MONTEDISON, OTHER REFINERIES TO SHUT FOR WORK Selm-Societa Energia Montedison is to close its Priolo crude refining units from March 15th to March 28th for maintenance, a company spokesman said. Throughput at the refinery is currently estimated at 140-150,000 bpd, although total capacity is nearer 200,000 bpd. Several other Mediterranean refineries are currently shutdown for maintenance, most of which were scheduled some months ago. But industry sources said that shutdowns may have been rearranged to avoid running negative-netback crude. Tighter availabilities of products as a result of the shutdowns in the Med is helping to keep products markets bullish, particularly for March deliveries, oil traders said. Garrone's refinery at San Quirico (capacity 130,000 bpd) is due to shutdown on March 14th for three weeks, and the jointly-owned ISAB/Garrone refinery at Mellili, capacity 220,000 bpd, is due to start up around March 20-25th following its closure for maintenance a month ago, a company spokesman said. The Esso Italiana refineries at Augusta and Siracusa will not be closing this spring, a spokesman for the company said. In France, the distillation unit at Societe Francaise de BP's Lavera refinery has been closed for maintenance since March 2, and is due to restart early April. Total capacity is 181,900 bpd. It is currently operating at around 50 pct capacity, a company spokesman said. Shell Francaise's Berre l'Etang refinery will shut down in early April until mid-June, a company spokesman said. Capacity is around 150,000 bpd. Compagnie Francaise de Raffinage (CFR) will close the visbreaker at its La Mede refinery in early April, but would not affect crude throughput at the refinery, a company spokesman said. Current capacity is 136,000 bbl/day. Despite current bullish sentiment in the Med, however, traders noted that crude netbacks are beginning to look more attractive, and most maintenance shutdowns should be finished in two to three weeks. As a result, oil industry sources suggest that the situation may ease by mid-April.