HOUSTON, Feb 22 (Reuters) – U.S. refiner Citgo Petroleum Corp on Friday said it accepted a new board of independent directors named by Venezuela’s congress and launched a search for a chief executive in a split with its Venezuelan state-run parent PDVSA.

The eighth largest U.S. refiner said Luisa Palacios, Rick Esser, Edgar Rincon, Angel Olmeta, Luis Urdaneta and Andres Eloy Padilla were confirmed as directors. Esser will take over day- to-day operations, it said, pending the naming of a new CEO to replace Asdrubal Chavez, it said. (Reporting by Marianna Parraga)