According to National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC), Ahmad Farzaneh said: "With the implementation of this project, capacity will not increase in Abadan Refinery, but the goal of the project is to stabilize the capacity and improve the quality of its products.”

Emphasizing that according to the construction and operation of the existing 150,000 barrels distillation unit, the total capacity of the refinery will be stabilized at 360,000 barrels (150 + 210) per day after construction of a new distillation unit, he said: “In addition to stabilizing the refinery’s capacity at 360,000 barrels per day, all 360,000 barrels of refined products in phase 2 will be refined in hydrogen units and the standard of the items will be raised to Euro 5.”

The operator of Abadan Refinery Capacity Development and Consolidation Project added: “In the first part of Phase 2 of Abadan Refinery, HPU hydrogen production units, HCU hydrocrackers, liquefied petroleum gas distillation unit and CDU/VDU and utility units and ancillary facilities with an investment of $1.26 billion will be built.”

Farzaneh said: “In the second part of phase 2, hydrogen treatment and gasoline production units including CCR, NHT, ISOM, GHT, KHT and utility units and related ancillary facilities will be built with an investment of about $1.7 billion.”

He said the first part of phase 2 would come online during the current calendar year, which began on March 21.