Re Contract

ABB Ltd
12 September 2000


ABB Corporate Communications         ABB Investor Relations, Zurich
John Fox                             Pia Irell
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ABB awarded US$ 260-million offshore Khuff gas project

Includes installation of new network and processing platform 

Zurich, Switzerland, September 12, 2000 - Global technology group ABB said today
it has won a US$260-million contract to design the offshore Khuff gas project in
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for an operating arm of the Abu Dhabi National
Oil Company (ADNOC).

ABB said the scope of contract includes modifications and technology upgrades of
13 existing gas platforms and the construction of two new platforms. The
platforms have topside weights of 4,400 tons and 1,200 tons and are being
developed and constructed in water that is between 20 and 30 meters deep.

ABB was awarded the contract by ADMA-OPCO, an operating arm of ADNOC, which is
located in Abu Dhabi. ADNOC's 70-percent owned construction company, National
Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), is the designated fabricator and
constructor for the project.

The contract, a further confirmation of ABB's strong position in the oil, gas
and petrochemicals area, follows closely behind four key deals. Today, ABB said
it has agreed to invest US$ 100 million in Sinopec Corp., Asia's largest
refiner, through an Initial Public Offering (IPO). Late last month, the group
announced it had entered a majority-owned joint venture to acquire a
polypropylene technology that will extend its petrochemcial business. In late
July, ABB won a US$ 574 million order, together with Petrofac International Ltd
of the U.S., to design and build a natural gas processing plant for the Ohanet
gas fields in Algeria. And, in June, the group said it had agreed to buy the oil
and gas activities - as well as the installation business - of Umoe ASA, a
leading Norwegian service company in the oil and gas industry.

The ABB Group (www.abb.com) serves customers in power transmission and
distribution; automation; oil, gas, and petrochemicals; building technologies;
and in financial services. With novel IT applications, tailored software
solutions, growing eBusiness and a fast-expanding knowledge and service base,
ABB is building links to the new economy. The ABB Group employs about 160,000
people in more than 100 countries.



This release is not an offer of securities in the United States; securities may
not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the
Securities Act or an exemption therefrom.  Any public offer of securities to be
made in the United States will be made by means of a prospectus, which may be
obtained from the Issuer.  The prospectus will contain detailed information
regarding the company and management, as well as financial statements.  The
Issuer intends to register a portion of its proposed offering in the United
States.  Neither this document nor anything contained herein shall form the
basis of any contract or commitment whatsoever.