Air Liquide America To Construct Cogeneration Facility For Shell Chemicals in Geismar

Air Liquide America Corporation announces it will construct two cogeneration units to provide steam and electricity to Shell Chemicals' complex in Geismar, La. Groundbreaking is planned for second quarter 2001, and the facility is scheduled to startup in mid-2002.

Air Liquide America was selected to engineer and construct the two cogeneration units which will produce approximately 80 megawatts of electricity and 600 thousand pounds per hour of high-pressure steam. Upon completion, the company will operate and maintain the facility under a long-term contract.

"Air Liquide America is the leading supplier of integrated industrial gas and utility solutions to the chemicals industry," said Ron LaBarre, Senior Vice President, Air Liquide America. "This project will expand our service offerings to Shell Chemicals and complement our other recent investments in the Geismar community, strengthening our commitment to this key industrial basin."

Air Liquide America's current Geismar service offerings include a newly constructed hydrogen facility, extensive industrial gas and utility networks and an air separation and cogeneration complex completed last year, which is the company's largest single industrial investment in the U.S. Additionally, the company operates a customer center in Baton Rouge to better serve clients in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region.

Air Liquide is a global provider of industrial and medical gases and related services. By staying at the vanguard of technological leadership, Air Liquide provides its customers all over the world with new products, services and solutions. Founded in 1902, Air Liquide has 125 subsidiaries in 60 countries and employs 29,000 people. Total sales in 2000 totaled 8.1 billion euros with sales outside of France accounting for 77%. Air Liquide is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange and is a member of the CAC 40 Index (Euroclear 12 007).

SOURCE: Air Liquide America