ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, March 23, 2009 - LyondellBasell announced today that its breakthrough Hostalen Advanced Cascade Process (Hostalen ACP) technology is now available for license to third parties. The technology’s enhanced multi-modality enables the production of high-performance resins used in demanding film, blow molding and pipe applications.

LyondellBasell produces over one million tonnes per year of Hostalen ACP resins at the following wholly-owned and joint venture locations:

• Basell Polyolefine GmbH, Wesseling, Germany - 320 KT per year, start-up 2004
• Basell Orlen Polyolefins SP. z o.o., Plock, Poland - 320 KT per year, start-up 2005
• Saudi Ethylene & Polyethylene Company, Al-Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia - 400 KT per year, start-up March 2009
• Basell Polyolefine GmbH, Münchsmünster, Germany  - 250 KT per year, start-up end of 2009

Market needs for high-performance products
Just Jansz, president of LyondellBasell’s Technology Business, commented, “The market demands high-performance HDPE, and our unique multi-modal technology effectively meets these needs. At LyondellBasell, we have already converted all of our HDPE slurry plants into the new Hostalen ACP process."

The multi-modal Hostalen ACP technology addresses customer needs that are beyond the limits of standard bi-modal HDPE, producing resins with an advanced toughness/stiffness balance, superior impact resistance, higher stress crack resistance and significantly improved processing advantages. LyondellBasell’s Hostalen ACP process enables producers to create resins that meet demanding requirements for major HDPE applications ranging from thin-wall packaging to crack-resistant pipe.

Innovative multi-modal process
A key feature of the Hostalen ACP slurry process is the multi-staged reactor cascade, which uses Ziegler catalysts (Avant Z-501 and Avant Z-509 catalysts) that tailor the multi-modal molecular weight distribution specifically required for each HDPE grade.

Retains advantages of Hostalen bi-modal process
Hostalen ACP technology retains specific attributes, such as high plant reliability, fast grade changes and high monomer conversion rates that are characteristic of its predecessor process, the Hostalen bi-modal technology. Successfully licensed for decades, the bi-modal technology represents more than seven million tonnes of capacity to date.

Join LyondellBasell’s webcast
To present the new Hostalen ACP technology LyondellBasell will conduct a webcast on April 7at 13:00 (Central Europe Time). Visitors are invited to register on www.lyondellbasell.com/technology

In addition to the Hostalen ACP process, LyondellBasell’s portfolio of licensed polyolefin technologies and associated technical services includes:

• Spherilene – advanced swing-gas-phase process for the production of monomodal and bimodal HDPE, MDPE and LLDPE.
• Lupotech  – high pressure tubular and autoclave processes for the production of LDPE and EVA copolymers
• Spheripol – leading polypropylene technology for the production of homopolymer, random and heterophasic copolymers
• Spherizone – latest-generation polypropylene technology, based on a multi-zone reactor for the production of polypropylene and novel polyolefins
• Metocene PP - innovative add-on technology for the production of specialty polypropylene products using single-site catalyst systems

Note for editorial offices: Press photographs can be downloaded from http://lyondellbasell.mediaroom.com/file.php/214/Basell+Orlen_Hostalen+ACP.tif

Photo caption: LyondellBasell produces 320 KT per year of Hostalen ACP resins at the Basell Orlen Polyolefins plant in Plock, Poland.

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LyondellBasell Industries is one of the world’s largest polymers, petrochemicals and fuels companies. We are the global leader in polyolefins technology, production and marketing; a pioneer in propylene oxide and derivatives; and a significant producer of fuels and refined products, including biofuels. Through research and development, LyondellBasell develops innovative materials and technologies that deliver exceptional customer value and products that improve quality of life for people around the world. Headquartered in The Netherlands, LyondellBasell (www.lyondellbasell.com) is privately owned by Access Industries.

For information, contact:
Media – Waldemar Oldenburger, +49 69 305 854 59