WASHINGTON, DC – Today, September 3, 2008, with the partial opening of Louisiana’s Calcasieu Channel, Citgo’s Lake Charles refinery has determined that it will receive the necessary oil supply needed to meet their refinery needs and has withdrawn their request for 250,000 barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Separately, the U.S. Department of Energy received a formal request from Marathon Petroleum Company’s Robinson and Catlettsburg refineries for oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The oil is needed because of disruptions in supply caused by Hurricane Gustav. The Department is reviewing Marathon’s request.

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