Emerging of Army Bulk Petroleum Reserve as a Critical Supply Chain Infrastructure in Sri Lanka Army

Abstract

The present military logistics system would be planning in such a manner that military forces should be able to sustain the men and material for any type of war scenarios. Oil is the main energy source of all running equipment except few machines which are energized by the electricity. Therefore, oil can be identifd as the main energy source for any military logistics planning and the term oil has broader understanding and petroleum represents as the main engine running energy source where it can be further sub-divided as petrol and diesel. It is obvious that the military cannot be engaged into the petroleum production but petroleum is mostly required for the Army for maintaining their battle efficiencies in terms battle tanks movement including troops carrying vehicles. Nevertheless, the military forces should have a continuous petroleum supply either from selected sources or self-sustain schemes. Army Bulk Petroleum Reserve (ABPR) is a paramount important factor for the military forces where it can be maintained as the first reserve of petrol and diesel stock when the regular supply would be cut off due to manmade or other disturbances. It is merely identified that Sri Lanka Army does not maintain such an ABPR for the consumption in uncertainties and the main objective of this research is to identify the immediate operational requirement of maintaining an Army Bulk Petroleum Reserve in Sri Lanka Army in order to fulfill the emergency fuel requirements and studying the alternative petroleum procurement strategies available for the strategic level decision making process.