The focus of the investigation into what caused a massive explosion and fire last week at Chevron’s El Segundo plant has turned to a jet fuel processing unit in the southeast corner of the sprawling oil refinery.
Chevron officials have said little about what caused the blast but confirmed the Isomax unit, which converts oil into higher-value products such as jet fuel, remains shuttered since the inferno even as other refinery operations continue.
“Until we can figure out everything that happened here and make sure it doesn’t happen again, we won’t restart it,” said Ross Allen, a Chevron spokesperson, adding that the refinery continues to produce jet fuel, as well as gasoline and diesel, from other units.
Although refinery fires are not unheard of — Chevron’s on-site firefighting team