The Liquid Fuel Emergency Simulation Exercise, Catalyst 2008
[PDF, 39KB], is being undertaken by the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism on behalf of the National Oil Supplies Emergency Committee (NOSEC). The NOSEC reports to the Ministerial Council on Energy and is the main executive channel through which Australian governments, in co-operation with industry, formulate the overall management response to a national liquid fuel emergency.
The Simulation Exercise will build on the outcomes of the Australian Government’s last simulation, Exercise Tanker [PDF, 456KB], which was undertaken in June 2003. It will test the emergency preparedness of the Commonwealth State and Territory Governments and industry to manage a national liquid fuel emergency. In particular, it will test arrangements for identifying and rationing fuels to essential users and bulk allocation arrangements, as well as communication strategies and mechanisms.
Catalyst 2008 will be part of a more regular series of testing Australia's emergency preparedness, with the next simulation to be conducted in 2009-10.
Two specific areas have been identified for attention in Catalyst 2008. These are the proposed arrangements to identify and ration fuel to essential users and bulk allocation arrangements. An assessment of communication strategies and mechanisms will also be incorporated.
The aim of Catalyst 2008 is to test Australia's ability to manage a national liquid fuel supply emergency with emphasis on:
- efficiency and effectiveness of processes to identify and manage essential users
- efficiency and effectiveness of processes to make sufficient fuel available to essential users
- an assessment of the preparedness of Commonwealth, state and territory Government agencies and the fuel industry to make sufficient fuel available to essential users
- efficiency and effectiveness of bulk allocation procedures
- an assessment of communication strategies and mechanisms with key stakeholder groups.