Petrotel-Lukoil Romania Refinery Selects ExxonMobil's SCANfining Low Sulfur Gasoline Technology

FAIRFAX, VA - May 14, 2003 - ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company (EMRE) announced today that S.C. Petrotel-Lukoil, S.A., has selected EMRE's proprietary SCANfining(1) gasoline sulfur reduction process along with the EXOMER^SM Process for integrated mercaptan removal, jointly developed by EMRE and Merichem Chemicals & Refinery Services LLC (Merichem), for application at their Ploiesti, Romania refinery. Nominal capacity is expected to be 350,000 metric tons/year (approximately 8,090 barrels per calendar day).

The SCANfining technology, developed by EMRE, is a process for catalytic selective hydrogenation for removing sulfur compounds from gasoline. The technology uses a proprietary, selective catalyst (RT 225) jointly developed by EMRE and Akzo Nobel Catalysts that minimizes the loss of octane-rich olefins and hydrogen consumption.

The EXOMER^SM Process, jointly developed by EMRE and Merichem Chemicals, uses Merichem's FIBER-FILM^TM Contactor technology for the removal of high molecular weight mercaptans from hydrocarbons and the regeneration of the treating solution. FIBER-FILM^TM Contactor is a Merichem proprietary device that provides contacting surfaces to enable mass transfer between two immiscible fluids.

EMRE is the research and engineering arm of ExxonMobil, a leading global oil, natural gas, and petrochemicals company whose subsidiaries have operations in nearly 200 countries and territories. Additional information regarding ExxonMobil and technologies it licenses can be found at http://www.exxonmobil.com/refiningtechnologies.

Merichem Chemicals & Refinery Services LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Merichem Company, provides a diversified portfolio of products and services including innovative process technology and engineering, caustic management, naphthenic acids, copper naphthenate, and sodium hydrosulfide to the refining, chemical, and pulp and paper industries worldwide.

1. SCANfining is a proprietary process name of Exxon Mobil Corporation or its affiliates.