Latest News About Geelong Oil Refinery

Here are the latest updates on Geelong Oil Refinery based on recent reporting up to April 2026.

• Fire impacts production: A significant fire at the Geelong refinery disrupted petrol production, with reports indicating substantial reductions in gasoline output while diesel and aviation fuels were less affected. This has raised concerns about domestic petrol supply and prompted government and industry responses to mitigate shortfalls.[9][10]

• Supply security and imports: The outage sparked discussions about Australia’s fuel security, with authorities considering temporary imports to cover shortfalls and minimize price spikes at the pump. The refinery supplies a large share of Victoria’s fuel needs and about a tenth of national refined fuel production, which amplifies the potential national impact during outages.[7][10]

• Upgrades and resilience plans: Even amid the outage, the owner (Viva Energy) has been pursuing capital upgrades aimed at modernizing the site, improving quality standards, and expanding the Geelong Energy Hub concept to include storage, import/export capabilities, and potential future energy projects. The upgrade program is part of a multi-year effort valued around AUD 1 billion.[1]

• Political and market responses: The event prompted statements from government leaders and energy ministers about ensuring supply continuity, with attention to refining margins, refinery utilization, and potential shifts to diversify fuel supply. Market observers noted volatility in near-term margins and investor uncertainty until refinery operations resume.[5][1]

• Public and local impact: The incident triggered safety cordons and air-quality monitoring around Geelong, with emergency services actively managing the response. Local communities faced disruption, while the broader energy supply chain watched the situation closely due to the refinery’s regional importance.[8][1]

If you’d like, I can pull more precise figures (percentage of production offline, expected restart timeline, or current stock/import arrangements) from the latest sources and summarize them in a quick-digest format. I can also set up a brief one-page briefing with key risks and a timeline of next steps.