President Ahmadinejad: Iran Determined to End Exports of Crude Oil

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stressed the necessity to further boost the country’s oil refining capacity in a bid to end exports of crude oil.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the country’s biggest gasoline plant at Shazand refinery in the country’s Central province of Markazi on Thursday, Ahmadinejad said the project was proof that Iran has achieved self-sufficiency in oil refinery construction and does not need foreign assistance in this regard.

“We (Iran) plan to get to the point where we would not need to export crude oil anymore. The number of our oil refineries should double in such a case, and it would be of great benefit to our country,” he added.

Ahmadinejad further stated that refining Iranian crude oil in domestic refineries will generate three to four times more revenue for Tehran than the sale of crude oil, adding that the production of petrochemicals inside the country will also yield five to ten times more earnings than oil exports.

The new plant enjoys a production capacity of 16 million liters of petrol per day.

Production of premium gasoline will also rise from the current amount of 1.2 million liters to 3.2 million liters with the opening of Shazand Imam Khomeini Refinery.

For the first time in the Middle East, Iranian experts succeeded in carrying out the process of converting diesel fuel to high-octane gasoline.

Following the refinery’s inauguration, its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production will increase from 500 tons per day to 2,000 tons.

The treatment facility produces gasoline, liquefied gas, propylene, kerosene, gas oil as well as fuel oil and tar.