HOUSTON, June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Lyondell Chemical Company (NYSE: LYO) reported today that all refining units at LYONDELL-CITGO Refining (LCR) are expected to be fully operational by the middle of next week. This will allow LCR to return to full crude oil processing rates of approximately 260,000 barrels per day.

One of LCR's coker units experienced a flash fire on Saturday, June 9. This was related to power failures associated with Tropical Storm Allison. As a result, LCR has been running at approximately half its rated capacity.

An LCR employee who sustained hot steam burns in the incident was released from the hospital on Tuesday, June 12. He is expected to make a full recovery. Two other employees injured in the incident were treated and released at a local hospital on Saturday.

LYONDELL-CITGO Refining LP (LCR) is a venture of Lyondell Chemical Company and CITGO Petroleum Corporation. LCR operates a full conversion refinery located on the Houston Ship Channel, processing crude oil to produce gasoline, low sulfur diesel and jet fuel.

The statements in this release relating to matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially, based on factors including, but not limited to, operating disruptions, future global economic conditions, industry production capacity and operating rates, the supply/demand balance for the products produced by Lyondell and its joint ventures, further increases in raw material and/or energy costs, changes in governmental regulations and other risk factors. For more detailed information about the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially, please refer to Lyondell Chemical Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in March 2001 and the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2001, filed in May 2001.

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SOURCE Lyondell Chemical Company
Web site: http: //www.lyondell.com
Photo: NewsCom: http: //www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000921/LYOLOGO AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 212-782-2840
CONTACT: Jackie Wilson of Lyondell Chemical Company, 713-652-4596
CAPTION: LYOLOGO LYONDELL LOGO Lyondell Logo. (PRNewsFoto)[PM] HOUSTON, TX USA 09/21/2000