Geelong\u2019s refinery will receive additional crude oil shipments and has increased the output of diesel as fuel continues to be in short supply.<\/p>\n
Viva Energy confirmed two extra shipments will arrive in the coming weeks to help ease shortages.<\/p>\n
Chief executive Scott Wyatt said the company is working to maintain fuel supply across the country.<\/p>\n
Refinery general manager, Bill Patterson, said his team is invested in maintaining access to fuel and diesel through this period.<\/p>\n
Alongside the additional deliveries, Patterson confirmed the refinery has ramped up its diesel production.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the get-go we wanted to maximise our diesel production in anticipation of what we\u2019re seeing at the moment,\u201d Patterson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re maximising the amount of diesel we can make but of course we\u2019re continuing to make a lot of gasoline.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe refinery runs 24\/7 365 \u2013 there\u2019s a workforce in there that is absolutely committed to doing their jobs and doing it well and they\u2019re doing a great job at the moment under really trying circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patterson said there were no concerns with Viva Energy\u2019s supply chains, with the Geelong refinery \u2013 which produces close to 50 per cent of Victoria\u2019s fuel \u2013 continuing to operate at full capacity.<\/p>\n
Victorian Premier, Jacinta Allan, met with Viva representatives on Friday morning to be briefed on fuel supply.<\/p>\n
Wyatt acknowledged temporary shortages in parts of Victoria, with some service stations struggling to meet demand, but said contingency planning was in place.<\/p>\n
The premier confirmed 90 service stations in the state had run out of diesel on Thursday, while 41 stations had run out of petrol.<\/p>\n
She could not confirm whether fuel availability would be added to the ServoSaver app.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are looking at how we can add to [the app],\u201d Allan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we are experiencing so far is that where there has been a localised pressure \u2013 because of that localised demand \u2013 supplies have been getting through pretty quickly to stock back up.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are concerned about supply in their local area and they\u2019re concerned about price, so where we can build some security into those processes by getting service stations refilled as quickly as possible is a big part of helping hopefully ease some of that pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked if the increasing price of diesel would impact any of Victoria’s Big Build projects, Allan said fuel costs would not cause disruption to ongoing works.<\/p>\n
Ahead of Easter, she urged motorists to be mindful of when and where they refuel.<\/p>\n
Mounting conflict in the Middle East has closed one of the world\u2019s most important oil corridors, the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global shipping and putting a clamp on supply.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Geelong\u2019s refinery will receive additional crude oil shipments and has increased the output of diesel as fuel continues to be in short supply. Viva Energy confirmed two extra shipments will arrive in the coming weeks to help ease shortages. Chief executive Scott Wyatt said the company is working to maintain fuel supply across the country. […]<\/p>\n