Citgo Petroleum Corporation, the US refining branch of the Venezuelan state-run oil holding Pdvsa, Saturday discontinued operations at a new gasoline hydrotreater in its 165,000 bpd refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas, because of high pressure in the reactor, the firm said in a communiqué forwarded to the Texas Environmental Protection Agency.

The unit was not fully operational, Reuters reported.

"The unit will be shut down to determine the causes and correct high pressure in the reactor," Citgo explained. "The new gasoline hydrotreater unit has not been fed."