ABSTRACT
In 1976/77, Australian crude oil consumption was about 590,000 barrels per day (bpd), with indigenous production supplying 423,000 bpd. Some 223,000 bpd were moved by coastal tanker, 167,000 bpd were imported in overseas tankers, and the remainder was transported by pipeline.
The Australian oil spill control situation differs from that commonly found in the northern hemisphere. The long coastline, low ratio of population to coastal distance, shipping route isolation, and the low shipping densities, dictated a dispersant-oriented approach to control when it was first contemplated in the 1960s.
This paper describes the development of industry and government spill defence organisations, and the establishment of control techniques other than dispersion. The strategic location of materials and equipment, emergency response plans and responsibilities, and interrelationships among organisations are examined. The interface between offshore oil production and other coastal uses is discussed with some forecasts of future developments, including the implications for the very large Australian Fishing Zone which was recently established under current 200 nautical mile offshore proposals.
