The technical problem curbing the output of premium gasoline, marketed as “super”, in domestic refineries has been alleviated, the head of Iran Gas Station Owners Union said.
“Consignments of premium gasoline, being loaded in Shazand Refinery in the central city of Arak, Markazi Province, and Isfahan Oil Refinery, will be delivered to filling stations in mega cities in a few days,” Bijan Haj-Mohammadreza was also quoted as saying by ILNA on Friday.
“Premium gasoline is being distributed in stages at major gas stations in the capital and other metropolises,” he said.
According to Shana, the Oil Ministry’s news portal, the production of gasoline was limited in the country’s refining plants due to technical problems in transferring the fuel from refineries to gas stations.
National Iranian Oil Production and Distribution Company announced in July that Shazand Refinery in the central city of Arak, Markazi Province, Persian Gulf Star and Bandar Abbas refineries in the southern Hormozgan Province as well as Isfahan Oil Refining Company had limited their premium gasoline output.
The gasoline is sold in major cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz and Mashhad.
Reportedly, there is only one pipeline to transfer the fuel to mega cities.
Haj-Mohammadreza noted that the octane number of Euro-4 gasoline is higher than that of premium gasoline, however it is a misconception among consumers that only premium gasoline is unleaded. “Currently, there are sufficient supplies of Euro-4 gasoline at all filling stations and no traffic has been observed at the stations,” he said.
The official stressed that all gas stations, except a few that are being repaired, are operational. In suburban areas, Euro-2 gasoline is distributed.
On the daily output of gasoline, Haj-Mohammadreza said the production rate is 78-80 million liters per day, up about 8-10% in comparison with the corresponding period of the last fiscal (ended March 20, 2018). Gasoline consumption in the fourth Iranian month that ended on July 22 reached an unprecedented average of 91.7 million liters per day.
