Storage tanks at a massive Oklahoma fuel depot caught fire early Monday after being struck by lightning, forcing operational shutdowns and threatening fuel supplies across one of the nation's primary refined products pipeline networks.

The lightning strike hit Explorer Pipeline’s Glenpool tank farm, located just outside Tulsa, igniting three storage tanks containing natural gasoline.

Social media imagery released by the Tulsa Fire Department showed towering flames and thick black smoke visible from commercial aircraft approaching Tulsa International Airport.

By Monday afternoon, Explorer confirmed that all operations in and out of the Glenpool facility were suspended, though the company’s pipeline operations outside the hub remained functional.

The neighboring Phillips 66 facility, which feeds directly into the Glenpool system, also halted operations as a precaution. Phillips 66 reported no structural damage to its site or impact to its nearby Wood River refinery.

The Glenpool facility serves as a vital junction on Explorer’s 1,800-mile pipeline system, which transports motor gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel across Texas, Oklahoma, and the Midwest. According to government records, the hub holds a total storage capacity of roughly 3.4 million barrels across more than 30 tanks.

The pipeline system operates in two main segments: a southern leg capable of shipping up to 660,000 barrels per day, and a northern leg that can transport 450,000 barrels daily to major Midwestern markets, including St. Louis and Chicago.

Industry analysts expect the shutdown to cause immediate disruptions to commodity flows through the crucial regional hub, adding pressure to an already constrained U.S. fuel market.

Natural gasoline, a liquid petroleum product derived from natural gas processing, is primarily utilized as a blending component for motor gasoline and exported to Canada as a diluent for heavy crude oil.

The incident comes at a time when U.S. energy costs remain elevated, with consumers facing average national retail prices exceeding $4 per gallon for gasoline and $5 per gallon for diesel. No injuries were immediately reported, and fire crews remained on scene working to contain the blaze.