Gasoline imports could likely end by September if all goes well and there is no sharp spike in domestic consumption, CEO of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company said.
"Overall daily gasoline production, now at around 95 million liters, will exceed 100 million liters as phase 3 of the Persian Gulf Star Refinery in Bandar Abbas is gradually stabilizing at 36 million liters per day," ISNA quoted Alireza Sadeqabadi as saying.
Close to 100 million liters of gasoline is used in Iran every day, of which between five and 10 ml/d is imported.
"This fuel import can be discontinued if the present high consumption patterns change," he said.
Daily gasoline production in 2017 was 60 million liters while consumption was 75 million liters and the shortfall was imported.
"Should the gap between production and consumption widen, the difference will reach 200 million liters in 2033," he said.
“Plugging this huge disparity would force authorities to spend $37 billion per year only to import gasoline imports. This is while building a refinery costs less than $57 billion.”
Regarding PGSR's fourth phase, he said the Oil Ministry has delegated NIORDC to develop the fourth and final phase and when it comes on stream it will daily produce 12 million liters of Euro-5 gasoline and diesel.
PGSR is being built in four phases and each is designed to produce 12 ml/d of high-octane gasoline and diesel as part of government efforts to wean away from costly imports.
Putting the refinery's daily output at around 36 million liters, Sadeqabadi said the first two phases are up and running and the third has recently come on stream, but its output is yet to stabilize.
Each PGSR phase uses about 120,000 barrels of gas condensate a day supplied from South Pars Gas Field in the Persian Gulf.
