Fire damage to close Citgo refinery in Illinois up to 6 weeks

Citgo Petroleum Corp.'s Lemont, Ill., refinery could be down for 6 weeks after a fire that occurred this week, said the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' news agency from Caracas.

Aug. 17, 2001

By an OGJ Online Correspondent

CARACAS, Aug. 17 -- Citgo Petroleum Corp.'s Lemont, Ill., refinery could be down for 6 weeks after a fire that occurred this week, said the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' news agency from Caracas.

Citgo is an affiliate of Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA).

Guaicaipuro Lameda, president of PDVSA, said preliminary information about the condition of the 158,650 b/d plant indicated that it could be closed 6 weeks for repairs.

He said the fire in the crude unit, which lasted more than 4 hrs, caused $25 million in damage, but that there were no injuries.

"It was one of those accidents that can happen.... We are carrying out a more thorough evaluation to see how we can speed up the repair," Lameda said.

He added that Citgo was preparing contingency plans to cover the output loss for clients.