The second phase of Abadan Refinery in Khuzestan Province, which has registered over 95% progress, is expected to be completed soon.
The venture includes the installation of new units, including hydrogen processing, hydrocracking, liquefied petroleum gas, crude distillation and other utilities to replace old units built 70 years ago, IRNA reported.
Because the crude processing facility is being equipped with HPUs, it will not only help improve environmental conditions but also increase the supply of products complying with Euro-5 emission standards.
The refinery will also have a sulfur recovery unit to reduce mazut output to less than 25% from the present 50%.
The project, which started in 2017, has so far cost over $1.3 billion and it is expected to boost the production of Euro-5 gasoline and jet fuel by 10%.
Built in 1912, Abadan Refinery is the first of its kind in Iran and was once the largest in the world.
The refinery, which was heavily damaged during the 1980-88 Iraq-imposed war, produces 460 tons of propane, 16,000 barrels of butane, 60,000 barrels of gasoline and 66,000 barrels of diesel per day. It also meets 25% of Iran’s annual need for jet fuel.
It is now operating with a daily capacity of refining 250,000 barrels of crude.
Although the new crude distillation unit will have a production capacity of 210,000 barrels per day, 40,000 less than the combined capacity of the three decommissioned units, it is expected to help upgrade gasoline and diesel quality to the Euro-5 standards.
The unit will reduce the production of heavy products such as kilns while increasing the output and quality of value-added light-duty products such as jet fuel.
