US Cash Products-Harbor gasoline up on Sunoco fire

NEW YORK, May 18 (Reuters) - Gasoline differentials in the New York Harbor traded higher on Monday after news of a fire at Sunoco Inc.'s (SUN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, refinery, dealers said.

Concern that the refinery's gasoline-making fluid catalytic cracker was shut by the incident boosted cash values slightly.

Late Sunday, a blast at an ethylene unit at the 178,000-barrel-per-day Marcus Hook refinery shut some production, according to a company spokesman. [ID:nN18349103]

The fire was under control, the company said, but still burning as of Monday morning.

Product futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange also climbed on news of the fire, with gasoline futures up nearly 6 cents or 3.5 percent and heating oil futures up about 5 cents or 3.5 percent.

Gasoline differentials in the U.S. Gulf Coast and Midwest also rose as tightening supplies pushed product values higher, dealers said.

In other refinery news, Shell Oil Co (RDSa.L: Quote, Profile, Research) said its crude unit operations at its Deer Park refinery had been curtailed, despite the company's expectation that the refinery would be running at normal rates over the weekend after a power outage last week.[ID:nN18344499]

Valero Energy Corporation (VLO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said it was restarting a coker at its Paulsboro, New Jersey refinery after a turnaround.[ID:nN18546146]

Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said it was restarting a hydrocracker at its Baytown, Texas, refinery.[ID:nN18341173]