EXCEL PARALUBES INCREASES PLANT CAPACITY

WESTLAKE, La., April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Excel Paralubes, the base oil joint venture (partnership) between Conoco Inc. (NYSE: COC) and Pennzoil- Quaker State Company (NYSE: PZL), has increased the plant's Group II base oil capacity to 21,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), a 17 percent increase over the plant's original design capacity.

The significant increase in Group II base oil capacity was generated by a robust quality system that promotes continuous improvement of both product quality and production capability.

The partnership also said the facility was QS 9000 certified within its first year of operation under the standard formulated by Chrysler, Ford and General Motors. The QS 9000 certification process incorporates ISO 9000 standards with additional elements to ensure continuous improvement.

Group II base oils, typically produced by severe hydrogen processing, contain greater than 90-percent saturated molecules and less than 0.03 percent sulfur. Traditional solvent refined base oils, classed as Group I, generally contain less than 90-percent saturated molecules and more than 0.03 percent sulfur.

"By harnessing new technology, quality systems and process configuration, we've been able to achieve a highly competitive position in the base oil industry," said Eric Johnson, Excel Paralubes manager. "We expect additional growth in plant capacity in 2000 as we optimize our process catalysts."

Conoco is a major, integrated energy company based in Houston and active in 40 countries.

Pennzoil-Quaker State is a leading worldwide automotive consumer
products company.
SOURCE Conoco Inc.

-0-                             04/28/99 /CONTACT:  Lynn Hohensee of 
Conoco Inc., 318-497-4834/ 

/Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990323/CONOCOLOGO or NewsCom, 213-237-5431/

/Web site: http://www.pennzoil-quakerstate.com/ /Web site: http://www.conoco.com/

(COC PZL)
CO: Conoco Inc.; Excel Paralubes; Pennzoil-Quaker State Company ST:
Texas, Louisiana IN: OIL SU: JVN