suspicious. As is the lack of action after a lot of yap on restoring Australia's manufacturing industry.

Our own Libs have no backbone. They continue down the renewables fraud and insist the deplorables pay triple the cost for electricity. We should supply all our energy needs before any exports are allowed. Unfortunately to many like Rudd who is happy to take money from Epstein and then virtue signal regarding the gw scam. Sickening really and people are dumb enough to know why so many around the world love Trump.

I think the government has arranged the use of part of a tank farm in the US.
Not a good solution as it is a long way away.
China is in a worse position than us.
If we had a refinery we could keep producing the essentials.
It does not need trouble in the Middle East to trigger off a problem
with supply. Just an accident in the Singapore or Korean refineries
would put the whole Asia and Pacific area into major strife.
In a scramble for oil what chance would Australia have ?

We have a number of plans for WW11 vintage wood gas generators, which would keep the 10 KVA generator, & car & the Fergy petrol tractor going.

Of course no point going to town, when nothing could be delivered to town.

I wonder how long it would take to get a few steam locomotives going?

Hasbeen;
I think there is about three already in running order in NSW.
To get more running might be difficult because of the need to make
parts, but in a reversion to early 19th century anything is possible.
Our great great grandfathers did it, so why can't we ?

Yes Bazz, but remember most of modern technology was not even invented until the advent of the steam engine made much of it possible with it's labour saving energy supply.

We may have to revert to the old techniques to reinvent the industrial revolution, but if the society was stable enough, that could be done. My son has built a couple of Stirling engines just for fun, so water pumping & 12 & 24V power would not be a problem We already have a couple of solar pumping systems for small scale water supply.

It would not be rediscovering old technology that would be the problem, but controlling the hordes of city people with no food getting to them, spreading out like a plague of grass hoppers from the cities.

We could easily support a dozen or more here, with plenty of water, a couple of horses trained to pull, & fair growing land, but at only 80 Km from a major city, & 20 from some moderate population centers, would we get the chance.

Bazz,

There are 116 standard gauge steam locomotives in NSW of which 15 are fully operational plus at least one in private hands which is operational and is regularly used.

Not many, but it's a start!!

They can all do something that diesel electrics and electric locomotives can't do....continue to run through flood-waters that would put the others out of action.

OK Ismise, that is interesting, I had no idea so many were running.
I see and hear them where I live on their excursion days.
If enough power could be generated for the urban electric trains the steamers
could be used to bring food to the ends of the electric network.
These are the sort of things the state emergency management should
be planning. As it is now the Commonwealth Emergency Management is
supposed to handle a fuel emergency and decide which state gets how much.
The problem would be deciding who to allow access to available supply.
That can only be done on a state and local decision.