The sulfur output of Ilam Gas Refining Company in Ilam Province has grown by 25% in the first five months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Aug. 22) compared with the same period of last year, managing director of the company said.
“We expect to set a new record in sulfur production this year,” the Oil Ministry’s news agency Shana quoted Ruhollah Nourian as saying.
The refinery produced 31,250 tons of sulfur in the five-month period this year while the output in the corresponding period last year was 25,000 tons.
Elemental sulfur is used in black gunpowder, matches and fireworks; in the vulcanization of rubber; as a fungicide, insecticide and fumigant; in the manufacture of phosphate fertilizers; and in the treatment of certain skin diseases.
“This is a good advantage for all industries using sulfur,” he said, stressing that the sulfur produced in Ilam Refinery has the highest quality in the country and its purity is 99.98%.
“Last year, the trial production line of bentonite sulfur fertilizer was launched by the refinery’s experts and now we are seeking the license for mass production of the item, which can help increase the productivity of agricultural products in the province by 15-20%,” Nourian said.
Bentonite sulfur is straight sulphatic fertilizer containing sulfur and bentonite clay. The sulfur present is 90% in these fertilizers and is the highest among other categories of sulphated fertilizers. This makes Bentonite sulfur more effective in terms of supplying sulfur to crops.
Using bentonite sulfur for different crops will increase soil acidity or lower soil pH for alkaline soils and also increase nitrogen utilization, phosphate and micronutrient uptake.
It will also help improve the growth rate of roots and ensure the plant extracts maximum amount of nutrients from the soil.
Plan to Increase All Products
According to Nourian, construction of the second phase of Ilam Refinery in the western province will start in winter.
“The refinery currently uses 6.8 million cubic meters of sour gas per day as feedstock and this volume will increase to 10.2 mcm when the second phase comes on stream,” he said.
“With the completion of the second phase, the refinery's products, including natural gas for urban and industrial use, sulfur, ethane, gas condensate and liquefied petroleum gas, which are used as the feed for Ilam Petrochemical Complex, will increase by 1.5 times.”
Nourian hoped that by 2025, the output of all products at the refinery will rise by 50%.
Last year (March 2020-21), the refinery supplied 1.5 billion cubic meters of refined gas to the national grid.
The refinery also produced 60,000 tons of sulfur last year, half of which was used by local industries and 30,000 tons were exported.
