Bangkok--26 May--PTT Aromatics and Refining Today (May 26 2008) at 13.00 hrs., Mr. Permsak Shevawattananon, CEO of PTT Aromatics and Refining Public Company Limited (PTTAR), signed a 9-year loan agreement totaling Baht 6,000 million with Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited. Mr. Permsak Shevawattananon, CEO of PTTAR, said, “This loan agreement has marked another achievement in reducing the company’s operating expenses and debt restructuring to improve our financial flexibility. The Revolving Basis loan will enable the company to withdraw and prepay the loan any time during the lending period. The fund received will be used in the expansion and efficiency improvement projects for greater synergy between refinery and aromatics plants and/or used as working capital for general corporate purpose and/or to refinance the existing debts to reduce interest expense and improve overall average loan life for the company’s enhanced flexibility in financial management.” PTTAR, Thailand’s largest integrated aromatics refinery, has scheduled the commercial run of its Aromatics Complex II in September 2008. The Upgrading Complex Phase I will process condensate residue, a by-product from aromatics plant, into higher-value refined products e.g. jet A-1, diesel, with scheduled completion in Q1/2009. In addition, PTTAR’s expansion and efficiency improvement projects between refinery and aromatics plants consist of I Efficiency Improvement Project (EIP) of Aromatics Complex 1, II Refinery’s Mercury Removal Unit (MRU) Project to maximize refinery efficiency to refine higher mercury crude, III Transferring Hydrogen Project from Aromatics Complex II to refinery, IV Upgrading Complex Phase II (DHDS) to boost the quality of diesel to have low sulfur content for EURO IV standard, and V Aromatics Complex II Revamp Project. All projects are scheduled for completion within 5 years.