The plant, which has been in commercial operation since July 2003, surpassed all of the quantity and quality guarantees at the first attempt. The plant has been engineered, procured, and constructed by an integrated team from Sinopec, Aker Kvaerner and DuPont working closely together. The project commenced in 2001 and utilised DuPont's advanced and proven PTA technology.

Wim van der Zande, President of AK Process, said, "The combined resources of Sinopec, Aker Kvaerner and Dupont have enabled the team to carry out this project in the shortest possible time whilst meeting all of the international requirements for safety and quality. This plant will make a significant impact on the availability of locally produced, high quality PTA. This is a project that we can all be justifiably proud to be involved with and we look forward to further successful co-operation on future projects."

Aker Kvaerner is currently working on several other PTA projects including the expansion of a PTA plant at Wilton, Teesside in the United Kingdom, for DuPont Sabanci Polyester Europe B.V. (DuPontSA). Indian Oil Corporation also recently awarded Aker Kvaerner the contract to provide engineering and technical procurement services for its 550,000 tpa PTA plant in India.

"Aker Kvaerner has immense experience in the execution of projects utilising the DuPont PTA technology. Starting in 1985 with the first-ever such plant, we have carried out projects around the world for both DuPont and its licensees. PTA plants which we have executed represent around 20 per cent of the world PTA production capacity," added Wim van der Zande.

ENDS

Media: Vanessa Mourant, Aker Kvaerner, London, UK: Tel : +44 (0)20 7339 1064, Mobile: +44 (0)7771 806566 or

Tony Luetchford, Aker Kvaerner, Portsmouth, UK: Tel: +44 (0)1489 611111

1. Aker Kværner ASA is through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("Aker Kvaerner") a leading global provider of engineering and construction services, technology products and integrated solutions. The business within Aker Kvaerner spans a number of industries, including Oil & Gas production, Refining & Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology, Mining & Metals, Power, Pulping and Shipbuilding. Aker Kvaerner has aggregated annual revenues of approximately USD 6 billion and employs around 29,000 employees in more than 30 countries. The Aker Kvaerner group consists of many legally independent entities, constituting their own separate identities. Aker Kvaerner is used as the common brand or trademark for most of these entities. www.akerkvaerner.com

2. AK Process is a trading name of Kvaerner E&C UK Ltd, the legal entity responsible for the execution of the work.. AK Process is one of the core businesses of the Aker Kvaerner group in Europe. AK Process serves the chemicals and polymers, refining and onshore oil & gas industries. It provides the full life cycle of a project from concept studies, through to design, engineering, project management, delivery of process technologies, procurement, construction and maintenance services. As a pure project execution/EPC specialist, AK Process can provide customers with strategic 'one-off' services or full turnkey solutions under a single project management control.

We work with our customers in the development of major technological innovations, having participated in the conceptualisation and implementation of ideas, which are the foundation for world-class production facilities.

3. PTA is a fine white, free-flowing powder produced by a two-stage process in which paraxylene is initially oxidized in the presence of air and a catalyst/acetic acid to produce a crude intermediate. This, in turn, is purified using hydrogen reduction to yield the final product, which is well above 99.9 percent pure.

Whether used alone in polyester fibres or in blends with natural and other synthetic fibres, PTA helps to provide an easy care fabric. PTA is also used in polyester bottles and also films, which have a wide variety of uses including photographic film, and audio, video and data storage tapes.