Iran to increase Euro-4 standard gasoline production by 1 mln liters

Azerbaijan, Baku, July 22/ Trend N. Umid/

Iran will increase euro-4 gasoline production capacity by some 1 million liters per day next month, Iran's Minister of Petroleum Rostam Ghasemi said, Jahanesanat daily reported.

Iran's total euro-4 gasoline production capacity will be increased by some 1 million liters (20,000 barrel) per day to reach 23 million liters after inauguration of gasoline production project in Tabriz refinery next month, the report said.

Currently, refinery's gasoline production capacity hits 2.6 million liters per day. After inauguration of the project standard of the gasoline produced by the refinery will be upgraded to Euro-4.

Tabriz refinery provides 7 percent of country's total oil products needs.

According to the report, Tebriz refinery's other products capacity includes 6 million liters of diesel, 2 million liters of kerosene, 320 tons of LPG and 21,000 barrels of Fuel oil per day.

Iran produces totally 22 million liters of gasoline based on euro-4 per day, some 3 million liters in Abadan refinery, 3 million liters in Tehran's Tondgooyan refinery and 16 millions in Shazand's Imam Khomeini refinery, the report said.

Iran has started distributing gasoline conforming to Euro-4 in Tehran, Karaj, Ahvaz, and Arak cities. The country plans to boost its gasoline production up to 70 million liters by the end of the current solar year (started on March 21), deputy oil minister Alierza Zeyqami said.

The U.S. imposed sanctions to curtail Iran's imports of gasoline in 2009. Previously, Iran used to import 40 percent of its domestic gasoline need.

Iran's average gasoline consumption stood at around 71.6 million liters per day in the previous solar year, according to ISNA.