Equipment Failure Triggers Fire at Australia's Geelong Refinery
Fire Rescue Victoria Deputy Commissioner Michelle Cowling confirmed the fire had been contained to a section of the facility known as the transfer area, with diesel, gasoline, and petroleum production left undisturbed.
"So that won't add to the already stressed fuel issues that we're having," she said.
Cowling outlined the challenges facing firefighters, explaining that an LPG tower with an open valve was physically unreachable due to extreme heat, forcing engineers to manage the tank drainage process remotely. Viva Energy has since launched a formal investigation into the incident.
Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen confirmed the refinery was still generating diesel and jet fuel, though output had been dialed back as a precautionary measure. Victoria's energy minister, Lily D'Ambrosio, echoed that assessment, stating the fire had not directly disrupted diesel or jet fuel production and that Viva Energy had provided assurances of no immediate threat to fuel supply — even as other production units were temporarily curtailed for safety reasons.
No injuries were recorded. The Corio refinery processes roughly 120,000 barrels per day — a volume that accounts for half of Victoria's total fuel requirements and one-tenth of Australia's national supply, underscoring the facility's critical role in the country's energy infrastructure.
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