10/5/2004 CHEMICAL BUSINESS NEWSBASE - Biofuels, aimed at reducing varioustypes of atmospheric pollution related to transport systems, are in anactive phase of development in Western Europe, and particularly in France,spurred on by the Public Authorities. Within this framework, Technip hasrecently won six contracts, worth about EUR 35 M altogether, for ethanoland biodiesel units, which for most of them, implement the Technip Group'sproprietary Speichim technologies.

In France, Technip has won an engineering contract from Diester Industriefor a biofuel production unit, based on an IFP process, to be located atSete. This new unit, with a 160,000 tonnes/y capacity of vegetable oilsmethyl esters should begin production at the end of 2005. In France,Technip has been awarded, by Ryssen Distilleries, a turnkey project forthe construction of a drinks-grade, industrial-grade and fuel-gradeethanol distillery. This contract covers a unit with a capacity of 350,000lts/day to be installed at the port of Dunkirk. Construction work beganduring Feb 2004 and start-up is scheduled within the first weeks of 2005.

Also in France, Technip has completed a turnkey contract for Sedalcol, anaffiliate of the Tate and Lyle group, on its site at Nesle. This project,covering a 120,000-lts/day unit for the production of fuel-grade,industrial-grade and drinks-grade ethanol, was carried out in 11 months.In the Netherlands, Technip has won from Nedalco a contract for a120,000-lts/day unit to be located at Sas Van Gent. The contract coversthe turnkey supply of distillation-rectification and fermentation sectionsfor drinks-grade and industrial-grade ethanol. For this 12-month project,Technip will also supervise start-up, stated for Jul 2005.

Technip has signed with Russian Standard Vodka ltd a contract for a newdistillery, which will be located at Saint Petersburg and will have aproduction capacity of 40,000 lt/day of very high-grade ethanol. Technipis responsible for design, equipment supply and assistance duringconstruction and start-up for the distillation-rectification section.Delivery is scheduled for the end of 2004. In Pakistan, Technip has won anengineering contract from United Ethanol Industries Ltd.

The contract covers basic design, construction assistance and start-up ofa grassroots distillery. Start-up of this distillery, which will have aproduction capacity of 120,000 lts/day of drinks-grade andindustrial-grade ethanol, is scheduled for early 2005. Headquartered inParis, Technip ranks among the top five corporations in the field of oil,gas and petrochemical engineering, construction and services.