Gasoline Self-Sufficiency;Sign of Sanctions FailurePresident Hassan Rouhani has said Iran’sself-sufficiency in gasoline production isindicative of the Islamic Republic’s abilityto overpower sanctions. “It’s an honor forthe administration to have doubled gasolineproduction over the past five years and thatindicates the government’s capability in theface of sanctions and pressure,” he said.
Rouhani touched on the commissioningof three phases of the Bandar Abbas Gas
Condensate Refinery over the past twoyears, saying this refinery is now producing
36 ml/d of Euro-5-grade gasoline. Headded that the Bandar Abbas oil refinery
would be soon producing 14 ml/d of Euro-5 gasoline. Rouhani heaped praise on thePetroleum Ministry for taking an effectivestep in favor of the environment in recentyears by upgrading the quality of gasolineand gasoil. “Today, more than 120 ml/dof Euro-4 and Euro-5 gasoil and gasoineis being distributed. That is a big step forsafeguarding the environment,” he said.Rouhani said the US had suffered failures inrapid succession, particularly on the politicalground. “Today, flex-muscling between Iranand the US is at its peak. In other words,they are using their maximum power againstthe nation of Iran and the nation of Iran isusing its maximum willpower, hope andconfidence against them.MIS Petchem’s Ammonia
Unit due Next Calendar YearThe head of National PetrochemicalCompany (NPC) has said that the urea/ammonia unit of Masjed Soleyman (MIS)petrochemical plant would come online inthe next calendar year. Behzad Mohammadisaid the urea/ammonia unit would reachstable production in the Iranian calendaryear starting in March 2021. “This projectis in its final months and the presenceof 4,500 persons is indicative of effortsmade by our colleagues to complete and
launch the projects,” he added.Mohammadigave an upbeat assessment of 14 millionpersons-hours of accident-free work in theurea/ammonia project, expressing hopethat the project would have a successfulpre-commissioning phase.He said thepresence of young manpower alongsideexperienced forces was instrumental in theproject, adding that such a model should begeneralized to other petrochemical plants.Construction of the MIS urea/ammonia plantstarted in March 2015 to produce 660,000tonnes a year of ammonia and 1,073 tonnes
a year of urea by consuming 861 mcm/y ofnatural gas as feedstock. It was built in MISin Khuzestan Province on a land with an areaof 50 ha. Switzerland’s Casale Suisse hasgiven the necessary technical knowhow forthe ammonia unit and Japan’s Toyo was incharge of the urea unit.40 CNG Stations Poisedto Be InauguratedA total of 40 compressed natural gas (CNG)stations are to become operational by lateMarch, a CNG project manager at NationalIranian Oil Products Distribution Company(NIOPDC) said. Hamid Qasemi said therewere already 2,449 CNG stations all acrossIran. He added that 128 new CNG stationsare under construction, 40 of which wouldsoon come online.He said four small-scaleCNG stations would be built in crowdedareas like taxi stands, groceries and public
transportation stations.“The investmentneeded for a small 600-cubic meter CNG
station of 600 is IRR 16 billion withoutconnections. This figure reaches IRR 37
billion in a 1,500-cubic meter small CNGstation,” said Qasemi. He also said that 400CNG stations would be digitalized by the endof the current calendar year, adding that 40CNG stations had already been digitalized ona pilot basis.Qasemi said the necessary budget forthe digitalization of CNG stations was IRR140 per cubic metr for a year. “We areopen to private sector investment in this
field. Digitization of fuel stations startedin Khorasan Razavi Province and so far
three stations in Tehran and two in Isfahanhave been digitalized,” he said.Qasemi saiddigitalization provided infrastructure forreplacing transportation sector fuel.
ICOFC Focused onWestern IranThe Iran Central Oil Fields Company(ICOFC) is concentrating its investmet onmainly western areas of Iran, the ICOFC chief
said.“Given the significance of development of joint oil fields and the necessity of f eeding the gas network of western Iran, the company’s investment and construction activities are to be concentrated mainly
on the areas run by the West Oil and Gas Production Company (WOGPC),” Ramin Hatami said.He said ICOFC remained the second largest producer of gas in Iran and the first onshore producer of gas. Hatami said three subsidiaries of ICOFC – WOGPC, East Oil and Gas Pr oduction Company (EOGPC) and South Zagros Oil and Gas Production Company (SZOGPC) – had produced 60 bcm of gas during 11 months. Referring to projects under way by WOGPC, he said: “In Tang Bijar, 3D seismic testing worth IRR 5,000 billion and development of the second phase of this field by drilling five wells and surface
facilities development worth $110 million are under way.” Other projects operated by WOGPC include an EPC contract for Danan (including seismic testing and hydraulic fracturing of two wells) and Naftshahr, worth between IRR 13,000 billion and IRR 14,000 billion. Exploration Block Study Awarded to Iran
Firm National I National Iranian Oil Company Exploration Directorate has
signed a memorandum of understanding with Tenco Exploration & Production
Corporation to study Toudaj oil and gas block in Fars Province.
It is the first time an Iranian company has been assigned the task of studying exploration blocks in Iran. The MOU was signed between Saleh Hendi,
director of exploration at NIOC, and Omid Asakareh, CEO of Tenco. Tenco, which specializes in drilling, seismic, refinery and upstream projects, is among
the 17 conglomerates approved by NIOC to develop oil and gas fields in the framework of Iran Petroleum Contract, Iran’s new model of tendering oil
and gas projects. The Toudaj exploration block covers 8,611 square kilometers in the southern Iranian province. It is located near the Sarvestan and Saadatabad oil fields. Exploration work started there well before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Private Sector Engagement Hendi laid emphasis on giving the bulk of activities to the private sector, saying: “In recent years, we have seen more effective measures regarding the engagement of the private sector in upstream petroleum industry,
including the qualification of Iranian E&P companies.” He said: “Although some of the qualified companies have already proven their competence in serving as contractor and service company in exploration, it is high time that they upgraded their presence.” Hendi said some of 14 exploration blocks envisaged for
awarding fit Iranian companies’ capabilities in terms of risks, as well as financial and technical requirements. Reza Dehqan, deputy head of NIOC for development and engineering, said: “Tenco has been actively present in the maintenance
and upgrade of oil production potential and we hope that through good performance of this company in the Toudaj exploration block we would see
studies and exploration activities reach conclusion and economic
advantages would be created in Fars Province in the near future.” Post-JCPOA Initiatives Asakareh offered gratitude to NIOC for its confidence in Tenco, saying: “Tenco has assumed the risk of activity in the Toudaj exploration block
with full knowledge and we hope that we would offer an acceptable performance in response to the petroleum industry’s trust.”