Managing Director of the refinery, Masoud Hassani said that with a two percent increase in gas production, 12.7 billion cubic meters of sweet gas was injected into the national gas network.

Speaking to the media people during their visit to Shahid Hasheminejad Gas Refinery in Sarakhs, he said that the refinery"s fourth sulfur recovery unit is projected to become operational soon.

"Given the 85 percent progress in the project on fourth sulfur recovery unit, is approaching its final stage and will be go on stream in early autumn," he added in a presstv.com report.

"The fourth unit mainly aims to prevent burning of acidic gases. Besides its establishment would be another important step toward a pollution-free environment," said the official.

He noted that once this unit becomes operational, major losses arising from burning of acidic gases and production of SO2, estimated to be 23 million dollars, will be prevented.

"Ten percent of the gas being recovered at this refinery is acidic. It should be noticed that at no gas refinery throughout the world is gas refined at such a high risk, which makes its refinement process quite unique," he concluded.