APD Air Products and Chemicals Inc

Air Products Canada to Build Hydrogen Plant in Sarnia, Ontario to Supply Suncor and Shell Refineries LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., July 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Air Products (NYSE:APD) announced today that its subsidiary, Air Products Canada Ltd., will construct a plant to supply hydrogen for the Suncor Energy Products, Inc. and Shell Canada Products refineries located in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Producing in excess of 80 million standard-cubic-feet-per-day (MMSCFD), the hydrogen production plant will be owned and operated by Air Products Canada Ltd. and is expected to be operational in May 2006. The hydrogen production facility, a natural gas-based steam methane reformer, will help both Suncor's 85,000-barrel-per-day refinery and Shell's 76,000-barrel-per-day refinery to produce low-sulphur transportation fuels and other petroleum products. The Air Products facility will be located on a part of the Shell Manufacturing Centre land and supply hydrogen by pipeline to Suncor. "Sarnia is one of three key Canadian refining centers and Air Products is pleased to move forward in meeting the hydrogen needs of Suncor and Shell. Combined with the recent announcement of our plant in Edmonton, we are now able to serve this second key refining center with high-reliability hydrogen supply," said Scott Sherman, Air Products' vice president and general manager for Energy and Process Industries worldwide. "Canadian refiners have increasing hydrogen demands, which will continue to grow as more oil sands crude is processed. We are very pleased to be able to participate in that growth." "Building a single hydrogen plant that serves multiple customers creates economic and environmental benefits for our companies. In an increasingly competitive environment, this deal represents an innovative and efficient approach to how we do our business," said Marc Mageau, general manager at Shell's Sarnia Manufacturing Centre. Air Products, in March 2004, announced plans for a 71 MMSCFD hydrogen production plant to be built in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to be on-stream in April 2006, as well as plans for a second larger hydrogen production facility to be located in the same region and on-stream in 2008 to meet anticipated growth. To view the full text of this announcement, visit Air Products' online Press Room at http://www.airproducts.com/PressRoom/CompanyNews/Archived/2004/04221_26Jul04.htm. DATASOURCE: Air Products CONTACT: Media Inquiries: (Air Products): Art George, +1-610-481-1340, e-mail: ; (Suncor): Jason Vaillant, +1-519-383-3691; (Shell Canada): Lesley Taylor, +1-416-227-7146; or (Technip-Coflexip): Sylvie Hallemans, tel: +33 (0) 1 47 78 34 85, e-mail: ; or Investor Inquiries: (Air Products): Alex Masetti, +1-610-481-7461, e-mail: Web site: http://www.airproducts.com/

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