The Iran Project : Iran has increased its petrochemical output this year despite energy supply restrictions imposed on industries in the country.
According to The Iran Project, A Sunday report by the IRIB News showed that total production in 72 petrochemical plants across Iran had reached 96.3 million metric tons (mt) in the nine months to December 20, up 3.5% compared to the same period last year.
The report said that exports by Iranian petrochemical plants reached $8.5 billion in April- December of which some $3.3 billion was spent on imports of essential needs of the industry, including chemicals and catalysts.
It added that exports of petrochemicals from Iran had increased by 7% in volume terms year on year in the nine months to late December.
The report said that Iran had accelerated the implementation of major infrastructure projects in the Pars Special Energy Zone in the southern port city of Asaluyeh where a series of large petrochemical plants are based.
The projects include repair works on 17 docks at the port, said the report.
Ira has relied on petrochemicals exports for a bulk of its hard currency needs since 2018 when its crude oil exports came under US sanctions.
The increase in Iran’s production and exports of petrochemicals has come despite power cuts and gas shortages affecting the large industries in the country this year.
The National Petrochemical Company said in mid-January that it had already invested $12 billion to set up new petrochemical plants in the country, adding that another $12 billion will be earmarked for new projects in the next four years.