A substantial fire erupted in the jet fuel (Isomax 7) unit of Chevron’s 285,000 bpd El Segundo refinery, located near Los Angeles. The blaze was reported early today; fortunately, no injuries have been confirmed, and all personnel were accounted for.

Although the full cause is under investigation, the unit affected is responsible for converting mid-distillate fuel oil into jet fuel. Any operational interruption here could ripple into jet fuel supply tightness in Southern California, a market that is relatively isolated and heavily dependent on local refinery output.

Chevron officials said the fire is contained, but cleanup and restart may take time depending on damage and safety checks. The El Segundo facility serves a crucial role: it produces ~40% of jet fuel consumed in southern California and contributes significantly to motor fuel supply.

For the refining sector, this incident underscores how even localized unit disruptions—especially in key conversion units—can have outsized effects on regional product balances, pricing, and logistics.