Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has cut a trip in Asia short to visit the Viva refinery in Corio after an explosion on Wednesday night.

Albanese visited the refinery this morning after it took 100 firefighters over 13 hours to extinguish the blaze.

Although he admits that the fire’s timing is “regrettable”, the Prime Minister said that most of the fuel production at the refinery is still operating.

“It has slowed down just slightly because of the circumstances which are there,” he said.

“The advice that we’ve received today is that 80 per cent of diesel production is continuing, 80 per cent of aviation fuel is continuing… 60 per cent of petrol production is proceeding.”

He assured Australians that the fire won’t move the country to the third stage of its national fuel security plan which would involve practical measures to limit fuel usage. He also added that the country needs more fuel refineries.

“There were six refineries in Australia when we left office in 2013, and when we came back [in 2022] there were two,” he said.

“That was an error.”

Viva’s refinery had been at full production capacity since the US-Israel war on Iran started and provides Victoria with more than half of its fuel supply.

Albanese has said that he will provide an update tomorrow regarding Australia’s fuel supply.

Photo: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaking to the press outside Viva refinery in Corio.