Viva Energy Australia advances process safety

Viva Energy Australia (Viva Energy) — a refinery operator and exclusive licensee of Shell products in Australia — is the latest organisation to join the Institution of Chemical Engineers Safety Centre (ISC). Viva Energy has signed on as an ISC operating partner and is expected to share its safety expertise to benefit process industries globally.

The ISC is a trade-led consortium with three partner categories — operating partner, industry partner and supporting partner. The aim of the centre is to improve process safety by bringing together industry-wide organisations to share and learn from each other. This will provide new insight and understanding from beyond normal industry circles.

Viva Energy was formed in 2014 when Vitol bought Shell’s Australian downstream business (excluding aviation). With a focus on process safety, Viva Energy operates the Geelong refinery, three other major hazard facilities, pipelines and around 20 fuel terminals across the country. Viva Energy also supplies around 870 Shell-branded service stations across Australia.

“Leveraging our 100-plus years’ experience and reflecting on our recent first birthday celebrations, we look forward to participating with ISC’s diverse and experienced membership,” said Fiona Murfitt, Viva Energy group HSSE manager. “Viva Energy’s active participation will contribute to and leverage its comprehensive process safety knowledge and best practice.

“As a company, we strive to improve our process safety performance and believe our membership will improve process safety outcomes, both within our own business and within the wider industry.”

ISC Director Trish Kerin said: “We are very excited to have Viva Energy join the ISC, whose business focus is on downstream petroleum activities.

“Viva Energy’s membership has broadened the diversity of industry sectors within the ISC community and this complements our existing membership very well.”

Kerin adds that large operating and producing organisations are now seeing the benefits of being aligned with the ISC.

“Operating partners share a wide range of benefits as part of their membership. This includes the opportunity to take part in learning opportunities and workshops, access to ISC resources, training, conferences and professional development in process safety.”