Natural gas, chemicals and downstream petrochemical products accounted for 58% of Iran’s non-oil export value during the first eight months of the current fiscal year (March 21-Nov. 21), the head of the Iranian Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters Union said.
“Iran sold $31 billion worth of non-oil products in the 246-day period, of which $18 billion were generated by exporting polymers, gas, bitumen and methanol,” Hamid Hosseini was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
Giving a breakdown, he added that more than 100,000 tons of bitumen were exported in the eight-month period.
Revenues generated by selling polymers, methanol, urea and aromatics amounted to $4 billion, $2 billion, $1.3 billion and $700 million respectively during the period under review.
Close to 5 million tons of butane and liquefied gases have also been sold in international markets.
Criticizing the high price of gas delivered to plants as feedstock, the official noted that each cubic meters of gas was sold to petrochemical factories at 13 cents last year, which has now increased to over 35 cents.