Isfahan Oil Refining Company in central Isfahan Province has increased Euro-5 diesel production from two million liters a day to four 4 million liters, the company’s deputy production director said.
“Construction of a diesel treatment unit is underway at the refinery and has made 85% progress. When operational next year, it will increase diesel production in compliance with Euro-5 standard to 20 million liters per day,” Alireza Jafarpour was quoted as saying by the IRIB News Agency.
“With the launch of the project, sulfur compound in diesel will be reduced to less than 10 PPM,” he added.
Improving diesel quality will have a significant impact on environmental protection and curb pollution.
The refinery also produces 16 million liters of Euro-4 diesel per day plus eight million liters of Euro-4 and 12 million liters of Euro-5 gasoline a day.
Earlier this year, the refinery launched a sulfur granulation unit with daily capacity of 300 tons. The move was in line with policies to reduce environmental pollution and upgrade the quality of refined products.
The unit helps minimize the environmental impact of sulfur in the air and curbs emissions. Removing dust particles that cause air pollution, maintaining quality and increasing output are among other advantages of the unit.
Sulfur is used mainly to produce sulfuric acid, one of the important chemicals in industrial processes. It is widely used in the fertilizer and rubber industry and for making steel and pharmaceuticals.
As per its environmental commitments, the company is striving to reduce the amount of sulfur in its mazut and gradually reduce production of the eco-unfriendly fuel, converting it into other products.
Mazut is among the highly polluting products. It is a heavy, low quality fuel oil, used in power plants and factories. The main type of bunker oil for ships is heavy mazut, derived as a residue from crude oil distillation.
Sulfur oxide (SOx) is known to be harmful to human health, causing respiratory symptoms and lung disease. In the atmosphere, SOx can lead to acid rain, which can harm crops, forests and aquatics and contribute to acidification of oceans.
Established in 1979, Isfahan Oil Refinery produces 25% of the country’s petroleum products.
It supplies gasoline to 12 provinces and is the main supplier of feedstock to Sepahan Oil Company, Isfahan Petrochemical Plant, Arak Petrochemical Plant, Jey Oil Refining Company and Iran Chemical Industries Company.
Crude oil for the refinery comes from Maroun oil field in Khuzestan Province via a 430 km pipeline.
