Strategic Potential

Registration of Interest Process

Liquid fuel is critical and makes up around half of Australia’s energy consumption. Commercial storage, stocks and procurement have provided secure and reliable supply to meet Australia’s needs for many decades. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted limited flexibility in the fuel storage market when the supply and demand balance changes suddenly.

In mid-2020, the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, requested submissions for contributions in forming a strategic fuel storage policy for Australia. The Land Development Corporation has submitted a range of sites suitable for the storage of fuel in the Northern Territory.

More recently, two processes have emerged involving strategic fuel storage:

• the Australian Government’s Boosting Australia’s Diesel Storage Program, which provides matched funding to industry to construct new diesel storage that will result in an estimated 780ML of additional diesel storage being kept onshore, across Australia; and,
• the United States Government have commenced a process to engage a Contractor-Owned, Contractor-Operated Fuel Storage Facility for the storage and management of approximately 300ML of aviation fuel for the US Department of Defense in Darwin. A solicitation is currently underway, expected to close 20 April 2021.

The Land Development Corporation’s land holdings at East Arm, strategically located adjacent to the East Arm Wharf, are ideally suited and are reserved for bulk liquids storage.

To support these processes, the Land Development Corporation has established a Registration of Interest (ROI) process for parties participating in the Australian and United States Government fuel storage processes. The land noted will be available to the successful tenderer/s of these processes. For information on this land and how to participate in the ROI process, an information brochure can be downloaded here.