AUSTRALIA – Fire at Viva Energy Geelong Refinery, Victoria

A major fire broke out at the Viva Energy oil refinery in Corio, near Geelong, Victoria, late on Wednesday 15 April. The blaze began at approximately 2300 hrs local time and was extinguished around midday on Thursday following a 13-hour firefighting operation.

The facility is one of only two operational oil refineries remaining in Australia, with a processing capacity of 120,000 barrels per day. It supplies more than half of Victoria’s fuel and around 10% of national supply.

Fire Rescue Victoria responded to multiple reports of explosions, deploying 50 firefighters, 10 appliances and marine support to the scene. FRV assistant chief fire officer Michael McGuinness described the incident as “ferocious”, escalating rapidly from a small fire through several explosions to become an intense blaze.

The fire originated in the mogas (motor gasoline) production unit, which converts LPG into petrol and specialty products. FRV deputy commissioner Michelle Cowling confirmed the cause as equipment failure — valve failures led to a small LPG leak, with the resulting vapour cloud igniting due to multiple ignition sources within the facility.

Crucially, the gas leak was detected before the explosion occurred, allowing the 30-40 workers on site to evacuate safely. No injuries were reported and all personnel have been accounted for.

Firefighters used fixed monitors operated remotely via camera systems due to volatile conditions, while isolation valves were activated to limit fuel flow to the affected section. Large volumes of water were applied to cool surrounding infrastructure and prevent the fire spreading to bulk flammable storage.

Viva Energy CEO Scott Wyatt confirmed production has been suspended pending a full damage assessment, stating that safety rather than output is now the priority. Diesel and jet fuel production continues at a reduced rate, but petrol output is expected to be disrupted for weeks.

The incident comes at a particularly difficult time, with global fuel supplies already under pressure from the ongoing Middle East conflict. Energy Minister Chris Bowen acknowledged the fire was “not good timing” but said refined fuel imports should cover any shortfall.

A formal investigation into the cause has not yet commenced. FRV stated that the age of the facility is not currently considered a contributing factor and that the refinery is subject to ongoing maintenance and regulatory oversight.

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