SUNOCO HOSTS OPEN-HOUSE CELEBRATION AT ITS NEWLY ACQUIRED TECHNOLOGY & COMMERCIAL CENTER IN HAZELWOOD

Business and community leaders and local elected officials tour the state-of-the-art chemicals research facility formerly operated by Pittsburgh-based Aristech Chemical Corp.

PITTSBURGH, October 12, 2001 – Sunoco, Inc. hosted an open-house celebration at its newly acquired Technology & Commercial Center in the Pittsburgh Technology Center. Chairman and CEO John G. Drosdick welcomed business and community leaders and elected officials from the Pittsburgh region to the state-of-the-art chemical research center.

Pennsylvania-based Sunoco purchased Pittsburgh’s Aristech Chemical Corporation in January 2001 from Mitsubishi Corporation, enhancing the company’s commitment to southwestern Pennsylvania and its strategic focus in the chemicals business. The acquisition included the research center and five chemical plants, including one at Neville Island that employs 107 people. Sunoco is one of the nation’s largest petroleum refining and marketing companies and has expanded its chemicals business in recent years. Sunoco is the leading gasoline brand in the Pittsburgh region with over 150 stations and convenience stores.

"The successful integration of Aristech into our organization has enabled us to be more competitive in the chemicals industry. This is an important step in Sunoco’s growth in this industry and in our home state," said Drosdick. "Through this acquisition, our chemicals business has doubled and, more importantly, we have further solidified the strength of the technology-based chemicals industry in Pittsburgh’s changing economy. We are extremely pleased with the enthusiasm and talent of the new employees who have become an integral part of the Sunoco team." Sunoco now employs almost 1,000 people in the region and over 6,000 across Pennsylvania.

Barbara McNees, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, joined Drosdick at the event.

Ms. McNees lauded Sunoco for its plans to play a more integral role in the region’s business community. "Sunoco’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with the Pittsburgh region and its business community is commendable," said McNees. "The company is genuinely excited about the opportunities to be involved in leadership of our region's cultural and civic organizations."

"Sunoco is a strong company with a century of history in Pennsylvania and a long record as a solid and responsible corporate citizen," said Mayor Tom Murphy when asked. "The impact of Sunoco’s enhanced presence in the region will indeed be noteworthy."

In addition to the research center in Hazelwood and the plant at Neville Island, Sunoco obtained chemical plants in Neal, West Virginia; Haverhill, Ohio; and Pasadena and LaPorte, Texas, through the acquisition. Annually, these plants have the capacity to produce 1.5 billion pounds of polypropylene, more than 1.6 billion of phenol and related derivatives, including bisphenol-A, and 800 million of plasticizers and related feedstocks. The five production facilities employ 1,100 people.

According to Drosdick, Sunoco purchased Aristech’s chemical plants and the research center in Pittsburgh in order to create a "platform for expansion" in today’s research-driven, high-growth petrochemical industry.

"This acquisition will provide enhanced earnings power for our company and will establish a platform for expansion in product lines having high demand growth," said Drosdick. "The polypropylene and phenol businesses integrate well with our existing chemical operations and are a significant step in upgrading Sunoco’s portfolio of businesses. We have acquired excellent facilities that were recently expanded and modernized by Aristech and we are quickly realizing synergies within Sunoco Chemicals through the integration of marketing, distribution, feedstocks and corporate services."

Sunoco, Inc. (NYSE: SUN), headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, is a leading manufacturer and marketer of petroleum and petrochemical products. With 730,000 barrels per day of refining capacity, approximately 4,100 retail sites selling gasoline and convenience items, interests in over 10,000 miles of crude oil and refined product pipelines and 35 product terminals, Sunoco is one of the largest independent refiner-marketers in the United States. Sunoco is a growing force in petrochemicals with over nine billion pounds of gross annual production capacity, largely chemical intermediates used in the manufacture of fibers, plastics, film and resins. Utilizing a unique, patented technology, Sunoco also manufactures almost two million tons annually of high-quality metallurgical-grade coke for use in the steel industry. For additional information, visit Sunoco’s web site at www.sunocoinc.com.