Ali Ahmadipour said the launch of the pipeline increases crude transfer capacity while strengthening supply to refineries in the country’s northern half. He added that the line will also serve as a backup route for nationwide crude oil transportation.

According to the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company, Ahmadipour said the pipeline is about 340 kilometers long. A 104-kilometer section from Sabzab to Tang-e Fanni has a diameter of 30 inches, while the remaining section to Shazand is 26 inches in diameter.

The pipeline currently has a capacity of about 100,000 barrels per day, which is expected to rise to 120,000 barrels per day. Ahmadipour said full capacity is expected to be reached within one to two months.

He said the first phase of filling operations, from late August to mid-September, covered the Sabzab–Tang-e Fanni section. In the second phase, about a month after operations began on the remaining section, crude oil reached the Shazand refinery on Wednesday.

Project Creates 50 Jobs During Commissioning

Ahmadipour said the pipeline route includes five pumping stations, each employing about 10 technical, operational and support staff. In total, 50 workers were involved in the filling operations, accounting for about 1,200 man-hours per day and 36,000 man-hours per month, bringing the line to full operational readiness.

He said the pipeline, alongside two other crude oil lines running from the south to central and northern Iran, will significantly support crude transport operations and help ensure feedstock supply to northern refineries.

The added capacity, Ahmadipour said, will ease operational pressure, improve transport safety and provide a reliable backup in case of disruptions on existing lines, ensuring continued supply to the Shazand and Tehran refineries.

He added that most of the equipment and components used in the project were domestically produced and supplied by Iranian companies through the National Iranian Oil Engineering and Construction Company, the project’s main contractor.