U.S. based oil and gas companies like Triple Diamond Energy Corp. know how important it is for a country to maintain energy independence. Though Triple Diamond Energy Corp. and other domestic oil companies provide a percentage of the fuel that American’s use; much of our oil is still imported. Australia is a role model of a country that is nearly entirely oil independent.

The continent of Australia was never part of Pangaea, the large mass of land that made up the prehistoric world. Australia was part of another major land mass.  The landmass known as Gondwanaland was once located near the South Pole and before drifting away over thousands of years Australia was part of that ancient continent. 

While other continents drifted to areas that guaranteed a variety of temperatures, Australia came to rest in a position that made it the driest of all the continents.  The landscape is harsh to the casual observer. Its plentitude of coal has made it the largest coal exporter in the world.  The land also contains a very small oil deposit that makes up only half of a percent of the world’s entire crude oil supply.

85 Percent Oil Independent

Since the population of Australia is extremely small, Australians have been able to make good use of the oil they produce.  Nearly 85% of the oil domestically used has been produced on the continent.  Unfortunately, since oil supply is finite, it has been estimated that the oil deposits on the continent will be nearly exhausted by 2010. 

With the population of Australia rapidly growing and moving from rural towns to coastal cities, the oil locally produced is being consumed at a surprising rate.  More citizens are becoming reliant on vehicles that are oil dependent and the continent as a whole needs oil in order to continue importing goods from other locations.  Instead of being able to rely almost solely on their own oil reserves as they do now, by 2010 Australia will only be able to produce 40% of the oil required by the population to maintain their current standard of living.

The Search for Oil Alternatives

As Australian’s dependence on oil increases while the supply decreases, locals are trying to find an alternative fuel source.  Recently Australians have been trying to find ways to utilize their supply of natural gas.  Even though the landscape of Australia is considered less than desirable, the continent is fortunate enough to contain a large amount of natural energy sources in the form of natural gas, uranium, and coal. 

Over half of all the natural energy resources on Australia are currently exported to other countries.  In order to compensate for the loss of oil Australians will need to find some way to adapt the natural resources they posses.  By using the natural fuels in place of oil, Triple Diamond Energy Corp. believes that Australians will be able to maintain their current level of independence without changing their current standard of living.