Iran plans to build 7 refineries

[Chris]

Iran plans to build 7 refineries
By ADAM GONN/THE MEDIA LINE
31/01/2010 17:34
Teheran to counter sanctions by reducing dependence on foreign capabilities.

Iran plans to build seven new oil and gas refineries in a bid to diminish its vulnerability to sanctions from foreign refineries. According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, the new oil and gas refineries will allow Iran both to meet domestic demand and become a gas exporter, although the agency failed to state when construction was due to start. Though Iran has one of the largest known oil reserves in the world, it lacks the necessary refineries to turn the crude oil into high value consumer products such as gas. If completed, the new plant will significantly boost Iran’s oil industry.

Iran relies on exporting its oil to southern Gulf countries for refinement, which necessitates re-importing its own oil at a much higher price. New sanctions being considered against Iran by the United States plan to target this dependence. “From an economic point of view, it’s very difficult, simply because it’s going to be a very costly enterprise,” Mohammed Shakeel, editor and economist with the Economist Intelligence Unit, told The Media Line.

more...............Iran plans to build 7 refineries

[Chris]

It would take a long time to build those refineries and I'm not sure it will help them in the short run even if they did build them.

[Inky]

By the time they get them permitted, designed, procured, built, go through testing and start-up, it will be several years. I hope to be with the Lord by then but of course He will come “like a thief in the night” so I don’t have a clue when that time will be. I can hope though.

Also, Iran’s nuclear plant will be up and enriching uranium, oops, I mean, up and running by then. I would suspect that very well could be the timeframe when Iran announces they have WMD’s and will start to hold the other surrounding countries hostage.

[readytogo]

Refineries? Is that what they're calling them? Underground refineries?

[mattfivefour]

According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, the new oil and gas refineries will allow Iran both to meet domestic demand and become a gas exporter

Kind of puts the lie to their argument that they need nuclear energy to meet their domestic energy requirements, doesn't it.

[myinnuendo999]

Kind of puts the lie to their argument that they need nuclear energy to meet their domestic energy requirements, doesn't it.

That's what I was thinking mattfivefour.