Mohammadali Dadvar, deputy managing director of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company, said all refineries in the country — except those located near the sea — are constructing wastewater treatment plants to reuse treated sewage.

Tehran Oil Refining Co. has already built the country’s and the Middle East’s largest wastewater treatment facility, which will supply its operations with treated sewage from Tehran, according to the company.

Dadvar said new plants are also under construction at the Kermanshah and Shazand refineries, while Tabriz Refinery is partnering with Tabriz Petrochemical Co. to build a joint facility. The Isfahan refinery, meanwhile, is sourcing water from the sea despite high transportation costs. “Given the current water shortages, we have no other option,” he said.

He added that the Tehran refinery’s wastewater project is 80% to 90% complete and will be fully operational by the end of the year, allowing both the refinery and a nearby energy town to use treated water. Once the Tehran and Isfahan projects are fully online, 100% of their industrial water needs will be met through reclaimed wastewater.

The Arak refinery, which previously drew water from the Kamal Saleh Dam, has lost its allocation and now relies on treated wastewater and wells. A new wastewater treatment project there is expected to come online within two years, after which the wells will be sealed, Dadvar said.

Asked whether refineries, like petrochemical plants, are required to be located near the sea, Dadvar said water scarcity makes such a move unavoidable. “Even if the law does not mandate it, the lack of water forces us to use seawater,” he said.

Beyond water management, Iranian refineries are also moving toward renewable energy. Dadvar said all refineries have plans to build solar power plants, with tenders already held in facilities such as Isfahan and Tehran. Progress varies by site, but Tehran refinery has already allocated several areas for solar panel and plant installation.

“The main challenge in advancing solar projects is financing,” he said, noting that some refineries are seeking funding through the National Development Fund or private investment to move the projects forward.