Washington (Platts)--15Sep2008

The US Department of Energy Monday confirmed Citgo Petroleum has
requested crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve due to supply disruptions
caused by hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Citgo late Sunday night said it had asked for 1 million barrels of SPR
crude to run at its 429,500 b/d refinery in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
"Citgo requested an emergency SPR oil exchange late [Sunday] night, to
alleviate supply disruptions as a result of hurricanes Gustav and Ike," DOE
spokeswoman Healy Baumgardner said in a statement. "The department has
received their request and is currently reviewing it."

To date, the DOE has delivered 939,000 barrels of SPR crude to three
companies since Gustav -- Marathon Petroleum received 500,000 barrels in two
separate deliveries of 250,000 barrels each, Placid Oil received 239,000
barrels in two deliveries of 130,000 barrels and 109,000 barrels, and
ConocoPhillips received 200,000 barrels.
--Daniel Goldstein, daniel_goldstein@platts.com