The first phase of an overhaul project of the Middle East’s oldest refinery will be carried out by the end of the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (September 22), according to the contractor of the project.
As much as $1.2 billion has been earmarked for carrying out the first phase of the project, Ahmad Farzaneh was quoted as saying by IRNA official news agency.
He said that the project is not aimed at adding to the capacity of Abadan Refinery; it is rather going to consolidate the current capacity of the refinery.
Farzaneh noted that some new units will be constructed and some old ones will be removed so as to help optimize the production of the refinery and make it more profitable.
The project will also help improve the quality of the refinery’s products up to Euro-5 standard, Farzaneh said.
Abadan Refinery provides Iran with 25% of the country’s required fuel for domestic consumption.
Built by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (later BP) on the basis of a lease obtained in 1909, it was completed in 1912 as a pipeline terminus, and was one of the world's largest oil refineries.