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September 2008, Nos. 48&49


Special Report: Iranian Oil Industry Turns 100

Iran Offers Huge Projects on Oil Refining Industry Optimization and Development

The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) is organizing the second Iran Oil Refining Forum (IOR-II) under patronage of His Excellency Mr. M. Nematzadeh, Petroleum Deputy Minister and President of NIORDC in Tehran on 11-12 October 2008.

The event aims to make an evolution in Iran’s oil refining industries which covers both existing refineries as well as new grassroots refineries. Also residue upgrading technology and extra heavy crude oil processing would be as major topics to be discussed at the forum.

Addressing reporters, IOR-II secretary Mohsen Alagheband Hosseini talked about the most important topics to be discussed in the forum. He said optimization and upgrading plans for the Iranian oil refining industry are underway in two major fields, which are considered a profound development and an industrial upheaval in oil refining industry.

Exporting Services to Overseas Markets: He said the second international Iran Oil Refining Forum has allocated 600 square meters to exhibition space and has considered needed facilities for exhibition stands in order to present capabilities and potentials of Iranian engineers, consultant companies, and contractors of EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) projects by offering specifications of projects implemented inside and outside the country. He added that every effort has been made to choose creditable companies active in refining projects, which will offer their projects as well as capabilities and potentials under a suitable atmosphere. Such facilities have also been considered for overseas companies. The exhibition brings together international and domestic consultant engineering companies, thus, to clear the way for all kinds of negotiations aimed at promoting joint cooperation.

Existing Refineries: As far as existing refineries were concerned, Alagheband Hosseini noted that efforts are being made to optimize capacity of refineries in order to supply feedstock to downstream plants; convert inexpensive oil waste to more expensive products with higher added value; refine oil products from contaminants and establish EU-4 and EU-5 standards for all products; upgrade health, safety, and environment (HSE) management systems and strict control of soil, water, and air pollutants; and promote process systems, especially instrument control systems, to advanced computerized systems.

New Refineries: Turning to new refineries, he noted that NIORDC attempts to increase refining capacity from 1.65 million barrels per day crude oil to 3.2 million barrels per day; refine heavy and superheavy varieties of crude oil; produce valuable products using gas condensate; avail of the latest achievements in refining technology in order to maximize output of every barrel of crude oil; observe international regulations related to quality of products for entry into global markets; and create jobs, transfer technical know-how, ensure profitability, and implement Article 44 of the Iranian Constitution.

Iran, Safe Center for Energy Production in Region and Asia: According to Alagheband by increasing oil refining capacity to 3.2 million barrels per day and enforcing Euro-4 and Euro-5 regulations for products, good grounds will be provided for entry into international products markets.

By taking advantage of the latest process technologies, the highest degree of diversity in products will be achieved and in addition to current products, other products like ethylene, propylene, benzene, toluene, xylene, various types of coke and carbon used in industries, various types of carbonated composites, different types of fuel for ocean-going ships, and a wide range of other oil products will be sent into international markets, he noted.

He said remarkable volume and diversity of products in addition to strategic position of Iran in the Persian Gulf, facilities available in ports, as well as southern coasts and islands will turn the country into a center for energy production in the region and Asia.

“We will be able to draw attention of major oil companies and global markets by offering a wide range of programs and products and take necessary steps for entry into global markets,” he stressed.

Joint Cooperation Grounds: Alagheband said officials of many companies which hold high-tech licenses (including managing directors, members of board of directors, founders, and presidents) from developed countries have been invited to the forum. On the other hand, he noted, outstanding officials of Iranian oil refining industry such as deputy minister of petroleum, managing directors of subsidiary companies and project managers will be actively present in the forum. The international forum aims to facilitate contacts and organize assessment and discussion panels, meetings, and sessions, which are hoped to lead to transfer of technical know-how for projects.

He said banks, insurance firms, and international financers have also been invited to IOR-II forum. Therefore, underway plans and projects will be presented in order to attract financial support during the international forum, he added.

Scientific and Technical Aspects of IOR-II: The IOR-II secretary stated that notice of the forum has been published through domestic and foreign media and 10 major topics of refining industry have been offered on which researchers and participants may forward their papers.

In the past forum, he said, about 130 papers were forwarded to the secretariat including 35 foreign and 95 domestic papers. A collection of those papers has been published in a book, which can be considered a scientific and technical achievement of the forum to be used by refining industry experts and specialists, he boasted.

He also said that papers will be assessed by a scientific jury comprising members from universities and industries. The second forum will pay special attention to common denominators of oil, gas, and petrochemical industries as well as integration and synergy in those sectors, he concluded.

Major Topics to Be Discussed at

IOR-II

  • To present major optimization, upgrading and development plans for the Iranian oil refining industry;

  • To introduce Islamic Republic of Iran to participants as an energy production hub in the region and Asia;

  • To provide good grounds for entering into international markets of oil products and competing with creditable global producers;

  • To introduce capabilities and potentials of Iranian engineers and consultant companies;

  • To obtain needed technological licenses and economic backings to implement improvement and development plans;

  • To pave the way for partnership and cooperation between Iranian and foreign companies in order to facilitate implementation of plans;

  • To select and present scientific and technical papers to the international forum introducing the latest technological advances in refining industry.

 

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  September 2008
Nos. 48&49