Mobil Altona Refinery - fuelling Victoria once again

29 November 2011

• Mobil Altona Refinery back in business following extensive maintenance turnaround
• Delivering improvements in safety, reliability and energy efficiency

Mobil has successfully completed the major maintenance turnaround of its Altona Refinery which is back in operation after being shut down for six weeks.

“The turnaround successfully delivered many positive outcomes for the Altona Refinery including improved energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions and a general improvement in the reliability and performance of the plant,” said Refining Manager Glenn Henson.

“Since 2008 Mobil has invested over $250 million to ensure the future of Altona Refinery,” said Mr Henson.

“This $250 million investment will help us continue operating a safe, reliable and efficient refinery here in Altona, providing high-tech jobs and supporting the local economy, well into the future.”

While the turnaround was completed without any major injuries or incidents, there were a few times when people close to the Refinery may have noticed unusual odours, sounds or operations.

“I would like to sincerely thank our neighbours for their patience and understanding throughout the turnaround, particularly during the shut-down and start-up phases,” said Mr Henson.

“I am very proud to say that our continued focus on safe work practises and careful planning ensured the safety of our workforce and the local community, even with an additional 550 people on site during the turnaround peak.

“Our turnaround team really did live their motto to be safe 24/7 in 2011.”

As part of a safety incentive for the Altona Refinery turnaround, contractor Transfield Services and their alliance partners donated $26,000 to the Royal Children’s Hospital in recognition of the great job done by the team in completing the turnaround safely and without injury.

The turnaround involved detailed inspection and routine maintenance of key equipment normally in continuous operation. A number of improvements were also installed, including a new convection section in one of the furnaces that heats crude oil fed to the Refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit.

“A new convection section we installed during the turnaround will improve the energy efficiency of one of our furnaces by nine per cent and reduce the Altona Refinery’s overall greenhouse gas emissions by around 21,000 tonnes per year,” said Mr Henson.

A carefully planned process ensured that Mobil continued to provide half of Victoria’s fuel supply throughout the turnaround by increasing marine shipments of fuel to Mobil Yarraville Terminal.

Mobil’s Altona Refinery supplies half of Victoria’s petroleum fuel needs and has been doing so for over 50 years.  The refinery produces approximately 12 million litres of petroleum fuel products (petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and LPG) per day and directly employs more than 350 people, many of who live in the local community in the western suburbs of Melbourne.  The refinery pays a substantial amount of local council rates each year and also contributes positively to the community through its funding for local schools, hospitals, environmental projects and a variety of other community programs.


Media enquiries: Melanie Saliba  (03) 9270 3443 or 0467 801 719