UPDATE 1-Alon Big Spring refinery shuts crude unit -sources

(Updates with comments from sources, company official, paragraphs 3-7)

HOUSTON, April 7 (Reuters) - The crude unit at Alon USA Energy Inc's (ALJ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) 67,000 barrel per day (bpd) Big Spring, Texas, refinery was was shut temporarily after a fire in an asphalt storage tank on Monday morning, sources familiar with refinery operations said.

The company had announced early on Monday morning the crude unit had was back at about 35,000 bpd production for the first time following a February fire.

An Alon spokesman was not immediately available to discuss the status of the crude unit.

Shortly after the fire was reported, Joseph Israel, Alon's vice president of mergers and acquisitions, had said Monday's blaze might affect the refinery's ongoing recovery from the February fire.

The crude unit shutdown was seen as temporary while the supply of oil to the unit, which does the initial refinering of oil, was adjusted and brought into proper balance, the sources said.

The restart process on the crude unit was underway Monday morning, the sources said.

The asphalt tank where Monday's fire broke out was located away from refining units. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by David Gregorio)