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 ($, per barrel)




                  1998         1999        2000        2001         2002        2003        2004         2005       1998-2004 Avg.

                                                                                              
January           1.92         1.92        3.42        7.84         2.69        3.67        6.34         5.48            3.97
February          3.22         0.76        6.07        4.91         2.58        8.62        7.30         7.00            4.78
March             3.32         3.44        5.71        6.03         5.60        7.54        7.69                         5.62
April             4.51         3.44        6.25       13.15         5.17        7.51       10.30                         7.19
May               5.76         2.78        7.74       16.94         4.89        6.77       13.27                         8.31
June              5.83         3.33       12.24        7.19         6.19        5.66        9.87                         7.19
July              4.50         3.86        3.89        4.68         5.89        5.78        9.87                         5.50
August            3.30         4.67        5.05       11.72         4.31       10.14        6.02                         6.46
September         3.12         3.95        6.73       10.79         4.87        8.86        7.29                         6.52
October           3.11         3.22        7.52        5.47         8.63        6.71        6.31                         5.85
November          2.24         4.45        5.12        4.83         5.75        3.79        6.04                         4.60
December          1.84         2.46        5.08        2.95         4.49        3.65        3.67                         3.45
Average           3.56         3.19        6.24        8.04         5.09        6.56        7.83         6.24            5.79