SUNOCO REPORTS FIRST QUARTER RESULTS

Philadelphia, May 5, 2005 -- Sunoco, Inc. (NYSE: SUN) today reported net income of $116 million ($1.67 per share diluted) for the first quarter of 2005 versus $89 million ($1.17 per share diluted) for the 2004 first quarter. “Our first quarter results reflect an excellent start to 2005,” said John G. Drosdick, Sunoco Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “While Refining and Supply results were up only modestly versus the first-quarter 2004, significantly higher Chemicals earnings, lower net financing expenses and nine percent fewer shares outstanding enabled us to increase earnings per share by 43 percent versus the year-ago quarter. With favorable market conditions entering the driving season, momentum remains positive for the Company.” Regarding the first quarter’s results, Drosdick said, “Our Refining and Supply business continued to lead the way, earning $108 million for the quarter. Margins, although lower than the 2004 fourth quarter in the Northeast, were still well above historical norms. Our Refining and Supply results also benefited from three percent higher production than last year’s first quarter and increased use of discounted high-acid crude oils in Northeast Refining. We have gradually increased our processing of such crudes over the past three quarters and averaged approximately 48,000 barrels per day in the first quarter. With continued strong discounts to light-sweet crude oils, we would expect to process approximately 60,000 - 70,000 barrels per day of high-acid crude oils in the second quarter. Without new units or additional capital, our refining organization has met the challenges of processing these crude oils, improving our refining margins, and increasing our crude oil options for the future. “Chemicals improved most significantly versus last year’s first quarter, earning $33 million versus $12 million a year ago. Despite continued feedstock cost pressures, Chemicals results have improved year-on-year for eight consecutive quarters. Fundamentals remain positive and we expect the recovery to continue. “In other businesses, Retail Marketing lost $8 million, as retail margins could not keep pace with persistently rising wholesale prices, which increased over 40 cents per gallon during the quarter. As we approach the peak driving season, market conditions for this business are improved. “Coke and Logistics earned $10 million and $3 million, respectively, in the quarter. We completed startup of our new coke plant in Haverhill, Ohio in late March. This plant is expected to increase annual Coke earnings by approximately $12 million and provide low-cost steam to our adjacent Chemicals phenol facility. Logistics earnings include a $3 million after-tax charge associated with a pipeline spill on the Mid-Valley crude oil pipeline. “We also continued to act on our strategy to return cash to our shareholders. During the quarter, we increased our dividend by 33 percent, repurchased 724,500 shares ($70 million) and had our share repurchase authorization increased by $500 million. With a strong balance sheet and a favorable market outlook, we have the financial capacity to continue to invest in our existing assets while opportunistically growing the portfolio and returning cash to our shareholders.” DETAILS OF FIRST QUARTER RESULTS REFINING AND SUPPLY Refining and Supply earned $108 million in the current quarter versus $100 million in the first quarter of 2004. The $8 million increase was largely due to higher realized margins and higher production volumes. The first quarter of 2004 included significant scheduled maintenance activity in MidContinent Refining. Partially offsetting these positive variances were higher expenses, including fuel and other energy-related expenditures. Total crude unit throughput averaged 875 thousand barrels daily (97 percent utilization) for the quarter, with total production available for sale approximating 83 million barrels. RETAIL MARKETING Retail Marketing had a loss of $8 million in the first quarter of 2005 versus a loss of $4 million in the first quarter of 2004. The decrease in results was due largely to lower retail margins for gasoline and distillate, partially offset by lower expenses. Current quarter results included a $2 million income contribution from the ConocoPhillips sites acquired in April 2004. CHEMICALS Chemicals earned $33 million in the first quarter of 2005 versus $12 million in the prior-year period. The increase in earnings was due largely to higher realized margins for phenol and polypropylene. Total sales volumes and expenses were largely unchanged versus the year-ago period. LOGISTICS Earnings for the Logistics segment were $3 million versus $8 million in the year-ago period. The decline in earnings was due largely to the $3 million after-tax charge associated with the Mid-Valley pipeline spill and a $2 million unfavorable tax adjustment. COKE The Coke business earned $10 million in the first quarter of 2005 versus $9 million in the first quarter of 2004. CORPORATE AND OTHER Corporate administrative expenses were $16 million after tax in the current quarter versus $12 million in the comparable quarter last year. The increase was largely due to higher employee-related expenses, primarily accruals for stock-based incentive compensation. Net financing expenses were $14 million after tax in the first quarter of 2005 versus $24 million in the prior-year quarter. The decrease was primarily due to lower interest expense resulting from 2004 debt restructuring activities and increased capitalized interest. Sunoco, Inc., headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, is a leading manufacturer and marketer of petroleum and petrochemical products. With 900,000 barrels per day of refining capacity, approximately 4,800 retail sites selling gasoline and convenience items, over 4,300 miles of crude oil and refined product owned and operated pipelines and 38 product terminals, Sunoco is one of the largest independent refiner-marketers in the United States. Sunoco is a significant manufacturer of petrochemicals with annual sales of approximately five billion pounds, largely chemical intermediates used to make fibers, plastics, film and resins. Utilizing a unique, patented technology, Sunoco also has the capacity to manufacture over 2.5 million tons annually of high-quality metallurgical-grade coke for use in the steel industry. Anyone interested in obtaining further insights into the first quarter's results can monitor the Company's quarterly teleconference call, which is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET today (May 5, 2005). It can be accessed through Sunoco's Web site - www.SunocoInc.com. It is suggested that you visit the site prior to the teleconference to ensure that you have downloaded any necessary software. Those statements made in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Although Sunoco believes that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and necessarily involve risks that may affect Sunoco's business prospects and performance causing actual results to differ from those discussed in the foregoing release. Such risks and uncertainties include, by way of example and not of limitation: general business and economic conditions; competitive products and pricing; effects of weather conditions and natural disasters on the Company’s operating facilities and on product supply and demand; changes in refining, marketing and chemical margins; variation in petroleum-based commodity prices and availability of crude oil and feedstock supply or transportation; effects of transportation disruptions; changes in the price differentials between light-sweet and heavy-sour crude oils; fluctuations in supply of feedstocks and demand for products manufactured; changes in product specifications; availability and pricing of oxygenates; phase-outs or restrictions on the use of MTBE; changes in operating conditions and costs; changes in the expected level of environmental capital, operating or remediation expenditures; age of, and changes in the reliability and efficiency of, the Company’s or a third party’s operating facilities; potential equipment malfunction; potential labor relations problems; the legislative and regulatory environment; ability to identify acquisitions, execute them under favorable terms and integrate them into the Company’s existing businesses; ability to enter into joint ventures and other similar arrangements with favorable terms; plant construction/repair delays; nonperformance by major customers, suppliers, dealers, distributors or other business partners; changes in financial markets impacting pension expense and funding requirements; political and economic conditions, including the impact of potential terrorist acts and international hostilities; and changes in the status of, or initiation of new, litigation. These and other applicable risks and uncertainties have been described more fully in Sunoco's 2004 Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2005 and in other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Sunoco undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information or future events.