Oil refineries are not national security assets

Until such time as we stop being reliant on petroleum, refineries are indeed important for national security.

This "analysis" strikes me as thinly researched and filled with incorrect assumptions about the nature of war.

Most are located on coasts with deep water ports to facilitatenthe offloading of crude from tankers, and thus impossible to defend. 

That simply is not true. In the unlikely event Australia, the US and others become engaged in a war with China you will find out just how well ports can be defended. Striking targets anywhere on mainland China will be exceedingly difficult. In addition places like Australia and the US which lie far from China will be at less risk because China does not have the means to reliably project naval and air power to their shores. Their navy would be engaged at sea long before they were within striking range of any Australian or American port, much as the IJN was engaged and turned back at the Battle of Coral Sea before they could strike Australia. This would be especially true of ports on Australia's southern or western coasts and those on the US east and gulf coasts.

I do not agree with this article. Oil refineries really are national security assets.