Exxon Mobil Shuts Down 264,000 BPD Joliet Refinery After Power Outage

Exxon Mobil Corp. has shut down its 264,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery in Joliet, Illinois, after a power outage on Sunday, the company confirmed on Monday. The unscheduled shutdown of a key Midwest fuel supplier comes at a time of strained domestic inventories and high energy prices.

Details of the Shutdown

According to a company statement, a power outage occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, triggering the facility's safety flare system and leading to a full shutdown. While power was restored around 7:00 p.m. the same day, the plant remains offline as the company assesses its status.

Exxon stated that the cause of the incident is currently under investigation. Third-party energy research firm IIR Energy noted that units are being stabilized and projected the refinery could return to normal service by the end of this week, though this timeline has not been confirmed by Exxon.

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Market Impact

The Joliet refinery is a significant producer for the U.S. Midwest, with a capacity to produce about 11 million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel per day, according to Exxon's website. Any prolonged disruption could further tighten an already stressed fuel market.

Global fuel supplies have been strained by geopolitical events, including the war in Iran and Ukrainian attacks on Russian refining capacity, while strong exports have also drawn down domestic inventories. The shutdown follows a recent milestone where the U.S. national average price for diesel surpassed $6 a gallon for the first time, highlighting the market's sensitivity to supply disruptions.