Venezuela PDVSA halts gasoline exports to US-trade

NEW YORK, Oct 6 (Reuters) Venezuela's state-owned oil firm PDVSA has stopped its unleaded gasoline export flow to the United States due to persistent refinery problems, oil traders and ship brokers said on Friday.

This is in addition to the gasoline export stoppage in October to neighboring Cuba, they said.

Venezuela, the world's No. 5 oil exporter, shipped about 51,000 barrels per day of gasoline in July to the United States, which requires about 9 million bpd.

In the past two weeks, PDVSA shut its 54,000 barrels per day cat cracker at El Palito refinery after an electrical outage, and its Puerto La Cruz refinery was also experiencing operational problems.

The export flow stoppage to Cuba was confirmed by a source close to PDVSA.

REUTERS DKS RAI0144