(Archived) Praxair Starts up First LNG Plant in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, August 21, 2006 — White Martins, a subsidiary of Praxair, Inc. (NYSE:PX), has started up the first natural gas liquefaction plant in Brazil. It is also the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant to be built and operated by the company worldwide.

The plant will supply LNG to a joint venture, named GásLocal, between White Martins and Petrobras, Brazil's state-owned oil company. Located in Paulínia, in the State of São Paulo, the plant produces 14.5 million cubic feet (about 350 tons) per day of LNG which is being distributed by truck to supply regions of Brazil not serviced by natural gas pipelines. Liquefaction and distribution of natural gas is similar to processes used with other gases, such as oxygen and nitrogen, which are already supplied by White Martins.

Customers for LNG in Brazil include transportation companies, industrial customers and natural gas filling stations used by residential and commercial consumers. GásLocal already has a substantial volume of the plant's capacity under contract.

"We are looking forward to helping Petrobras expand Brazil's natural gas supply network, applying our expertise in gas production and distribution to further develop the natural gas market," said Domingos Bulus, president of White Martins. White Martins has been participating in the production and commercialization of natural gas cylinders and conversion kits for vehicles for several years.

The joint venture is expected to expand access to LNG; reduce the need for imported liquefied petroleum gas and diesel fuel; generate new jobs; and create new uses for natural gas.

White Martins is the leading industrial gases supplier in South America with operations in nine countries. White Martins' parent company, Praxair, is the largest industrial gases supplier in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 2005 sales of $7.7 billion. Praxair products, services and technologies bring productivity and environmental benefits to customers in a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, chemicals, food and beverage, electronics, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, metals and others. More information on Praxair is available on the Internet at www.praxair.com.