Downstream news, early July: Africa, Asia and the Middle East

Africa

Nigeria

The Minister of State for Defence, Mrs Olusola Obada, has announced that the Joint Task Force (JTF) operating in the Niger Delta has destroyed 3778 illegal refineries in the past year. According to her, the conduct of incisive anti illegal oil bunkering patrols has additionally led to the arrest of 1653 suspects.

Asia

India

Indian Oil Corporation’s refinery at Paradip is set to be commissioned by October this year. According to the project’s executive director, M Vijaywargiya, 93.2% progress has already been reached.

Turkey

Tupras is to complete a US$ 2.7 billion upgrade to its Izmit plant by November next year. It is believed that the addition of a new unit at the plant will cut the country’s fuel import bill by US$ 1 billion/year and enable its four refineries to work at 90% capacity.

The project, which is to be built by Spain’s Tecnicas Reunidas SA (TRE), will convert 4.25 million tpy of fuel oil produced at three refineries into 2.9 million t of diesel and 520 000 t of gasoline, among other products.

Middle East

Iran

The Lavan Oil Refining Company has sued a French company for violating its contract terms on the transfer of a gasoline production license.

Managing Director, Mohammad Ali Dadvar commented that the French company had undertaken to issue a license for euro-4 gasoline production in the Iranian refinery.

Dadvar has additionally commented that Lavan refinery daily gasoline production currently stands at 1.08 million ltr, and that it will hit 2.8 million ltr/day of euro-4 gasoline as of next week.

Pakistan

Pakistan State Oil (PSO) intends to establish an oil refinery in Khyber Pahtunkhwa (KP) despite the fact that there is no crude oil available in the area for the project.

The region currently produces 8000 bpd and cannot make commercially viable a new refinery with 36 000 bpd capacity.

Edited from various sources by Emma McAleavey.

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