Exxon cuts output at Texas, Baton Rouge refineries

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp said on Sunday production was cut at its refineries in Baytown, Texas; Beaumont, Texas; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, due to Hurricane Gustav.

The Baytown and Baton Rouge refineries are the first and second largest refineries, respectively, in the United States, according the Energy Information Administration.

The 503,000 barrel per day (bpd) Baton Rouge refinery is planning to run at half-capacity as long as winds do not exceed 80 miles per hour, according to sources familiar with refinery operations.

Exxon spokeswoman Premlata Nair declined to discuss production rates any of the refineries.

The Baytown refinery has a throughput of 567,000 bpd while the Beaumont refinery can run at 349,000 bpd, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Earlier in the day, Exxon said production was shutting at its 193,000 bpd joint-venture refinery in Chalmette, Louisiana.

(Reporting by Erwin Seba)