This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Basf proyecta paradas de mantenimiento de sus principales plantas en 2006

BASF is planning maintenance of their main plants stops in 2006

31/03/2006

on March 31, 2006

In the 2006, Basf will effect stopped of his main plants to world-wide level like part of the statutory and routine processes of maintenance. The aim of these general stops is the realisation of technical reviews, maintenance of equipment, works of cleaning and replacement of catalysts used. Likewise, it will take advantage of the circumstance to continue increasing the performance and the hygiene of the plants. At the same time, they will effect inspections in diverse plants that work with derivative products.

Has foreseen that the general stops will reduce the profits before interests and taxles (Ebit) of the chemical segment in roughly 100 million euros in the 2006. A big part of this amount contabilizará in the first-half of the exercise and in the petrochemical division. In 2005, the chemical segment did not effect stopped of plants of comparable world-wide level to the present.

The main stops of the 2006 include to the plant of dehydrogenation of propano (PDH) of Tarragona, Spain, in January and February; the cracker and the plant of extraction equipment equipment of butadieno of Port Arthur, Texas, will review in March and April. The cracker is a joint venture between Basf and Total and the plant of extraction equipment equipment of butadieno is a joint venture between Basf, Total and Shell; the plants of gas of synthesis and alcohols Oxo of Nanjing, China, will stop in March and April. One of the two crackers of Basf in Ludwigshafen, including the plants that treat his derivative products, will subject also to a technical stop in April and May.

After the announcement, Basf has ensured that will continue providing to his customers a safe supply of chemical products of high quality while they last the works of the different unemployed technical.