Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct.28/ Trend F.Karimov/
The Jahad-e Daneshgahi Institute of Iran has signed a contract with the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company to produce 500 kilogrammes of the hydrodesulphurisation (HDS) catalyst, which is frequently used in the petrochemical industry, the Shana News Agency reported.
Currently, some 6000 tons of the catalyst is being used in the country each year and the figure can be increased to 10,000 tons once the Persian Gulf Star Refinery and Abadan Refinery's development projects come on stream.
The contract's value and period is 40 billion rials and 24 months, respectively.
Hydrodesulphurisation (HDS) is a catalytic chemical process widely used to remove sulphur (S) from natural gas and from refined petroleum products such as gasoline or petrol, jet fuel, kerosene, diesel fuel and fuel oils.
According to media reports, Iran imports some $2 billion worth of catalysts, additives and equipment from European and Asian countries annually.