CITGO Celebrates 90th Anniversary of Lemont Refinery

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Sep 01, 2016, 01:41 ET

LEMONT, Ill., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, CITGO Petroleum Corporation is capping off celebrations of the CITGO Lemont Refinery's 90^th anniversary by welcoming community leaders, nonprofit partners, employees and retirees to the refinery for a commemorative ceremony. This follows efforts throughout the year to thank Chicagoland for its many years of support through volunteer activities and community events.

Located 35 miles southwest of Chicago, the CITGO Lemont Refinery has grown to be a valuable part of the CITGO network and the Lemont community, contributing more than $300 million every year to the area's economy and thousands of volunteer hours supporting local organizations. Over its nine decades of operation, the refinery has grown from a crude capacity of 25,000 barrels per day (bpd) to more than 167,000 bpd. Situated on 1,100 acres, the refinery is capable of processing heavy crude oil into a variety of products, including approximately 7 million gallons of gasoline per day, as well as diesel, propane and aviation turbine fuel.

"The CITGO Lemont Refinery employs more than 550 full-time employees and 500 additional contractors, representing about 85 local communities," said CITGO President and CEO Nelson Martinez. "Our connection to the Lemont area is deep and long-lasting, and we will continue to strive to be a good neighbor throughout our next 90 years."

The CITGO Lemont Refinery and its employees are strongly committed to giving back to the community they call home, partnering with local and national organizations to effect positive change in the area's health and well-being, environment and education.

"Through our TeamCITGO volunteer program, CITGO Lemont employees have taken personal time to give back to their communities on nearly 300 occasions. This past year, TeamCITGO spent thousands of hours on projects designed to strengthen Lemont and the surrounding area," said Jim Cristman, vice president and general manager of the CITGO Lemont Refinery. "By cleaning up the environment, making donations to food and supply drives and participating in other efforts supporting the community, we are saying thank you for nine great decades in Lemont. We look forward to working together to strengthen our community in the years ahead."

Examples of TeamCITGO's efforts to give back to its neighbors include:

Helping children and families with neuromuscular diseases: In addition to the 90^th anniversary of the Lemont Refinery, 2016 also marks the 30^th anniversary of the partnership CITGO has with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The CITGO Lemont Refinery and the MDA partner on several events each year, including the annual MDA Muscle Team gala. In honor of their long history working together in the battle against neuromuscular diseases, CITGO will be the presenting sponsor of this year's gala in October.
Encouraging a culture of inclusion for those with special needs through the Special Olympics: CITGO supports efforts to improve attitudes and behaviors towards those with special needs through Special Olympics programs that foster a culture of acceptance. Most recently, CITGO served as the Official Fuel Supplier of the Special Olympics' World's Largest Truck Convoy® at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates.
Supporting underprivileged families: CITGO helps MorningStar Mission in Joliet throw monthly birthday parties for homeless children — complete with presents, games and birthday cake — as well as other fun outings and parties for families in need.
Strengthening the local environment: CITGO and The Conservation Foundation recently renewed their partnership. This means CITGO volunteers will continue to aid in efforts to remove invasive plants and restore natural habitats in the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area, making the park a great place to hike, bike, fish and boat.
Inspiring the next generation: Through a partnership with Project Infinite Green, CITGO Lemont Refinery employees serve as mentors to local middle and high school students, teaching interactive afterschool workshops to inspire students' interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

The 90^th anniversary of the Lemont Refinery follows milestone anniversaries for two other CITGO facilities in the United States. The CITGO Lake Charles Refinery marked its 70^th year in 2014, and the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery celebrated 80 years of fueling good in Texas in 2015.

About the CITGO Lemont Refinery
For over 90 years, the CITGO Lemont Refinery has employed more than 750 Chicago area residents on a full-time and contract basis in support of the local economy. In addition to producing high quality fuels for a large portion of the network of nearly 5,500 locally owned CITGO stations across the country, Lemont Refinery employees also make a major positive impact on the community. Each year, more than 2,500 volunteer hours and thousands of dollars are given in support of community programs such as Muscular Dystrophy Association, United Way and a variety of environmental and preservation programs. Operations at the Lemont Refinery began in 1925 with a major expansion, doubling the facility, in 1933. Over the years, new units were added to meet the demand for a better quality of gas for automobiles, aviation fuel for WWII, and the production of asphalt. Petróleos de Venezuela, PDVSA, acquired 100% ownership of the refinery in 1997 and began operations as CITGO Lemont Refinery. For more information, visit www.citgorefining.com/Lemont.

About CITGO
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.

SOURCE CITGO Petroleum Corporation