Viva Energy said it expects to restart a critical processing unit at its Geelong Refinery in June, following repairs after a fire in April that disrupted fuel production.
The company indicated that repairs to the residue catalytic cracking unit (RCCU), a key component in petrol production, are expected to take around six weeks.
The fire occurred on 15 April at the refinery, Australia’s largest, at a time when global fuel markets were already under pressure due to disruptions linked to the Iran conflict.
In an ASX statement, the company said: "Subject to further inspection, Viva Energy currently anticipates that repairs to impacted units necessary to restart the RCCU will take approximately six weeks, with the RCCU and associated units returning to operation during June. Production is expected to increase to over 90% of capacity following the restart of the RCCU.
"As previously advised on 20 April 2026, the Geelong Refinery expects to produce diesel and jet fuel at approximately 80% of capacity and petrol at approximately 60% while the RCCU is offline. The Company continues to have sufficient fuel stocks to cover this reduced production and expects to maintain normal fuel supply to our customers throughout this period."
Viva Energy added that restart processes are progressing without any identified impediments, while investigations into the cause of the incident and the extent of the damage remain ongoing.
"Production is expected to increase to over 90% of capacity following the restart of the RCCU," the company reiterated.
As of 2:10 pm AEST (4:10 am GMT), Viva Energy Group (ASX: VEA) shares were trading at A$2.42, down 3.2% from Friday's close of $2.50. Viva Energy's market cap stands at $4.1 billion.
