Energy
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Increase in Export of Oil Byproducts

Iran exported 17 million liters of diesel per day on average in the past seven months.
Iran exported 17 million liters of diesel per day on average in the past seven months.

Iran has ramped up export of petroleum products, registering a record high of 25 million liters of diesel in one day, mostly to India and China, managing director of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company said.

“Iran exported an average of 17 million liters of diesel to international markets in the seven months between March 20 and Oct. 21,” Abbas Kazemi was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency on Monday.

Iran has turned into an exporter of oil byproducts after years of imports and export of jet fuel is also underway.

Exports of liquefied gases, including LPG and LNG, is between 1,000 and 1,500 tons per day from the daily production of around 6,000 tons.

According to Kazemi, who also is a deputy oil minister, Iran exported over 45 million liters of mazut per day on average in the seven-month period.

"We are ready to embark on kerosene exports if there is demand,” Kazemi noted.

Referring to China and India as the biggest customers of Iranian petroleum products, he said due to less demand in Europe, Iran has focused on expanding exports to Asian clients.

  Moving Steadily

To maximize exports, Iran is using the whole capacity of its ports and oil terminals, he said, adding that the loading ports of Bandar Abbas, Mahshahr, Asalouyeh and Lavan handle dozens of tankers and vessels every day.

The official said four jetties are currently operational in Mahshahr oil terminal and two more will start operations in the near future.

Stressing that the oil terminal’s export capacity of petroleum products has increased to 500,000 liters per day, Kazemi said Mahshahr terminal’s new loading arms will become operational soon.

The government is banking on two major refinery complexes in south Iran to end reliance on import of the most strategic petroleum product, gasoline.

Kazemi said last week the government plans to exclude a bill for gasoline imports from the national budget for the next fiscal (2017-18) in what would end years of costly imports for the fuel that was later sold at highly subsidized rates at the pumps.

"We won't need to import gasoline next year because the first phase of the Persian Gulf Star Refinery will come on stream" by May 2017, Kazemi noted.

Shortly after, he said the complex will become operational by March.

The refinery's launch has been delayed several times due to international sanctions that largely shut out Iran from the global financial and banking system and divested its energy sector of much-needed investment for almost a decade.

Plans also call for raising gasoline output at Lavan Refinery in Hormozgan Province from 2.1 million liters per day to 3 ml/d in six months.

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