Phillips Reaches Fuel Agreement with Conoco

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. -- Phillips Petroleum Co. yesterday signed a corporate licensing agreement with Houston-based Conoco Inc. for the application of Phillips' S Zorb Sulfur Removal Technology (SRT) for gasoline at Conoco's refineries.

The agreement includes an option for Conoco to use S Zorb SRT at one or more of Conoco's four U.S. refineries and a refinery in England. The Conoco license is one of four major license agreements for S Zorb SRT, which is currently licensed for use at a total of 15 refineries in the United States and abroad.

"We're seeing refiners continue to carefully review sulfur removal technologies, taking into consideration both economic and performance issues," said Brian Evans, manager of Phillips' fuels technology division. "Refiners who use Phillips' S Zorb technology are getting a proven process that delivers an environmentally friendly product with a minimal loss in octane and very little hydrogen consumption."

Phillips' S Zorb SRT was developed to help oil companies comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Tier II and the European Commission's Auto Oil sulfur regulatory levels. A 6,000 barrel-per-day plant at Phillips' Borger, Texas, refinery has demonstrated the technology's ability to reduce gasoline sulfur content to levels below 10 parts per million.