AspenTech Delivers Improved Performance and Rapid Implementation at BASF Chemicals Plant

AspenTech Delivers Improved Performance and Rapid Implementation at BASF Chemicals Plant Advanced process control project increased plant capacity and stability, and was completed in just 44 weeks London, UK-September 24, 2001-Aspen Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: AZPN) today announced the successful completion of a project to apply a state- of-the-art production control solution at the BASF (NYSE: BF) steam cracker plant located in Antwerp, Belgium. The project was implemented in just 44 weeks, and delivered benefits including increased plant capacity and improved control of unit key operating variables. The Antwerp facility is the BASF Group's second largest production unit and manufactures basic chemicals and speciality chemical products. The steam cracker generates over 730,000 tons of ethylene per year, making it one of the largest ethylene producers in Europe. The production control solution implemented by AspenTech was built on its DMCplus® multivariable control technology. This is an advanced process control system capable of maintaining the plant at its optimal operating point, by driving the manufacturing process consistently against multiple constraints, and holding it there safely. The plant's optimal operating point will be determined by an on-line closed-loop third party optimiser. "We are completely satisfied with the results of this project," says. Dr.Philippe Alluyn, Production Director Cracker, BASF Antwerpen N.V. "Not only was the project completed on schedule in a very short time, but the measured benefits have totally met our expectations for increased plant capacity and controller on-stream factors." Ethylene plants like the BASF steam cracker operations are characterised by their large capacity, complex design and frequent feed changes. To operate most efficiently, and to maximise throughput, each element of the manufacturing process must be operated simultaneously against its particular constraint. The DMCplus control system drives the ethylene process consistently against these multiple constraints, thus increasing feed rates through the plant, and resulting in significant economic benefits. In the application at BASF Antwerp, 13 controllers encompass the 10 cracking furnaces, the raw gas compressor and all major downstream units related to ethylene and propylene manufacture. The largest controller controls the entire ethylene separation train, from the raw gas compressor to the C2 splitter column, including both refrigeration circuits; this single controller adjusts 36 manipulated variables in the process to maintain 82 controlled variables within limits. "The fast implementation and rapid returns achieved in this facility are typical of the many similar projects AspenTech has undertaken in the chemicals industry," says Mary Palermo, co-Chief Operating Officer of AspenTech. "Our deep knowledge of the process industries, and our best- in-class production control solutions, put us in a unique position to enable companies to become more profitable and competitive." While most model predictive control technologies can claim to achieve economic returns, the key issue is to maximise those returns over the life of the control implementation. For this, controller service factor and performance against the steam cracker's profit-limiting constraints are the key success factors. In large-scale projects like the BASF Antwerp steam cracker, DMCplus multivariable control has proved that it can deliver increased capacity, without compromising the control system service factor. AspenTech's installed base of model predictive control represents over 50% of the world's applications. DMCplus is a key foundation layer within AspenTech's production control solution. Executed on a Windows NT platform over a Honeywell distributed control system (DCS), DMCplus interfaces to processes directly with the DCS or indirectly through process information management systems. It integrates an off-line system for controller analysis and design with an on-line system for implementation. BASF Antwerpen is the largest chemical complex in Belgium. The BASF Antwerpen factory comprises more than 50 production facilities, plus various technical workshops and laboratories. The activities are concentrated on the production of mineral fertilisers, fibre intermediates, plastics, finishing products and basic chemicals. The facility is also an example of a "Verbund " site (so called on account of the highly integrated nature of production activities carried out there), the strategic model within the BASF Group. About BASF BASF is a transitional chemical company that aims to increase and sustain its corporate value through growth and innovation. The company's product range includes high-value chemicals, plastics, colorants and pigments, dispersions, automotive and industrial coatings, agricultural products and fine chemicals as well as crude oil and natural gas. BASF's approach to integration, known in German as "Verbund", is one of its particular strengths, ensuring cost leadership and a unique competitive advantage. With sales in 2000 of about 36 billion Euros (circa $34 billion) and a workforce of 103,000 employees, BASF is one of the world's leading chemical companies. BASF acts in accordance with the principles of Sustainable Development. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and New York (BF). The company's Internet address is www.basf.com. About AspenTech Aspen Technology, Inc. is the leading supplier of integrated software and solutions to the $6 trillion process industries. The company's Aspen ProfitAdvantagetm solution enables companies to identify and maximise profit opportunities throughout their entire value chain - from the supply of raw materials, through the production of goods, to the delivery of final products to customers. Aspen ProfitAdvantage encompasses engineering, manufacturing, supply chain and e-business collaboration technologies, providing the tools that enable manufacturers to design, optimise and execute business processes in real time. Over 1,200 leading process companies already rely on AspenTech's 20 years of process industry experience to increase revenues, reduce costs and improve capital efficiency. AspenTech's customers include: Air Liquide, AstraZeneca, Bayer, BASF, BP, Chevron, Dow Chemical, DuPont, Equistar, Exxon Mobil, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Mitsubishi Chemical, and Unilever. For more information, visit www.aspentech.com. Certain paragraphs of this press release contain forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbour provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For this purpose, any statement using the term "will," "should," "could," "anticipates," "believes" or a comparable term is a forward-looking statement. Actual results may vary significantly from AspenTech's expectations based on a number of risks and uncertainties, including: AspenTech's lengthy sales cycle which makes it difficult to predict quarterly operating results; fluctuations in AspenTech's quarterly operating results; AspenTech's dependence on customers in the cyclical chemicals, petrochemicals and petroleum industries; AspenTech's need to hire additional qualified personnel and its dependence on key current employees; intense competition; AspenTech's dependence on systems integrators and other strategic partners; changes in the market for e-business solutions for AspenTech's customers; increased governmental regulation and taxation of e-commerce and the Internet; information security and privacy concerns relating to e-commerce; and other risk factors described from time to time in AspenTech's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AspenTech cannot guarantee any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Moreover, neither AspenTech nor anyone else assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any forward-looking statements. AspenTech undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release. ### AspenTech, Aspen ProfitAdvantage, DMCplus and the aspen leaf logo are trademarks of Aspen Technology, Inc., Cambridge, Mass. Contacts: For Media: Peter Watt Genevieve Houdent Annalie Cook/Monica Costa Aspen Technology, Aspen Technology, Inc. Banner PR Inc. +44 1223 819-752 +33 1 47 12 47 22 +44 20 7349 2200 peter.watt@aspentech genevieve.houdent@aspentech. aspentech@b1.com .com com ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/09/24/20010924BIT01160/bit0002.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/09/24/20010924BIT01160/bit0002.pdf