MNA � President Rouhani launched phase III of Bandar Abbas Gas Condensate Refinery (also called the Persian Gulf Star Refinery) and a project to enhance productivity of Bandar Abbas Oil Refinery on Monday.

The projects are being launched on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

Construction of the Persian Gulf Star Refinery began in 2006 in 730 hectares of land 25 km off the southern city of Bandar Abbas. The feed stock to run the facility is supplied by the condensate produced at South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf.

The plant is developed for production of 36 million liters of quality petrol per day. The third phase is to add 12 ml/d to the plant�s production capacity.

Although it was initially decided to develop the facility in three phases, officials including Alireza Sadiqabadi, the CEO of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC), have announced plans to build the fourth phase of the mega project.

Once a project to bolster the production capacity and promote the quality of the items produced at Bandar Abbas Oil Refinery come online, the plant�s petrol quality would drastically improve.

The project entails a gasoil hydrogen unit, a power generator, nitrogen unit, sour water unit, Amine Contactor, light naphtha unit, and 17 storage tanks, which have all become operational.

Once the project comes on stream, petrol production capacity of the refinery would increase by 3 ml/d and 70 percent of its output would meet Euro-4 standards.

Moreover, commissioning the gasoil hydrogen refining unit of the facility would add 15 million liters per day of Euro-4 gasoil to the plant�s daily production capacity, and the petrol quality of the refinery is expected to meet Euro-4 standards by March.

The plant is currently supplying 12 ml/d of petrol and is fed by 350,000 b/d of crude oil and gas condensate and is touted as the third largest oil refinery in Iran.