At the Soroush and Norouz offshore oil fields, production and export follow a process unlike that of most other Iranian fields. Instead of transporting crude oil to shore or nearby islands for processing and export, all stages are carried out at sea. These include separating water, salt and gas and bringing the oil up to export specifications. The work is done either on production platforms or, after transfer, at the Persian Gulf export terminal, where final steps are completed before shipment.

The floating terminal is about 370 meters long and 70 meters wide, with storage and export capacity of up to 2.2 million barrels of crude oil. Before it was deployed, exports from the Soroush and Norouz fields were handled by the Sorena export vessel. Due to aging equipment, Sorena was replaced by the Persian Gulf terminal, which has now been in operation for more than a decade.

Alireza Afrasiabi, head of the Persian Gulf oil export terminal, said oil produced at the Soroush and Norouz fields is processed offshore at the Soroush platform and, once it meets required quality standards, is sent directly to the terminal.

“The Persian Gulf terminal serves as the final storage facility and the departure point for Iranian oil to global markets at sea,” Afrasiabi said in an interview with Shana, the Oil Ministry’s news agency.

He said the terminal is a floating storage unit with a capacity of about 2.2 million barrels. After oil is transferred to the terminal, it is stored and then delivered to export tankers based on schedules set by the export planning management in Tehran.

A Brand Called “Soroush”

Afrasiabi said that under the original plan, oil from the Soroush and Norouz fields was stored and exported separately. As differences in quality narrowed and production conditions changed, authorities decided to blend the two streams.

“That decision led to the creation of the ‘Soroush’ crude brand,” he said.

The blending simplified and unified exports, Afrasiabi said, adding that crude shipped from the terminal is now known internationally as Soroush oil.

Before the current terminal became operational, exports were carried out by the Sorena vessel, he said. During its service life, Sorena exported 849 cargoes totaling about 461 million barrels of oil. Aging equipment, however, made its replacement unavoidable.

Export Resilience During War

Afrasiabi said the Persian Gulf export terminal was purchased in 2012, at the height of sanctions-related restrictions. After about two years of completion work and equipment installation, the first oil export from the terminal took place in 2014, and exports have continued since then.

He said operations were never halted during Israel’s attack on Iran and the 12-day war, and oil production and deliveries to the terminal continued throughout that period.

“This continuity is the result of the commitment and experience of our operational personnel,” Afrasiabi said, noting that many have more than 20 years of experience working in harsh offshore conditions.

Despite all limitations, he said, oil exports from the Persian Gulf terminal have continued without interruption, reflecting effective risk management, operational experience and round-the-clock efforts by offshore crews.

Today, the Persian Gulf oil export terminal stands as a central pillar of Iran’s offshore export system, ensuring the steady flow of crude oil to international markets under complex technical, economic and geopolitical conditions.