You'd think the country would be better prepared. It wouldn't take much to interrupt the supply lines at all. I'm guessing that there would be a reserve for "crowd" control and the like though. Snip http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...ng-on-fuel-stock/story-fn59niix-1226587222669
How long can diesel and gasoline be stored in tanks? It goes off quickly in a car fuel tank presumably as the most volatile fractions boil off. Can refined fuels be stored long term in tanks?
Diesel can be stored for around 12 mths depending on the temperature of the storage area. Or this Fuel Stability Foam. Fuel Kleenik is a stability foam which is suspended in the diesel fuel in the tank. It has been developed and tested by Department of Defence and is claimed to keep the fuel stable for up to 10 years. The disadvantages are: it does not work where fungus and wate r are present which is why it is suspended in the fuel. its size is 2100mm x 200mm x 200mm so it has to be dropped in through a hatch. After 15 years it has to be disposed of to landfill. Fuel Kleenik is available from a company called FuelTreat ph 1800 034 442. http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_int...ts/downloads_pdfs/f/Long_Term_Storage_ADF.pdf
There is a difference between summer and winter grades of fuel, both motor sporit and diesel. Winter grade fuel, especially the fuel delivered to areas that experience sub zero temps , is better for long term storage. There are products such as Sta-bil that can be added to both types to extend their storage life and to kill "the diesel bug" I do this as a matter of course for all my stored fuel It is the less refined fuels; diesel, kero, JP1, Avtur etc, that last longer in storage It is very important to keep your fuel "dry" Keep your tank full and try an avoid large temperature fluctuations. Additives will work toward entraining small amounts of water in the fuel so it can be burnt. Open the low point drain on your tank yearly and drain any water. The biggest issue is the formation of the Diesel Bug, (cladisporeum resinea?) it is a type of mould that feeds in the water/hydrocarbon interface point. It eats aluminium along the interface line inside your tank, and it blocks fuel filters like a bastard.
Caltex imports all of its fuel from Malaysia. So what is the Australian Labor Government's strategic-fuel-plan for times of peace and war? Ask the Australian Minister for Resources and Energy the Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP Because I couldn't find a dang thing on his web-site. http://minister.ret.gov.au/mediacentre/mediareleases/pages/visit-to-timor-leste.aspx
Thanks for the comments. My local area has diesel shortages occasionally - despite being surrounded by coal mines. As a result i have been caught out once driving on fumes and now keep 40L diesel in the shipping container. Will definately make sure that i rotate the fuel regularly. Cheers
I suppose if this came to pass we would see almost immediate and severe petrol rationing. ....and trains and buses like sardine tins. OC
I saw a lovely steam yacht at the Tasmanian Wooden Boat Festival, a lovely renewable resource. During the strikes in the 70s in the UK which also had fuels shortages my Dad made the papers by driving a horse and cart through the centre of London. plenty of horses around. It would mean children would have to walk to school and public transport would need to step up. Life would change but it wouldn't end. More scare mongering from the MSM, obviously a slow news day! The military usually has a nice supply of fuel put aside for just such situations.
This is probably more of a threat than the SHTF scenario. If the tsunami took out the Malaysian oil refineries, and petrol dried up, more likely half the population wouldn't have a job to go to after 3 weeks. All fuel would be rationed for public transport, police, nurses, fire brigade, teachers etc, food delivery and the like. The wages of the casuals and contractors would dry up quickly, food, fuel and money would be in short supply, and all the kids would move back home. We can't all be fuel, food, bicycle, silver, water stackers; so I guess we will need to become contingency stackers; i.e. have a plan in place where you can survive without the foregoing for a month or two. (food excepted) The paradox is, I expect those with the least now, have learnt to do this as a matter of course, those with the most now, have more to lose and adjust for.
we've got a cr@pload of LNG thanx to the fracking projects in the coalfields. Petrol engines can be converted to run on 'gas' for a few thousand... but not diesel engines. So that means no trains trucks or generators :-(
Make your own - Stack Sugar instead & you can swap it with the local cougar Now Daddy ran the whiskey in a big block Dodge Bought it at an auction at the Mason's Lodge Johnson County Sheriff painted on the side Just shot a coat of primer then he looked inside Well him and my uncle tore that engine down I still remember that rumblin' sound Well the sheriff came around in the middle of the night Heard mama cryin', knew something wasn't right He was headed down to Knoxville with the weekly load You could smell the whiskey burnin' down Copperhead Road
I guess bio diesel could be made locally, the waste oil will run out soon enough but you could run generators and supply trucks.
I stack unleaded have for a while - you buy additive, that causes it to keep - store it away from your house... and definately not under it, obviously! I usually try to keep about 100lt - that was 5 weeks fuel in normal use. Now I own a car converted to gas - it makes need for liquid unleaded even less - at the moment i have 60lt
Years ago a mate manufactured an adaptor that we all used for filling BBQ cylinders at the local station. You had to remember to convert Kilos to Litres 1.965 Lts per kg from memory but it worked out you could get a refill for around $9.00. Was great value, just had to watch out not to get caught as it was a bit dangerous. That said we never had any dramas. The money we saved went to pay for extra Steak & Beer.
Being an old retired codger, at a pinch i can live without a car, I am in walking distance of the supermarket etc. But what I would REALLY like is enough unleaded for the generator. OC
http://webstore.2gb.com/audio/money-news-with-ross-greenwood/201302/28-fuel-security.mp3 Ross Greenwood talking about the fuel security
Don't worry about the generator OC. Just collect a bit of firewood every time ya go for a walk to the shops, then you can cook outside for nothing. H
Being an "ol' bushie from way back", I long ago got into the habit of *always* having some spare fuel on hand.. Usually not less than 100L ea of ULP & diesel in my shed at any given time (more often than not, quite a bit more than that). Yeah, yeah, I know.. prob'ly against "regulations", but I won't say anything if you don't.................. I use only steel (ex army) jerry cans for storage, and use the fuel on a 'rotational' basis, to avoid having it sit for too long. That said, as long as the seals are good, I've never yet had a problem with fuel 'going off'.. I use Chemtech additive in any diesel which I think may not get used for a while, and I've yet to see any Diesel Bug in fuel thus treated... I have in the past used diesel which had been stored for >2 years (sealed container, kept out of the weather), w/- no perceptible degradation.. I also keep a good supply of kero on hand, as I like to give my collection of (old, & not so old) Aladdin Mantle Lamps a run from time to time (especially in the cooler months, as they give out an appreciable amount of heat ) Oh yeah, an' I got about 30 or 40 ton o' firewood in me backyard as well :lol: (I collect it whenever I can get hold of it at little or no cost)
