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Chevron’s El Segundo Refinery Resumes Partial Operations After Fire

The continued shutdown of a jet‑fuel unit has triggered investigations, heightening warnings about near‑term price pressure.

Overview

  • Chevron says the blaze is extinguished and the refinery is producing at reduced rates with intermittent flaring, while the Isomax jet‑fuel unit remains offline.
  • Regional prices have inched up only modestly so far, though analysts estimate increases of 5–15 cents in the near term or roughly 13 cents per week if the outage persists.
  • Officials have opened probes into the cause and compliance, including investigations by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and Cal/OSHA, with a company report due to air regulators within 30 days.
  • Initial reports cited no fatalities and only minor injuries, and a lawsuit filed in Texas now alleges four workers were harmed as they fled the explosion.
  • The refinery supplies roughly 16–20% of Southern California fuel, and tight statewide capacity, planned refinery closures, and limited import options underscore the risk of larger price spikes if disruptions endure.