Thursday, June 18, 2026 5:06 pm –
Jerusalem time
The Ministry of Emergencies in Azerbaijan announced, today, Thursday, that firefighting teams succeeded in controlling a fire that broke out in the Baku refinery, which represents the only artery for refining crude oil in the country. Local authorities confirmed that the accident did not result in any casualties, and the technical crews were able to isolate the fire area at record speed to prevent it from spreading to neighboring production units in the huge facility.
For its part, the Azerbaijani National Oil Company ‘SOCAR’ was quick to reassure local and international markets, noting that the fire did not cause any interruption to operations or refining operations. The company explained in an official statement that the refinery continues to perform its usual tasks to meet the market’s needs for petroleum derivatives, with full compliance with all internationally applicable professional and environmental safety standards.
According to preliminary investigations conducted by engineering teams, the spark of the fire resulted from a technical leak in the upper part of the cover of heat exchanger No. 211/1, which is located within the refinery’s catalytic reform unit No. 31. The technical committees are currently working on assessing the extent of the material damage to the damaged unit, in preparation for the start of the necessary repair and maintenance work to ensure the return of the full operational efficiency of this section.
The fire did not affect operations, and the refinery continues to operate according to approved safety standards without recording any interruption.
The Baku refinery is of paramount strategic importance to the Azerbaijani economy, as its refining capacity is about 6.5 million tons annually, equivalent to approximately 130 thousand barrels per day of fuel and petroleum products. This accident comes at a sensitive time when the facility is undergoing a comprehensive modernization program led by SOCAR with the aim of raising production capabilities and improving the quality of petroleum products to match modern environmental standards.
In terms of official figures, data from economic sources indicate that Azerbaijan recorded strong production in the energy sector during the first quarter of this year, as oil production reached 6.6 million tons. Statistics also showed growth in the natural gas sector with production reaching 12.6 billion cubic metres, which strengthens the country’s position as a major energy supplier in the region despite the urgent technical challenges.
