Page 9 - DMEA Week 06 2023

DMEA REFINING DMEA

Iran launches third train

at South Pars refinery

IRAN IRAN this week launched the third train of condensate, 400 tonnes per day of sulphur and
the South Pars Phase 14 refinery, following the a combined 1mn tonnes per year (tpy) of LPG
plant’s commissioning during Q1 2022. and ethane.
Mohammad-Mehdi Tavasoli-Pour was The LPG and ethane are used as feedstock
quoted by the Ministry of Petroleum’s (MoP) by petrochemicals producers in the Pars Special
Shana news network as saying that the third Economic Zone (PSEZ).
phase had come into operation, while the fourth The refinery’s launch means that the only
and final train was scheduled to come on stream remaining section of the South Pars develop-
by the end of the current Iranian calendar year ment is the upstream Phase 11, which is expected
which ends on March 20. to be launched during February.
The first train was commissioned in March
2022, with the second coming online in Tabriz incident
November. Meanwhile, a fire broke out at a refinery in Tabriz
At the time of the first train’s commissioning, in the north-western East Azerbaijan Governo-
Deputy Oil Minister and National Iranian Oil rate of the country over the weekend. The official
Co. (NIOC) CEO Mohsen Khojastehmehr said Fars news agency reported: “The firefighting is
it had started up with a processing capacity of still going on and the size and intensity of the fire
14.2mn cubic metres per day of gas and around made it difficult to extinguish”, noting that the
10,000 barrels per day (bpd) of condensates. He cause of the fire was also under investigation.
said that it would gradually ramp up to more Mohammad Baqer Hanbar, director-general
than 56 mcm per day once the remaining three of crisis management of East Azerbaijan Gov-
refining units are commissioned over the subse- ernorate, told Fars: “So far, there has been one
quent next 12 months. firefighter injured in this incident who suffered
The upstream phase 14 has a production from smoke inhalation, and the person is in sta-
capacity of 56 mcm per day of gas, 75,000 bpd of ble condition."™

Week 06 09•February•2023 www. NEWSBASE .com P9