UPDATE 1-Exxon: Torrance refinery work to last "few weeks"

(Adds quotes from spokeswoman, remarks from oil trader)

NEW YORK, Jan 9 (Reuters)- Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) said on Friday it has shut down key processing units, including the fluid catalytic cracker, at its 150,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Torrance, Calif., for "few weeks" of planned maintenance.

"The FCC, the hydrotreater, the alkylation unit, one of the flare devices and one sulfur recovery unit are down for maintenance, but the crude unit is not down," Carolin Keith, a spokeswoman for the refinery, told Reuters.

She said the shutdowns started Dec. 30.

Earlier, a source familiar with the refinery operations said the crude unit of the Los Angeles-area refining complex was included in the planned maintenance work which was expected to last to the end of this month.

Keith did not provide specifics on the duration of the maintenance work but added: "Officially we're saying it will be a few weeks."

An oil trader told Reuters that the gasoline-making FCC unit, which has a capacity of about 100,000 bpd, was expected to be down until mid-February at Torrance. (Reporting by Haitham Haddadin with additional reporting by Bruce Nichols in Houston; Editing by David Gregorio)