From: clarinews@clarinet.com (EVE TAHMINCIOGLU)
Newsgroups: biz.clarinet.sample,clari.news.economy,clari.news.disaster,clari.news.top
Followup-to: biz.clarinet.sample
Subject: Two Louisiana refineries shut due to power outages
Keywords: domestic economy, economy, severe weather, trouble
X-Supersedes: <andrew-oilU2aQ117pc@clarinet.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 92 11:49:04 PDT
ACategory: usa
Slugword: andrew-oil
Priority: major
Format: regular
ANPA: Wc: 532; Id: z4900; Sel: xxned; Adate: 8-26-255ped; Ver: 0/2
Codes: ynedrxx., ynbwrxx., tncn....

                      _U_n_i_t_e_d _P_r_e_s_s _I_n_t_e_r_n_a_t_i_o_n_a_l
	The wrath of Hurricane Andrew caused the shutdown of at least two
large refineries in Louisiana Wednesday as power outages forced Exxon
Corp. and Marathon Oil to cease operations at their facilities in the
state.
	When the lights went out at 8 a.m. CDT at Marathon's Garyville, La.,
refinery, the company had no choice but to shut it down, said Bill
Ryder, a Marathon spokesman. He said Louisiana Power and Light services
the facility.
	The Marathon Garyville refinery manufactures about 250,000 barrels a
day, Ryder said.
	Exxon was proceeding with a routine shutdown of its Baton Rouge
refinery after losing power from Gulf States Utilities, said Les Rogers,
a spokesman for Exxon in Houston.
	``We anticipate no problems in effecting the shutdown,'' Rogers said.
The refinery has a top average production capacity of 421,000 barrels a
day.
	Hurricane Andrew tore through Southern Florida Monday and then headed
into the Gulf of Mexico, bringing its 160 mph winds into the Louisiana
bayou country Wednesday and knocking out power.
	The latest shutdowns of oil operations in Louisiana came on the heels
of the the closure of most offshore oil platforms in the Gulf because of
the storm.
	The nation's refining center is located near the Gulf Coast in
Louisiana and Texas, where refineries are clustered and take in
shipments of oil from the offshore platforms and tankers.
	Rogers said he could not give a time frame on when Exxon's Baton
Rouge refinery would be up and running. Marathon's Ryder also had no
estimates.
	As far as Exxon's offshore oil platforms in the Gulf, which were shut
down Tuesday, Rogers said the company has been unable to get out to
assess the situation due to Hurricane Andrew.
	Exxon's Baytown, Texas refinery, which made some reductions in
processing rates and shut down non-essential operations Tuesday, was
returning to normal operations, Rogers said.
	Marathon's 27 offshore oil platforms in the area, which have been
closed since Monday, will remain shut down until the company can survey
those facilities, Ryder said.
	Chevron Corp., based in San Francisco, still had operations suspended
at its 171 major offshore structures and four drilling rigs in the Gulf,
said Janis Golon, a spokeswoman for the company.
	``The offshore operations are still down and we are going to attempt
some flyovers later Wednesday to see if it's safe to assess any damage
which might have occured,'' Golon said.
	The Chevron closures shut off 133,000 barrels a day of oil production
and 1 billion cubic feet a day of gas, Golon said.
	``Because of the way the hurricane traced, the Pascagoula, Miss.,
refinery stayed in operation,'' Golon said. ``The hurricane alert status
was discontinued this morning and the refinery is operating normally,''
she said.
	Golan said marine shipments to and from the refinery were expected to
resume later Wedneday when the Coast Guard completed its inspection of
the shipping channel.
	She had no additional information on Chevron's Port Arthur refinery
in Texas, which was shut down Tuesday.
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