UPDATE 1-Exxon says Torrance, CA, refinery upset minor

(Recasts with company statement)

HOUSTON, May 2 (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said a malfunction on Friday at its 150,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Torrance, California, was minor and not expected to affect production.

A compressor in a refinery vapor recovery system malfunctioned late on Friday afternoon, triggering flaring at the Los Angeles-area refinery, said spokeswoman Barbara Burgett.

"No impact to site operations is anticipated," Burgett said.

Refinery vapor recovery systems reclaim substances that can be returned for refining or used as fuel for the plant's utilities. Before the introduction of vapor recovery systems to reduce pollution, the substances were released into the atmosphere. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Braden Reddall)