Environmental projects worth €400 million have beenundertaken at the complex over five years, the last of which was upgrading thequality of Gasoline, Baqeri said.

Euro- 5 Gasoline output at the refinery has reached 3.2million liters per day.

The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Companyis now producing close to 105 million liters of Gasoline, of which 79 millionliters comply with Euro- 5 emission standards.

"NIORDC's Euro- 5 Gasoline output was zero in2013," he said, adding that Shazand Refinery in the central city of Arak,Markazi Province, started to produce 17 million liters high-quality fuel perday in 2014. Output reached 28 ml/d in 2016. After that it rose to 43 ml/d in2017 as the Bandar Abbas Refinery in Hormozgan Province added Euro- 5 Gasolineto its output.

The Persian Gulf Star Refinery in southern HormozganProvince went on stream in mid-2017 because of which overall productionincreased by 76% to 76 ml/d and launching the Tabriz venture increased outputto 79 ml/d.

Optimization Plans

"Except for eco-unfriendly mazut, the refinery's otherproducts, namely diesel and jet fuel are being standardized," Baqeri said,adding that a consortium of [unnamed] South Korean company and Oil Design andConstruction Company of Iran have signed a deal on financing and implementingthe project.

The consortium is in charge of designing, engineering,procurement and installation of equipment.

As per contractual terms, at least 51% of equipment andservices for refurbishing the Tabriz plant should be made inside thecountry. 

"Talks are underway with Italian and Korean consultingcompanies to use the best methods” and get the desired results. 

According to Baqeri, the venture requires €1. 5 billioninvestment.

The refinery annually produces 5.5 million tons of assortedproducts including liquefied gas, Gasoline, kerosene, diesel, jet fuel andfeedstock for industrial units.

Followus on Twitter @SouthPSEEZ