Marathon Petroleum has announced the partial shutdown of its Garyville, La. refinery after a fire broke out on Friday morning. As a result, gasoline and diesel fuel prices are trading higher in futures markets. The refinery, with a capacity of nearly 600,000 barrels per day, is one of the largest in the country.
In response to the incident, Marathon Petroleum has taken the precautionary measure of shutting down units closest to the fire. The company stated that safety remains their top priority as they continue to evaluate facility operations during the ongoing fire-suppression efforts.
The fire originated in an area where crude oil and fuels are stored in large circular tanks. Local television footage captured two of these tanks fully engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke billowing several stories high. Firefighters within the plant worked to extinguish the fire using water cannons.
Diesel futures settled significantly higher on Friday, reaching $3.31 per gallon, marking the highest closing price since January 26th. Marathon Petroleum will continue to work diligently to fully extinguish the fire and minimize any potential disruptions to refinery operations.
Fire at Marathon Refinery in Louisiana
An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of a recent fire at the Marathon refinery located in Garyville, Louisiana. The refinery reported a leak of naphtha, a flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixture, although it is unclear if this contributed to the fire.
Marathon assures that the situation is currently under control, with the fire remaining within the containment-dike area of two tanks on the refinery’s property. However, it should be noted that both tanks have suffered damage and the fire has not been completely extinguished.
Thankfully, only one firefighter is being evaluated for heat stress, and no other injuries have been reported.
As a precautionary measure, St. John the Baptist Parish has issued a temporary evacuation order for residents living within a two-mile radius of the affected area. Suitable locations have been made available by the Parish to accommodate temporarily displaced individuals.
Situated along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the Garyville refinery is an important facility in southeastern Louisiana. According to Marathon’s website, it has a crude-oil refining capacity of 596,000 barrels per calendar day.
For more information, please contact Marathon Refinery’s official channels.
