Albemarle's New Ketjenfine(R) 868 Nickel-Molybdenum Catalyst Enhances Hydrocracking Performance

Cost-effective catalyst improves hydroprocessing output and profitability


BATON ROUGE, La., Oct. 8  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Albemarle Corporation, (NYSE:ALB), a leading global supplier of innovative petroleum refining catalysts and additives, introduces another new product, Ketjenfine® 868, designed to significantly improve the performance of vacuum gas oil ("VGO") hydrocracking pretreatment performance.  Also known as "KF 868," the new product is built on Albemarle's patented STARS(TM) technology and offers best-in-class hydroprocessing activity for VGO units where both high aromatics saturation and hydrodenitrogenation activity are required.

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More specifically, KF 868 is designed to improve VGO hydrocracking operation by:

  --  Optimizing catalyst cycle length;
  --  Increasing throughput;
  --  Applying more selective hydrocracking catalysts, and;

  --  Enabling refiners to process cheaper, lower-quality feedstocks without
      additional capital expenditure.



KF 868 is the latest in a long line of groundbreaking catalysts from Albemarle, a longstanding leader in hydroprocessing catalyst product performance, technical innovation, product quality and technical service.  This new product provides step-out performance and represents the high-end solution for hydrocracking pretreatment units, thus becoming a major asset for the Hydroprocessing Alliance between Albemarle and Honeywell's UOP.

"Albemarle is setting new benchmarks with KF 868 as the premium nickel-molybdenum catalyst for VGO hydrocracking pre-treat refining," said Scott Martin, division vice president of Albemarle's hydroprocessing catalysts (HPC) business.  "We believe this powerful product heralds a new generation of hydroprocessing catalysts that offer exciting new technological and economic advantages to address the complex challenges currently facing the refinery world."

"With the roll out of yet another major breakthrough technology on the heels of our very successful Ketjenfine 770 product, our HPC team continues to drive innovation and deliver performance and value to the world's refineries," said John Nicols, vice president of Albemarle's catalyst group.   "Albemarle is poised to launch additional new hydroprocessing products soon, as we continue to build a portfolio which is second to none in the market."

The new KF 868 technology was developed by Albemarle and Nippon Ketjen and will be available on a worldwide basis through Albemarle, Nippon Ketjen and the UOP-Albemarle Hydroprocessing Alliance.

The Hydroprocessing Alliance is a unique collaboration of resources from Albemarle and UOP to deliver the most comprehensive portfolio of processes, catalysts, equipment and services available. The Alliance offers tailored hydroprocessing solutions that optimize unit performance and improve yields in refineries worldwide.

About Albemarle Corporation

Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer and marketer of highly engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics; petroleum and petrochemical processing; transportation and industrial products; pharmaceuticals; agricultural products; and construction and packaging materials.  The Company operates in three business segments -- Polymer Solutions, Catalysts and Fine Chemicals -- and serves customers in approximately 100 countries.  Learn more about Albemarle at: http://www.albemarle.com/.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K. 

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DATASOURCE: Albemarle Corporation



CONTACT:  Stephanie Dixon, Media, [phone], or

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