Cause of Massive Fire at Geelong Oil Refinery Under Investigation as Fuel Supply Concerns Grow

Authorities are still working to determine what sparked a major fire at the Viva Energy refinery in Geelong, one of Australia’s two primary oil refineries, as questions mount over how the incident could affect the nation’s already‑strained fuel supply.

The refinery, located in Corio and operating since 1954, employs around 1,000 workers and produces roughly 10 per cent of Australia’s total fuel and more than half of Victoria’s supply. The blaze broke out late Wednesday and burned for nearly 12 hours before firefighters managed to extinguish it.

Industry analysts say the timing is troubling, given ongoing fuel market volatility, though some caution it is too early to predict whether the fire will push prices higher.

Viva Energy, which operates a network of 1,500 Shell, Liberty and OTR service stations nationwide, processes up to 120,000 barrels of crude oil per day at the Geelong site. The refinery produces petrol, diesel, LPG, jet fuel and avgas, along with marine fuel oil, low‑aromatic fuel and plastic feedstock used in food packaging, medical equipment and polymer banknotes.

The full extent of the damage and how long operations may be disrupted remains unclear, leaving both industry and government officials watching closely as investigations continue.