with private investors contributing. Its production capacity reaches 360,000 b/d of gas condensate.
When Zangeneh took office, Persian Gulf Star Refinery was just a piece of land next to Assaluyeh site. He stood by this project whose inauguration is approaching. According to latest remarks by Zangeneh, Iran will become self-reliant in gasoline production after Persian Gulf Star Refinery starts producing 12 million liters of euro-4 gasoline.
Some parts of this project overlapped with the period of tough sanctions, but now with openness in international interactions, the future startup of the first and largest gas condensate refinery in Iran is inspiring hopes that Iran will be able to covert gas condensate to values of higher value.
Shazand Refinery Euro-4 Gasoline Output
Alongside Zangeneh’s action for the elimination of contaminated gasoline and production of euro-4 gasoline, one must highlight efforts undertaken for high-quality fuel production at other refineries including Shazand refinery as a major gasoline production project.
Imam Khomeini Refinery in the city of Shazand is the largest single-unit refinery in Iran and is one of the most important oil refineries producing euro-4 gasoline in the country. It was launched 20 years ago, but it is still active. With a production capacity of 171,000 b/d of gasoline production, this refinery has become a center of excellence in production of fuel particularly gasoline in the country. Now, given the shift in the consumption pattern of petroleum products in the country from middle distillates to gasoline and the improvement in the quality of products in line with environmental requirements and international standards, its production capacity has increased from 170,000 b/d to 250,000 b/d. Furthermore, gasoline production has increased 12 million liters a day in exchange for reduction in fuel oil production. The refinery’s feedstock has changed from sweet and light crude oil to a blend of 55% light and 45% heavy crude oil. The refinery’s products are sold on the market with Europe 2004 and 2005 standards.
Shazand refinery is currently in such favorable conditions that the State Privatization Organization has placed Shazand Oil Refining Company on the list of companies to be privatized in the current calendar year. Of course, certain considerations must be taken into account regarding its privatization.
Now the Ministry of Petroleum is determined to continue producing high-quality gasoline even without being rewarded.
After the first phase of Persian Gulf Star Refinery comes online, 12 million liters of euro-4 gasoline will be added to the country’s gasoline mix and Iran will become self-sufficient in gasoline production.
Bandar Abbas oil refinery has reached stable production in petroleum products, except for gasoline. Now its production is rising from 8.5 to 12 million liters a day, 50% of which will be euro-4. All this indicates the government’s firm determination for fundamental changes in this sector.
Iran has yet to reach an ideal point in gasoline production. Last calendar year alone, 62.5 million liters a day of gasoline was produced at 9 refineries in the country while the country’s daily production was 70.5 million liters.
By increasing production of high quality, Iran is hoped to become self-sufficient in gasoline production. The government is now determined to reduce gasoline production by 2 million liters a day this year.
Petroleum Ministry’s Environment Activities
Ministry of Petroleum’s offshoots have environmental projects under study, including gasoline. They range from a national big project in West Karoun area in western Iran to Amir-Kabir semisubmersible in the Caspian Sea. Green hands go along with oily hands. The Ministry of Petroleum is making great contribution to curbing the harmful impacts of hazes blowing into Iran from neighboring states. For instance, the ministry has been regularly spreading mulches on desert lands in order to halt the entry of dust. The petroleum ministry has fulfilled this duty effectively over the past six years with the development of tools at natural resources administrations in cooperation with heavy machinery manufacturing companies.
Many steps taken by the petroleum ministry are often forgotten due to media focus on the inauguration of projects, but efforts undertaken for the revival of Hoor al-Azim Lagoon and fighting dust and hazes in the oil-rich southwestern Khuzestan province, efforts undertaken for the management of wastes, particularly industrial wastes, planting different species of flora in industrial zones including in Mahshahr and Assaluyeh are among effective measures by the Ministry of Petroleum, whose positive effects could be seen in industrial plants.