2006/6/1 Basell

Basell announces new Spherizone technology license for 300 KT per year PP plant and JV restructuring

Basell has announced today that its joint venture in Thailand, HMC Polymers Company Ltd., has selected Basell’s Spherizone technology for a new 300 KT per year polypropylene plant to be built at Map Ta Phut, Rayong, Thailand. HMC will also build an associated propane dehydrogenation plant to supply the required feedstock. Start up of both plants is expected in 2009.

In addition, PTT, the publicly listed natural resources company of Thailand, will through the purchase of new and existing shares in HMC, acquire a 40% interest in the company. Basell will remain a major shareholder in the joint venture.

The transactions are scheduled to be finalized in August.

According to Ian Dunn, president of Basell International, “These transactions will put HMC in a leading regional position - with strong local partners, increased upstream integration and state-of-the-art process technology - to meet the growing needs of customers in Thailand and the Asia Pacific region.”

HMC already operates two existing Spheripol polypropylene plants at Map Ta Phut with a combined annual capacity of 450 KT.

“The Spherizone process is the latest and one of the most important innovations in the polyolefins industry,” said Just Jansz, president of Basell’s Technology Business, who participated in a signing ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand. “With its ability to manipulate and customize molecular structures, the Spherizone process can manufacture products with new combinations of properties, enhancing performance in existing applications while creating opportunities for polypropylene to expand into new end uses.”

Jansz added, “With over 100 process licenses sold to date, Basell is the world’s leading licensor of polypropylene technology. The new HMC plant will be the sixth to be built with Spherizone technology and the second in Asia.”

Basell’s complete portfolio of licensed technologies is comprised of:
・ Spheripol - polypropylene technology for the production of homopolymer, random and heterophasic copolymers
・ Spherizone - latest generation polypropylene technology based on new multi-zone reactor technology
・ Spherilene - swing gas phase process for the production of LLDPE, MDPE and HDPE
・ Hostalen - low-pressure slurry process for the production of bi-modal HDPE
・ Lupotech T - high pressure tubular reactor process for the production of LDPE and EVA copolymers
・ Metocene - technology for production of specialty polypropylene products based on proprietary single-site catalyst systems

Basell also produces and commercialises advanced catalyst systems which are sold under the Avant trade name.

Basell is the world's largest producer of polypropylene and advanced polyolefin products, a leading supplier of polyethylene and catalysts, and a global leader in the development and licensing of polypropylene and polyethylene processes. Basell, together with its joint ventures, has manufacturing facilities around the world and sells products in more than 120 countries. Additional information about Basell is available at www.basell.com.

January 03, 2007 　Shaw Group

Shaw Awarded Contract for Propane Dehydrogenation Facility Project in Thailand

The Shaw Group Inc. today announced that a consortium of its Shaw Stone & Webster unit and CTCI Corporation of Taiwan, Republic of China, has been awarded a contract to provide engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) services to HMC Polymers Company Limited for a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant to be located in Map Ta Phut, Rayong, Thailand. The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2009 with planned production of 300,000 metric tons per year of propylene. The value of Shaw’s contract was not disclosed.

J. M. Bernhard, Jr., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Shaw, said, "We are pleased to participate in this EPCC project for HMC Polymers for this propane dehydrogenation facility. This is an important project as Shaw expands its leadership position in the rapidly growing propylene market in Thailand."

Using an integrated global approach, Shaw will manage main process unit engineering work from its Houston, Texas office with offices in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Mumbai, India, providing support. Shaw is participating in this project as part of a consortium with CTCI Corporation who will perform the balance of plant engineering as well as the procurement and construction of the whole facility.

HMC Polymers Company Limited is a joint venture of Basell Polyolefins of the Netherlands and a group of leading Thai companies, including PPT Public Company Limited of Thailand. HMC Polymers Company Limited established the first polypropylene manufacturing facility in Thailand in 1987. Today it has the most modern technology in Thailand and with capacity of 450,000 tons is one of largest and most advanced facilities in Asia. PPT Public Company is a leading Thai energy corporation, operating integrated oil and gas businesses, which encompasses gas-based petrochemicals and total energy services. Basell Polyolefins is the world's largest producer of polypropylene and advanced polyolefins products, a leading supplier of polyethylene and catalysts, and a global leader in the development and licensing of polypropylene and polyethylene processes.

CTCI Corporation’s principal activities are EPC services for the refining, petrochemical, general industrial, power, environmental protection, energy and transportation industries.

The Shaw Group Inc. is a leading global provider of engineering, procurement, construction, technology, maintenance, fabrication, manufacturing, consulting, remediation, and facilities management services for government and private sector clients in the energy, chemical, environmental, infrastructure and emergency response markets. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with nearly $5 billion in annual revenues, Shaw employs approximately 22,000 people at its offices and operations in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. For further information, please visit Shaw's website at www.shawgrp.com.