5 Big Energy Stories - 10.3.2025
Massive Explosion, Fire Rock Chevron Los Angeles Refinery - The LA skyline was lit up by an explosion and flames from what appears to have been a major incident at the Chevron El Segundo Refinery Thursday night. The fire broke out just after 9:00 p.m. local time at the refinery, which sits adjacent to LAX airport. El Segundo is the largest refinery on the West Coast, capable of processing 276,000 barrels of oil each day, and supplies jet fuel to both commercial and military aircraft operations across Southern California.
The incident comes amid uncertainty about whether Chevron will continue to operate El Segundo amid closures of other California refineries owned by Valero and Phillips 66. Chevron has said it has no current plans to retire the facility, which is vital to supplying the state’s and U.S. military’s oil derivatives needs, especially now that Gavin Newsom’s EV mandate has failed.
