The unit has also injected 103 thousand tons of the product into domestic market.

Having progressed over 92 percent, the second unit of the complex will start work by the end of Iranian year (March 20, 2008).

According to the plan, the second unit is to produce 1.65 million tons of methanol, bringing the country’s annual production capacity to 3.4 million tons.

Zagros is to export three million tons of methanol valued at 770 million dollars per annum.

The fourth methanol plan with an annual 1.65 million ton production capacity (five thousand tons per day) became operational in Assalouyeh, southern Iran, last March.

The fourth methanol plan is fed with 1.488 billion cubic meters of natural gas yearly and two million cubic meters of oxygen daily. Refining phases 1-3 of South Pars field supply its feedstock after Pars Petrochemical Complex separates hydrocarbons that are heavier than ethane.

Its products are used in downstream industries, resins, various types of plastics, utensils and kitchenware, cameras, and switches and sockets.

After the overhaul of the first unit of Zagros Petrochemical Complex, the plant has started production at 100 percent of its nominal capacity.

The complex produces 4,500 tons per day of petrochemicals and the figure has increased to 5,000 tons per day after overhaul of its first unit has finished.

The overhaul aimed at increasing efficiency of the first unit of the complex and the result will be satisfactory.

The first instance of overhaul at Zagros Petrochemical Complex was finished through 850 persons-hours of labor in 10 days.

Other parts of the unit including air filters, nitrogen machinery and instruments were also repaired during the overhaul.

Totally 2.519 million tons of petrochemical products was exported in the four months.

The export-bound products fetched the country 1.383 billion dollars.

Liquefied gas weighing 800 thousand tons was the main commodity Iran exported during the period.

The value of petrochemicals exported in the first quarter of Iranian year stood at 981 million dollars. Iran Petrochemical Commercial Company (IPCC) exported over 1.7 million tons of different types of petrochemical products to the international markets.

Methanol, ethylene, propylene, butadiene, dichloride ethylene, LAB, and PTA constitute the main basic products the country exports to foreign countries.

Propane, butane, pyrolyse gasoline, pentane plus, and heavy slice are the export-bound by-products and fuels while benzene, paraxylene, and heavy slice of aromatic are the main aromatic products Iran exports.

Ammoniac, ammonium nitrate, sulfur, and sulfuric acid are categorized in the fertilizer products and light and heavy polyethylene products, melamine crystal, PVC, and PET are the polymeric products that the country is considering exporting.

Iran is among the world’s top producer of urea, ammoniac, methanol, and ethylene.

Japan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China, India, South Korea, Italy, Singapore, and Taiwan were the main target markets for exporting Iran’s petrochemical products in the previous year.

These countries accounted for 86 and 80 percent of Iran’s export-bound petrochemicals in terms of weight and value respectively.

Of about five million tons of petrochemical products Iran exported from March 21, 2006 to March 20, 2007, over 71 percent was transported to Asia, 21 percent to the Middle East, and about 7 percent to Europe.

At present, Iran is producing 67 kinds of petrochemical products and the variety, due to downstream production process, will be greater.

Iran’s Fifth Five-Year Socioeconomic Development Plan (2010-2015) has planned for increasing the annual petrochemical production from 55 million tons to 158 million tons.

According to the initial estimate, domestic petrochemical output will witness a 33.7 million ton increase during the period.

Based on the plan, 27 projects will become operational through investing 12.325 billion dollars by 2015.

Petrochemical products accounted for the highest share of non-oil goods Iran exported in the past Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2006 to March 20, 2007).