                                                               Exhibit 99.17



           (Text of graph posted to Ashland Inc.'s website concerning
                            Chicago 3-2-1 Crack Spreads)


                           CHICAGO 3-2-1 CRACK SPREADS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

             1998         1999        2000        2001        2002        2003         2004       1998-2003 Avg.
             ----         ----        ----        ----        ----        ----         ----       --------------

<S>          <C>          <C>        <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>          <C>             <C>
January      1.92         1.92        3.42        7.84        2.69        3.67         6.34            3.58


February     3.22         0.76        6.07        4.91        2.58        8.62         7.30            4.36


March        3.32         3.44        5.71        6.03        5.60        7.54         7.69            5.27


April        4.51         3.44        6.25       13.15        5.17        7.51        10.30            6.67


May          5.76         2.78        7.74       16.94        4.89        6.77        13.27            7.48


June         5.83         3.33       12.24        7.19        6.19        5.66         9.87            6.74


July         4.50         3.86        3.89        4.68        5.89        5.78         9.87            4.77


August       3.30         4.67        5.05       11.72        4.31       10.14         6.02            6.53


September    3.12         3.95        6.73       10.79        4.87        8.86         7.29            6.39


October      3.11         3.22        7.52        5.47        8.63        6.71         6.31            5.78


November     2.24         4.45        5.12        4.83        5.75        3.79                         4.36


December     1.84         2.46        5.08        2.95        4.49        3.65                         3.41


Average      3.56         3.19        6.24        8.04        5.09        6.56         8.43            5.44

</TABLE>


