Australia considers first domestic oil refinery in 60 years

Australia is weighing a major energy-security move: a feasibility study for the country’s first new oil refinery in more than 60 years. The federal and Western Australia governments will jointly spend A$4 million on the study as the country seeks to reduce vulnerability after the Middle East conflict tightened overseas fuel supplies. Australia imports about 80% of its fuel, and Western Australia currently has no refining capacity after BP’s Kwinana closure in 2021. The article is supportive for domestic fuel-security themes and could be positive for local refining/energy infrastructure sentiment, though it does not announce an immediate construction decision. It also highlights the country’s shrinking refining base, with only Ampol’s Queensland refinery and Viva Energy’s Victoria plant still operating.