Viva Energy Refinery – maintenance and projects

Gordon McKay has established a strong and ongoing partnership with Viva Energy Australia, particularly at their Geelong Refinery.

We’ve proudly served as the resident electrical contractor at the Geelong Refinery for over a decade, demonstrating our deep and continuous engagement.

Gordon McKay provides a full spectrum of electrical and backfill resource support and turnaround planning support services.

Our activities include:

• Preventative and corrective maintenance
• Installation services
• Shutdown and turnaround projects
• High voltage installations and maintenance
• Instrumentation and process control expertise
• Electrical equipment hazardous area inspections
• Quality assurance ensuring all electrical and instrumentation equipment and packages meet the requirements of conformance assessment documentation, and instrument data sheets as well as AS/NZS 60079 series and AS/NZS 3000

Gordon McKay has delivered many complex electrical and instrumentation projects, highlighting its expertise in high-voltage systems and industrial electrical services. A sample of these projects include:

• Gordon McKay successfully completed the replacement of three main high-voltage (HV) switchboards at the Geelong Refinery as part of the Primary Electrical Distribution Replacement Project between 20213 to 2016. Viva Energy likened this project to open heart surgery on the refinery’s high voltage electrical systems and was considered one of the most challenging electrical projects in the refinery’s history. This brownfields project required extensive and ongoing co-ordination and scheduling to ensure the refinery always remained operational
• Gordon McKay contributed to the Residue Catalytic Cracking Unit (RCCU) instrument upgrade in 2016, enhancing the refinery’s instrumentation systems during a planned turnaround. Their input was recognised in industry publications for its quality and efficiency
• Tank Storage Upgrade Project (2024)

The relationship between Viva Energy and Gordon McKay is characterised by a shared commitment to safety, quality, and operational excellence. Through their collaborative efforts, both companies have successfully managed critical infrastructure projects that support the ongoing operations of the Geelong Refinery.