ExxonMobil Introduces Innovative Aromatics Treatment Technology.

Olgone(sm) provides economical, easy-to-implement alternative to clay treatment

HOUSTON -- ExxonMobil Chemical Technology Licensing LLC today announced the commercialization of its new Olgone technology for more effective and environmentally sound removal of olefins from aromatics streams. Olgone is a catalyst-driven technology that provides aromatics plant operators with an alternative to the clay treaters currently used to reduce olefin content. Olgone is more effective than clay treaters in removing olefinic materials that can interfere with downstream equipment, adsorbents, sieves and catalysts.

The new technology can offer significant benefits in terms of operating and capital costs, solid waste reduction, downstream protection, and operations improvement. It is easily retrofitted into existing clay treaters and operates at the same process conditions, making transition to this technology simple and trouble-free.

Olgone employs the same basic chemistry as conventional clay systems to remove olefins, but its processing capacity is 4 to 6 times that of clay, thanks to a proprietary catalyst system specifically engineered for low-temperature alkylation reactions. The Olgone catalyst offers improved environmental performance as it is regenerable, unlike the clay that it replaces.

"We've been using the process in our own aromatics plants for a number of years and are extremely pleased with its superior performance," says David Starkey, Global Xylenes Licensing Manager, ExxonMobil Chemical Technology Licensing. "It is going to be especially welcome news for plant operators who are now struggling with very short clay treater cycles or wish to expand throughput. Olgone provides a way to debottleneck without the large capital investment of adding new clay treater vessels."

ExxonMobil Chemical Technology Licensing, LLC is a globally recognized licensor of proprietary technologies, either directly or through arrangements with other licensing companies. The technology offerings span petrochemical and polymer sectors including manufacturing technologies for tubular / autoclave LDPE, polypropylene, xylene, paraxylene, benzene, mixed xylenes, ethylbenzene, cumene, propylene and ethylene with supporting proprietary catalyst offerings in the aromatics process technology areas. For additional information see the ExxonMobil Chemical web site at www.ExxonMobilChemical.com and click on the "Technology" menu.

ExxonMobil Chemical is a global leader in technology, product quality and customer service with petrochemical manufacturing and/or marketing operations in more than 150 countries around the world. Its products include olefins, aromatics, fluids, synthetic rubber, polyethylene, polypropylene, oriented polypropylene packaging films, plasticizers, synthetic lubricant basestocks and additives for fuels and lubricants.

Editor's notes:

1) ExxonMobil, the ExxonMobil logo, the interlocking X and Olgone are trademarks or service marks of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

2) The terms "ExxonMobil", "ExxonMobil Chemical", and "ExxonMobil Chemical Technology Licensing LLC" refer collectively to some or all of the companies affiliated with Exxon Mobil Corporation which have chemical manufacturing and/or marketing operations around the world.