Air Liquide has operated a plant in Provo for close to 40 years, producing gases - including oxygen, nitrogen, helium and argon - used in a variety of industrial applications, company spokesman Michael Rosen said.

"The resurgence of oil and gas drilling and production in the Rocky Mountain region presents us with an opportunity to expand our business and serve the growing demand from our customers," he said.

The company has yet to select a site for the new Salt Lake City plant although Rosen said Air Liquide hopes construction will be under way in about six months. It hopes production from the new facility can begin in late 2007.

Air Liquide's business essentially revolves around taking air and separating it into its component gases. It then ships those gases to customers though pipelines, in cryogenically cooled trucks and pressurized cylinders.

Jim Springer, spokesman for the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, noted that production companies frequently inject carbon dioxide into wells as a pressurizing agent to enhance the recovery of crude.

While Air Liquide's new plant will occupy a plot of land that measures only 150-by-300 feet, Rosen said the company will need up to 5 acres to handle truck traffic. The company, though, isn't planning on hiring additional Utah employees for the new plant. Instead, the new Salt Lake City plant will be managed by the company's existing staff of about 30 Utahns now working in Provo.

"We'll be taking advantage of some operating efficiencies that are available to us," Rosen said.

Air Liquide Industrial U.S. is part of France-based Air Liquide, which claims about 4,000 employees in the U.S. and approximately 36,000 workers worldwide.

steve@sltrib.com