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                                                                 Exhibit (a)(8)


                                                     Contact: Barry N. Huntsman
                                                                 (318) 237-5300

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                    AMBAR ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO BE ACQUIRED
                BY THE BEACON GROUP ENERGY INVESTMENT FUND, L.P.

         LAFAYETTE, LA., July 1, 1996 -- AMBAR, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMBR) announced
today that it has executed a definitive agreement with The Beacon Group Energy
Investment Fund, L.P. for the acquisition of all of its common shares.

         Under the agreement, an affiliate of the Beacon fund will commence a
tender offer for all of AMBAR's shares at a price of $18 per share. Following
the successful completion of the tender offer, the remaining shares will be
acquired at the same price through a merger with the Beacon affiliate.

         In connection with the merger agreement, Beacon has also entered into
an agreement to purchase the 51% of AMBAR's shares currently owned by Randolph
M. Moity, the company's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer and the
6% of AMBAR's shares owned by Kenneth J. Boutte, an AMBAR director.

         AMBAR's Board of Directors has approved the tender offer, merger and
stock purchase agreements and has recommended that AMBAR's stockholders accept
the tender offer. The Board has received the opinion of Raymond James &
Associates, Inc. that the transaction is fair, from a financial point of view,
to the company's stockholders. The tender offer and merger are subject to
various conditions, including that at least 90% of the company's outstanding
shares be tendered.

         Mr. Moity noted that "This acquisition provides a very attractive cash
price to our stockholders and recognizes the value we at AMBAR have created. The
Board of Directors of the company is pleased to recommend unanimously the
transaction to the company's stockholders."

         AMBAR designs, blends and markets certain fluids and chemicals, and
provides environmental services, primarily along the Louisiana and Texas Gulf
Coast.

         The Beacon Group Energy Investment Fund, L.P. is a $658 million equity
limited partnership focused on strategic investments in the energy industry. It
is affiliated with The Beacon Group, a private investment partnership in New
York, which is also engaged in non-energy investments through its Focus Value
Fund and provides strategic advisory services to public and private companies.
