The U.S. has released 630,000 barrels of oil from the country’s strategic petroleum reserve to two companies and the President has promised oil to two more as measures aimed at getting refineries back into operation along the hurricane-hit U.S. Gulf Coast.

Marathon Oil was allotted two deliveries of 250,000 barrels each and Placid oil one allottment of 130,000 bbls. The Energy Department move was what the White House called part of President George W. Bush’s action plan to ensure “and adequate supply of energy”.

It was not made known whether other oil companies with Gulf of Mexico downstream operations would also receive “hurricane oil”.

The request for oil came from the oil companies, and by Wednesday, ConocoPhillips and Placid Oil were promised 200,000 bbls and 109,000 bbls.

The DoE, however, only confirmed the delivery of 200,000 bbls of “emergency exchange oil” to Placid Oil’s refinery at Port Allen, Louisiana through the Shell pipeline system. Placid asked for the oil after disruptions caused by hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Tags: ConocoPhillips, Marathon Oil Corporation