Fire at Major Australian Oil Refinery Raises Fuel Supply Concerns

A major fire at one of Australia’s two oil refineries has been extinguished, but the incident has intensified fears over petrol supply shortages as global fuel pressures continue to mount.

Emergency services responded to the blaze at Viva Energy’s Corio refinery in Geelong, near Melbourne, shortly before midnight on Wednesday following reports of explosions and visible flames. The fire, which burned for approximately 13 hours, was brought under control on Thursday, with all workers on site safely evacuated and no injuries reported.

The refinery, responsible for producing about 50 per cent of fuel in Victoria and 10 per cent nationwide, remains partially operational. However, authorities have warned that the damage could impact petrol production in the short term.

Australia’s Energy Minister, Chris Bowen, described the development as “not great timing,” noting that fuel supplies are already under strain due to the global oil crisis triggered by the ongoing conflict involving Iran. In recent weeks, diesel prices have surged, shortages have been reported at fuel stations, and airlines have begun scaling back operations due to rising jet fuel costs.

Fire Rescue Victoria attributed the incident to equipment failure and confirmed that a full investigation will be conducted. The Corio refinery processes approximately 120,000 barrels of oil daily and employs more than 1,100 workers.

Officials say it is still too early to determine the full impact of the incident on Australia’s fuel supply chain.