FIRMS TO HIKE FRENCH OUTLAYS

May 28, 1990

Ste. Nationale Elf Aquitaine and BP France plan to step up outlays on their French refining and marketing operations. Elf will spend a total of $540 million in 1990-93 on refining and marketing in France. Part of Elf's outlays will go for installation of a 230,000 metric ton/year hydrotreater at its Grandspuits refinery east of Paris and a 145,000 ton/year alkylation unit at its Feyzin refinery near Lyon.

Ste. Nationale Elf Aquitaine and BP France plan to step up outlays on their French refining and marketing operations.

Elf will spend a total of $540 million in 1990-93 on refining and marketing in France.

Part of Elf's outlays will go for installation of a 230,000 metric ton/year hydrotreater at its Grandspuits refinery east of Paris and a 145,000 ton/year alkylation unit at its Feyzin refinery near Lyon.

In marketing, Elf will spend $342 million to build 600 "luxury" grade service stations and upgrade another 900 service stations to that standard. As part of those outlays, Elf will refurbish an additional 2,700 gasoline outlets in the less profitable rural areas.

Elf will continue plans to shrink its service station network to 4,300 outlets by 1993 from the current 5,300.

BP France will spend $144 million on an isomerization complex at its Lavera refinery in Southeast France to meet growing demand for unleaded gasoline. The complex is due on stream in first quarter 1992.