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Fire Hits Viva Energy Geelong Refinery, Threatening Aussie Fuel Supply

Wall Street Journal US Business •
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A blaze erupted at Viva Energy's Geelong refinery on Wednesday night, igniting the MOGAS unit and prompting a massive emergency response. Fire crews fought the flames for more than 12 hours before finally bringing the fire under control around midday Thursday. Explosions were reported, but the incident did not spread to the plant's diesel or gasoline lines.

The incident unfolded at roughly 11:15 p.m. local time, drawing a swift deployment from Fire Rescue Victoria. While the fire involved liquefied petroleum gas and other gases, operators kept the refinery's core output intact. Geelong, one of only two Australian refineries, processes up to 120,000 barrels of crude daily, supplying a sizable share of the nation's transport fuels.

Viva Energy's website notes the facility accounts for about 10% of Australia's fuel supply, a figure that takes on added weight as regional markets grapple with tighter inventories linked to Middle‑East tensions. Although production of gasoline and diesel remained uninterrupted, any prolonged outage could strain already‑stretched supply chains and push retail prices higher.

Investors will watch the refinery's restart schedule closely, as even a brief disruption may affect Viva Energy's quarterly earnings and broader market sentiment. With the fire now extinguished, the company must assess damage to the MOGAS unit and confirm when full capacity can resume.