Firefighters battle huge blaze at Australian oil refinery

Key Points:

• A major fire broke out late Wednesday at Viva Energy Group's oil refinery near Geelong, Victoria, involving liquid fuels and gases in the motor gasoline unit, and is currently contained but not yet under control.
• Authorities have advised residents in Geelong, a city of 300,000 people, to stay indoors and close windows and doors due to safety concerns, though there have been no reported injuries and all refinery staff are accounted for.
• The fire has led to a downgrade in threat level with no immediate danger to the public, but the blaze is expected to burn for several hours, with most refinery units operating at minimum rates to maintain safety.
• The Viva Energy refinery is one of only two operational oil refineries in Australia, supplying over 50% of Victoria’s fuel and 10% of Australia’s fuel, and the fire is expected to mainly impact petrol production while jet fuel and diesel production continue at reduced levels.
• Energy Minister Chris Bowen indicated the incident appears accidental and confirmed an investigation will be conducted, highlighting ongoing fuel security concerns in Australia due to heavy reliance on imported refined fuels.