Fuel supply contingency planning
 
  By Connie Braesch
  Stable and reliable fueling facilities are integral to Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s efforts to strengthen the military’s readiness and lethality. But what happens if one of those facilities becomes unavailable? 
DLA Energy collaborates with the military services across the world to put contingency plans to the test to reduce risk and ensure fuel resiliency for the warfighter. 
 
“As an integral component of Warfighter First, DLA Energy continually addresses risk areas across the entire fuel supply chain,” said DLA Energy Deputy Commander Guy Beougher. “Contingency exercises are an important part of risk management to ensure the mission can continue should a disruption to normal operations occur.”

In Hawaii, DLA Energy is supporting the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Oahu Fuel Resiliency Program to investigate ways to increase the resiliency of the Oahu fuel distribution network. In August, phase three of the Navy’s resiliency exercises took place which tested the use of a commercially available pier as alternate ways of loading fuel in Oahu.
DLA Energy coordinated with Par Hawaii Refining, U.S. Pacific Fleet and the Navy’s Military Sealift Command to load fuel on the USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187) at a commercial pier in Barbers Point, Hawaii. Par Hawaii Refining successfully loaded 420,000 gallons of JP-5 fuel on the Kaiser.  
“This demonstration proved that an MSC tanker can safely receive fuel at a commercial pier on Oahu, expanding Pacific Fleet’s combat logistics support capability on the island,” said DLA Energy Hawaii Commander Navy Cmdr. Eric Lockett. “The test was successful and validated resiliency and redundancy of capabilities to provide Pacific Fleet bulk fuel support from an alternative commercial port.”
The third phase of the resiliency exercise was built on earlier demonstrations. In October 2017, DLA Energy Hawaii conducted an exercise that sent fuel from a DLA Energy support point to the Par Hawaii refinery. Fuel normally flows from the refinery to the support point where it is then distributed to DLA Energy customers, but sending fuel in the opposite direction allows DLA Energy the option to use other commercial facilities on the island if needed. Another demonstration was held in February involving the use of single-point mooring as an alternative refueling location.
“All of the exercises aimed to increase the Department of Defense’s fuel distribution network and demonstrate alternative refueling methods and locations on Oahu,” said DLA Energy Hawaii Deputy Director Ralph Wells.
Echoing what DLA Energy Pacific at Hawaii did to build resiliency in Oahu’s fuel distribution network, DLA Energy Japan supported an alternate fuel resupply exercise at Defense Fuel Support Point Yokota. 
“Annually, we test DFSP Yokota's alternate tank truck mode to ensure both offices maintain proficiency in coordinating and executing this mode of resupply,” said DLA Energy JapanCommander Air Force Maj. Justin Peter D’Agostino. The goal is to ensure the capability can be ramped up quickly in the event of an emergency, D’Agostino added. 
“We experienced no complications during the exercise,” he said. “The contractor performed all the tank truck off-loading operations in accordance with contracts terms and conditions.”
DLA Energy’s mission is to provide comprehensive energy solutions in the most effective and efficient manner possible. Through contingency planning and exercises, DLA Energy is working to reduce risk and build a more flexible, secure and resilient fuel supply chain.