11.   Petrogal spokesman Antonio Mocho said the refinery was still operating because the equipment was undamaged.

12.   Abraham said that refineries have been operating at high capacity and that gasoline inventories are, in fact, growing.

13.   He said the refinery was still operating because the equipment was undamaged.

14.   Mazur noted that refineries have been operating at high capacity, but that primary inventory levels of heating oil and diesel fuel remain below normal.

15.   Oil Minister Alvaro Silva insisted the Paraguana refinery was operating normally, and officials tried to assure nervous Venezuelans there was no shortage of gasoline.

16.   Refineries were operating at high production rates, but U.S. inventories have continued to lag, Energy Department officials said earlier this week.

17.   State refineries also operated on skeleton staff and scaled down their production.