BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 26. Iran is now forced to import diesel fuel since 130 million liters of diesel fuel from Abadan Oil Refining Company were exported from June 21 through August 21, Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said on November 26, Trend reports.
According to him, Iran's thermal power plants have been consuming an average of 22 million liters of diesel fuel daily since July 31 until now (November 26). This has led to the reduction of diesel stocks in Iran's thermal power plants. Currently, diesel must be imported to restore this stockpiled.
The Iranian minister noted that on August 21, diesel stockpiles at thermal power plants stood at about 1.8 billion liters. This is 43 percent less than in the same period last year, as well as 3 billion liters of stable diesel stockpile.
Paknejad noted that due to low diesel stocks in the country's thermal power plants, the secretariat of Iran's Supreme National Security Council decided in mid-July to utilize 40 million liters of fuel oil daily in thermal power plants starting July 31. The goal was to bring the diesel stockpile at thermal power plants up to the required level. However, apparently, the diesel stockpile has not reached the required level.
Iran's crude oil and gas condensate are currently processed at 10 refineries. On average, the country produces 114 million liters of diesel fuel daily.