Exxon Mobil flares at Joliet oil refinery

Exxon Mobil Corp. reported an equipment shutdown and startup at its Joliet refinery in Illinois yesterday, according to two separate filings.

Sulfur dioxide and other emissions were released for about 10 minutes starting at 6:40 a.m. yesterday because of an equipment shutdown, the company said in a filing with Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

The refinery started equipment and reported emissions at 6:42 a.m. yesterday, according to a filing made with the National Response Center.

No one answered a call to the company's media line before normal business hours. Rachael Moore, a company spokeswoman, didn't immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

U.S. companies must notify the response center if they release hazardous substances in excess of reportable quantities according to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, commonly known as Superfund. Bloomberg News couldn't immediately verify that the information in the NRC filing was accurate.

The Joliet refinery has a capacity of 238,000 barrels a day, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.