Masoud Shokrollahi, a member of the Energy Commission of the Parliament, emphasized the importance of increasing Iran's refining capacity and analyzed the challenges of energy imbalance in the country. He stated that developing refining capacity means strengthening energy security and reducing the country's vulnerability to fuel imports, especially in the current conditions where Iran faces currency restrictions and external pressures.
The necessity of increasing domestic fuel production
Shokrollahi emphasized that increasing domestic production of gasoline and diesel can prevent the outflow of foreign currency and enhance the resilience of the country's economy. He added: "If two new refineries with a total capacity of 180,000 barrels per day are added to the country's refining network and can reach operational capacity according to the plan, their increased production of gasoline and diesel can cover part of the gap between production and consumption."
Read more: Commissioning of the Persian Gulf Mehr Refinery by the end of September
Challenges of energy imbalance and consumption management
Shokrollahi considered energy imbalance to be the result of years of lack of balance between consumption growth and production capacity development, stating that one cannot expect the issue that has developed over years to be resolved overnight with the inauguration of a few refining projects. He warned that if consumption growth continues, new capacities will gradually be absorbed through increased demand.
He also stressed the need for a serious and scheduled program for consumption management. Reforming high-consumption vehicles, scrapping old vehicles, developing public transportation, increasing the share of CNG, and effectively implementing fuel consumption optimization policies should be among the main priorities of the Ministry of Oil and related agencies.
Shokrollahi concluded by stating that the Parliament supports increasing refining capacity and self-sufficiency in fuel production, but expects that the issue of imbalance is not pursued solely from the supply side and that simultaneous investment in reducing consumption is also necessary.
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