Iranian Oil Industry Progressing Well Despite Sanctions | ||
Iranian Oil Industry Progressing Well Despite Sanctions Iran’s oil and gas industries are moving on the path of continued progress and the country has achieved great breakthroughs in the last 8 years despite all the western sanctions, former Iran’s oil minister said. Rostam Qassemi said developments of 17 phases are underway at the South Pars gas field, of which 5 phases will come online in September. “When we want to evaluate the performance of the oil industry, we should pay attention to the fact that despite sanctions more than 100 thousand people are engaged in activities related to development of South Pars gas field,” he said. Qassemi stated that bulk of the equipment and items needed by the oil and gas projects is provided by domestic manufacturers and experts who have come together in scientific and research centers. Qassemi noted that the figures indicate that economic performance of the 9th and 10th administrations (2005-2013) was positive in view of oil and gas activities with huge investments in the sector. “Sanctions against the country that dates back to several years ago have been intensified recently with the aim of halting Iran’s oil exports,” said the minister. “Iran’s enemies have created many problems for the sales and transfer of Iran’s oil and banned oil tankers from berthing in Iran’s ports and at the same time revoked oil tanker insurance,” he continued. Referring to the country’s dependence on American and European made oil industry equipment, the minister said, “The enemies even don’t respect their commitments. There are contracts that dates back to five years ago for building an oil refinery in Iran, but the enemies warned the involved companies they should leave Iran, otherwise their managing directors would be sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment.” He said despite all these pressures, development of the oil industry is underway and the problem for maritime delivery by tankers has been settled. Describing the massive public turnout in Iran’s presidential elections surprising, Qasemi said, “We are seeking interaction with the world. Given the fact that the Iranian nation has elected a president whose slogan was interaction with the world, the US was expected to postpone the new sanctions.” On gasoline production, the minister said prior to the sanctions, the country imported billion of dollars of the product, but today several oil refineries have come online and meet domestic needs, while new ones will be inaugurated in the near future. “In view of gasoline production we have made progress both in quality and quantity so that domestic oil products being produced in the country have the best quality while in view of quantity, the country has reached the point that it is able to export oil products.” Qassemi said by launching Bandar Abbas oil refinery, Iran will start exportation of gasoline to the region amid big strides has been taken towards selling gas so that in making revenue the share of gas is on the rise. With regard to the petrochemicals, Qassemi noted that construction of 70 petrochemical plants is underway, and said once these projects are accomplished they will raise nameplate production of petrochemicals from 60 million to 100 million tons per year. | ||
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