thanks to the implementation of quality upgrade projects at Arak, Isfahan, Bandar Abbas,Persian Gulf Star and Tabrizrefineries, 76 ml/d of Euro-4and Euro-5 gasoline is beingproduced.”Zangeneh said: “The Eurogradegasoil production
capacity in the country was6 ml/d in 2012, which hasseptupled to 44 ml/d now.”
He added: “Implementationof refining projects whichmainly pertain to upgrading thequality of petroleum productsand environmental projects,which were mainly financedby the Europeans, have beenhalted due to the unlawful US
pressure. That will harm theenvironment on a large scale.”Zangeneh said basic agreementhad been reached for therefining of 2 mb/d of crude oil
and allocation of feedstock tothe private sector for new oiland condensate refineries.“600,000 b/d will be for therefineries whose processing
capacity is below 60,000 b/d,”he added.The minister said the
giant offshore South Parsgas field had two refiningand petrochemical chains,
adding that the Persian GulfStar refinery was part of therefining chain of the South Parsdevelopment project.Phase 3 Operational in One
YearAli-Reza Sadeq-Abadi, CEO ofNational Iranian Oil Refining
and Distribution Company(NIORDC), said bymerely reliance on
domestic resourcesPhase III of the PersianGulf Star refinery
had becomeoperational inone year.“One of ourmain
challenges after the startup ofPhase 1 of the Persian Gulf Starrefinery before entering Phase2 was financing. In the shortterm,we managed to provide
the necessary finance throughselling sour naphtha, dippinginto the National DevelopmentFund of Iran (NDFI) andreceiving facilities from Bank
Mellat,” he added.Sadeq-Abadi said Iran’sgasoline production averaged
97 ml/d last summer, addingthat Phase 2 of the Persian
Gulf Star refinery becameoperational to add 30ml/d to Iran’s gasoline
distribution network.Phase 3 was started upshortly after.
“With the startup of Phase 3 of the Persian Gulf Star refinery,in addition to a significant jump in gasoline, gasoil and liquefied petroleum gas
(LPG) production,we supplied the necessaryfeedstock to petrochemical
plants and helpedpetrochemical plants bring inmore hard currency,” he said.
He expressed hope that Phase3 of the refinery would increasethe refining capacity of thetreatment facility.Separately, addressingreporters, Sadeq-Abadi
said: “Currently, 76 ml/d ofEuro-grade gasoline is beingproduced on average in thecountry: 33 ml/d is supplied bythe Persian Gulf Star refinery,
12 ml/d by the Bandar Abbasoil refinery, 17 ml/d by theImam Khomeini refinery, 11ml/d by the Isfahan refineryand 3 ml/d by the Tabriz
refinery.”He added: “The average Eurogradegasoil production in the
country stands at 44 ml/d, 15ml/d of which is supplied bythe Bandar Abbas oil refinery.”Sadeq-Abadi said: “With theoperationof the product quality upgrade
project at the Bandar Abbasoil refinery, 12 ml/d of Euro-5gasoline and 15 ml/d of Euro-4 gasoil will be produced atthis refinery. Distribution ofthese products has started inthe provinces of Hormuzgan,Bushehr, Sistan Balouchestan,
Kerman and Fars.”He added that the Euro-gradegasoil supplied by the Persian
Gulf Star refinery was beingdistributed in the commercialports of Bushehr, Chabahar andBandar Abbas.Sadeq-Abadi said the andarAbbas oil refinery was a
green and environmentallyfriendly facility, adding that theinvestment made in the newproject at this treatment facilitywould return in four to fiveyears.
$ 800mn Annual Value-AddedSadeq-Abadi said the annualvalue-added generated fromthe Persian Gulf Star refinerywas $800 million, adding thatthe facility would guaranteeIran’s energy security.He reiterated Zangeneh’sremarks that Iran would
stop importing gasoline.“Until last October Iran