Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.27/ Trend F.Mehdi/
Methanol-based gasoline will not be produced in Iran until special engines are developed for cars, ISNA quoted the managing director of Shazand Refinery, Ali-Akbar Mirqaderi, as saying.
Methanol-based gasoline is used in some countries, he said, adding that 3-15 percent of such chemical compounds are added to improve fuel efficiency.
In October 2012, ISNA reported that Iranian researchers at the Collegiate Jihad Organization of Fars Province succeeded in producing high quality gasoline form methanol as the country is moving toward self-sufficiency in gasoline production.
Considering the increasing consumption of gasoline and the pressure of global sanctions, researchers at the organization embarked on producing gasoline from methanol.
After unveiling the methanol-based gasoline, the association of Iranian carmakers announced that domestically-manufactured cars have not been designed to consume such fuel.
A number of petrochemical projects will come on stream by the end of this year (March 20, 2013), which will boost the country's gasoline output by around 12 million liters per day, to hit 70 million liters per day.
Iran exported over 132,000 tons of gasoline, worth around $134 million, last year.
According to Customs Administration data, the gasoline exports rose by 127 percent in value and 108.5 percent in volume, respectively, compared to the year before.
Armenia, Afghanistan, the UAE, Iraq and Oman were the destinations for Iranian gasoline.
Iranian gasoline imports have slumped by as much as 95 percent over the last four years, according to official government data, as rising refinery capacity and lower fuel subsidies help neutralize Western sanctions aimed at starving Tehran of fuel.
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