UOP LLC and CB&I Combine Resources to Deliver Merox(TM) Technology.

DES PLAINES, Ill. & THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- UOP LLC and CB&I (NYSE:CBI) have announced an alliance to improve technology delivery for the Merox process line throughout the Americas. UOP and CB&I will customize Merox technology and engineering services to fit each customer's business objectives and applications.

UOP will continue to develop, improve and support their Merox technology by:

--conducting research and development for the continuous innovation of the Merox process,

--providing yield estimating and performance guarantees,

--supplying Merox catalysts and activators, and

--providing start-up and troubleshooting technical services.

CB&I will provide full-service engineering capabilities to support each customer's project and implementation needs. In addition, CB&I can provide the procurement, modular fabrication and/or site construction services to deliver the most cost-effective Merox unit installation. UOP LLC and CB&I will also continue to develop basic engineering (Schedule A) design packages for other contractors as needed.

The Merox process efficiently and economically treats hydrocarbon streams to remove mercaptan sulfur or to convert mercaptan sulfur to less-objectionable disulfides. This process can be used to treat liquids such as liquefied petroleum gases, natural-gas liquids, naphthas, gasolines, kerosenes, jet fuels, and heating oils. It can also be used to treat gases such as natural gas, refinery gas, and synthetic gas in conjunction with conventional pre-treatment and post-treatment processes. Merox inquiries may be directed to either UOP or CB&I.

CB&I is one of the world's leading engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies, specializing in lump-sum turnkey projects for customers that produce, process, store and distribute the world's natural resources. With more than 60 locations and approximately 10,000 employees throughout the world, CB&I capitalizes on its global expertise and local knowledge to safely and reliably deliver projects virtually anywhere.

UOP LLC, headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., U.S.A., is a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, process plants, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries.