Towards the back of the machine normally counts as up for upwards-facing sockets, unless it’s a case with feet on the side, in which case it’ll be away from those feet so the sockets would be the right way up if it were sideways and on the alternative feet.
The fuel was going to end up burned anyway, so it’s only bad for the environment in that it’s incomplete combustion with lots of soot. It’s also preventing other fuel getting processed, so it could be a net benefit.