VLS.L Regulatory News (VLS)

27 May 2008 07:00



27th May 2008

OXFORD CATALYSTS GROUP PLC

 ("Oxford Catalysts" or "the Company")

Safety Classification for Instant Steam

Oxford Catalysts, the leading catalyst innovator for clean fuels, is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed the safety classification process for the transport and handing of its unique fuel mixture for making 'Instant Steam'.

The work involved a comprehensive hazard identification process using external consultants, and the performance of a series of detailed physical characterisation tests at independent safety laboratories, including a national health and safety organisation. Amongst the properties tested were the flammability, thermal stability and ignition of the fuel.

Safety is a critical component to launching any new chemical process; completing these tests and obtaining the appropriate safety classification is essential to satisfying the relevant regulations, and represents a significant milestone in the commercialisation of Instant Steam.

In October 2007, the Company entered into a memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with a world-leading fast moving consumer goods ("FMCG") multinational to explore the use of Oxford Catalysts' proprietary technology for Instant Steam. Chemically generated Trigger Steam could help bring the many benefits of using steam in cleaning and disinfection applications to a much wider population of users. 

Roy Lipski, Chief Executive of Oxford Catalysts said:

"We are delighted that the fuel has been successfully classified. All fuels contain energy and these tests have shown that our fuel mixture is safe under normal operating conditions. This is an important step for commercialising our Instant Steam technology. Achieving this classification proves that the components and chemistry of our technology are safe for commercial use."

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Notes to Editors

Oxford Catalysts Group PLC, the leading catalyst innovator for clean fuels, designs and develops specialty catalysts for the generation of clean fuels from both conventional fossil fuels and certain renewable sources such as bio-waste. Its patented technology is the result of almost 20 years of research at the University of Oxford's prestigious Wolfson Catalysis Centre, headed by Professor Malcolm Green, one of the world's most respected inorganic chemists. Oxford Catalysts was founded by Professor Green and Dr Xiao in October 2004.

Oxford Catalysts' strategy is to license its catalysts for commercial application by entering into co-development partnerships with leading manufacturers, producers and suppliers in the petroleum, petrochemicals, biogas, steam applications and catalysis markets.

Oxford Catalysts has two key platform technologies. The first is for a novel class of catalysts incorporating metal carbides, which can match or exceed the benefits of traditional precious metal catalysts, at a lower cost, for several key processes used in the petroleum and petrochemical industries. Applications of these metal-carbide catalysts include the removal of sulphur from crude oil fractions (known as hydro-desulphurisation or HDS), the conversion of natural gas, coal or bio-mass into virtually sulphur-free liquid fuels via the Fischer-Tropsch reaction (known as the GTL, CTL and BTL processes respectively), and the transformation of biogas (waste methane) into syngas − the building block of liquid fuels.

The second platform relates to a unique chemical reaction which can be used to generate steam at temperatures between 100ºC and 600ºC+, instantaneously, starting from room temperature, using a cheap liquid fuel alongside the Company's patented catalysts. Such unprecedented Instant Steam could have important applications in a broad range of markets, from cleaning and disinfecting, to green energy in the form of motive power or electricity.

Oxford Catalysts Group PLC is listed on London's AIM market (coding symbol OCG). 

www.oxfordcatalysts.com