The volume of diesel fuel consumed in Australia is projected to amount to approximately 25.2 million litres in 2024 . But what happens when your supply is cut off? For hospitals in remote areas and businesses involving quarries, mines and rural construction, it’s imperative to have a contingency plan for fuel during times of uncertainty.
We have been through a lot over the past two years of the pandemic as individuals and in our communities. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that even if you don’t live in areas prone to natural disaster like flooding or bushfires, other external factors can easily impact you with no warning. However, with that said, investing in bulk fuel tanks could be the difference between whether you’re able to stay operational or not – especially during Australia’s cyclone season.
What is Australia’s cyclone season?
Tropical cyclones are one of Australia’s most harmful weather events and their locations are often difficult to predict and they tend to form erratically. According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the official cyclone season in Australia runs from November to April, although luckily very few have occurred in November in recent years.
However, this six-month period sees an uptick in severity every decade or so. Unfortunately, research with the Long-Range Tropical Cyclone Outlook for Australia (TCO-AU) model has predicted that the 2022/2023 tropical cyclone season will be worse than usual. It is likely there will be an above-average number of tropical cyclones for the 2022–23 Australian tropical cyclone season (November–April). With this in mind, companies that rely on fuel infrastructure should prepare fuel storage tanks in case the supply chain is impacted.
Tropical cyclones in Australia for 2022-23
For 2022–23, the outlook indicates that an above-average number of tropical cyclones is likely in all but the Northern region*:
- The Australian region has a 73% chance of having more tropical cyclones than average. This is also equivalent to a 27% chance of fewer tropical cyclones than average. Typically, 11 tropical cyclones form or pass through the Australian region in a season, with around four of these crossing the Australian coast. Outlook accuracy for the Australian region is high.
- The Western region has a 69% chance of having more tropical cyclones than average. Typically, at least 1 tropical cyclone in the Western region will create coastal impacts, regardless of how many make landfall. The average number of tropical cyclones to form in or pass through the Western region is 7 each season. Outlook accuracy for the Western region is moderate.
- The Northwestern sub-region has a 70% chance of more tropical cyclones than average. Typically, 5 cyclones form in or pass through this area each season. Around 3 tropical systems (tropical cyclones, or their associated tropical lows) are expected to affect coastal areas of the Northwestern sub-region. Outlook accuracy for this region is moderate.
- The Northern region has a 61% chance of more tropical cyclones than average. Typically, the Northern region experiences 2 or 3 cyclones each season. About three-quarters of the tropical cyclones in the Northern region have some form of impact upon coastal regions. Outlook accuracy for this region is low.
- The Eastern region has a 74% chance of more tropical cyclones than average. The average number of tropical cyclones for this region is 4, and around one of these make landfall. Outlook accuracy for this region is moderate.
*Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology
How is fuel infrastructure impacted by the cyclone season?
A normal cyclone season can already impact the fuel supply chain, but the current situation with the pandemic has also exacerbated certain issues and could affect how the domestic fuel tank industry responds to a major storm in the coming season.
The main issues to be aware of are that during a tropical cyclone it may be hard to deliver regular fuel loads for an unknown amount of time. If you rely on fuel, you should consider purchasing or renting a remote fuel tank as a back-up. The other major problem that can occur is that even if the fuel is able to reach you, there may be shortages. Having your own fuel storage tanks to rely on will allow you to see any shortage periods though safely.
How can Fuelfix help?
Fuel infrastructure is already highly volatile during the cyclone season and other natural weather events, and the onset of the covid-19 pandemic has only increased these uncertainties. Companies need to be thinking about and procuring contingency solutions like bulk diesel tanks now in order to ensure that they can stay fully operational during turbulent times.
As a leading fuel storage provider in Australia, you can trust Fuelfix to provide flexible fuel management, maintenance and repairs for various industries all over the country. Rather than accept fuel misuse and loss as a matter of course, engage with the professionals at Fuelfix to ensure that the profitability and operations of your business or organisation are maintained during difficult times.
We offer a country-wide footprint of equipment including a wide range of fuel tank for hire, fuel trailers for hire and fuel storage solutions. Our qualified and industry-trained technicians are here for local support and quick response for your business – especially when the wild weather strikes.
Utilising long-standing relationships with various suppliers, Fuelfix has maintained a strong supply chain that provides peace of mind during unpredictable periods for our customer’s fuel supply. We’ll help you keep your operation up and running with accurate reporting methods, dependable security and other excellent features that have helped us cement our place as Australia’s largest provider of fuel storage tanks.
A contingency plan can reduce downtime in the unlikely event of a storm, cyclone or power outage. Let Fuelfix & Tanks2Go help you prepare and develop a strong fuel contingency plan for this storm season.
