Since December 2007, the ethylene unit has been operated without the heat exchanger ("cold box") on which the failure occurred on 25th October, 2007. Since December, the ethylene production has been stabilized at 512kt/y and benzene production has been limited to 80% of its 200kt capacity. UNIPETROL, a.s. has informed, on February 29, 2008, that the cold box would be re-installed by the end of March and that the impact on production would depend on a technical solution of the re-installment.

As of today, the re-installment process has been running, so far without any interruption in the production. According to the updated plan, the re-installment should be completed by mid April with no interruption in the production of ethylene and several days interruption of benzene production. We will inform you about the result, once the re-installment process is finished.

In Prague on March 31, 2008

UNIPETROL, a.s.
Reg. Announc. No. 005/2008