Tehran, Iran, Aug. 18
By Mehdi Sepahvand -- Trend:
Iran has run out of gasoline while statistics show that in the past one year the country has imported 324 percent more gasoline than in the preceding year.
During the Rouhani administration feed to refineries lowered by 200 thousand barrels a day, resulting in the reduction of gasoline production by 4 to 6 percent in recent months compared to one year ago, Fars news agency reported August 18.
Also, a number of related projects are past due time for operation. These include the isomerization unit of Isfahan Refinery which was going to be launched last fall, the gasoline production line of Bandar Abbas Refinery which was supposed to be operational a few months ago, the gasoline refinery section of Abadan Refinery which was going to be launched about six months ago, and the first phase of Setareh Khalij Fars Refinery which is also a few months due.
Statistics reveal that in 144 days of the last Iranian fiscal year (which ended March 20), the country's gasoline reserves had been 1,654 million liters. But the number reduced to 619 million liters in the current year, much below the red line.
Also, while in the previous year an average of two million liters per day of gasoline had been imported, the number for this year has stood at 8 million.
Daily gasoline consumption in Iran has fallen to 66.5 million liters in the week ended on July 3, which indicates a 143,000 liters decrease compared to the preceding week.
The weekly consumption amounted to 465.6 million liters, showing one million liters fall week-on-week, the oil ministry's official SHANA news agency reported July 5.
Iran used to import 40 percent of its needed gasoline by 2009. But the international sanctions forced it to produce gasoline domestically by adding lead or some poisonous chemical catalysts to the product.
The administration of President Hassan Rouhani ordered to stop the distribution of substandard gasoline.
Edited by CN