Iran will transform from an exporter to an importer of petrochemical products within the next three years

According to Energy Press, development means sustainable and comprehensive improvement in economic, social and technological dimensions, which leads to improved quality of life and increased productivity. In countries with natural resources such as Iran, the development of downstream oil and gas industries not only creates added value, but also reduces dependence on oil revenues and creates sustainable employment.
However, development in Iran has always been accompanied by challenges such as lack of long-term planning, imbalance in the value chain and lack of strategic vision. This issue is clearly seen in the petrochemical industry, where excessive focus on some products (such as methanol, urea and ammonia) and neglect of the development of other sectors has put the future of this industry at risk.
The danger that threatens the Western Ethylene Line
One of the most important infrastructures of Iran’s petrochemical industry is the Western Ethylene Line, which plays a vital role in supplying feedstock to production units. Petrochemical expert Hossein Safari told the media outlet, referring to the serious problems facing the line: “We have had two approaches: maintaining the status quo and developing, but the development approach has never been addressed as it should be, and this issue has become unbalanced development. Most of our production chain (about 20 million tons) is concentrated in methanol, urea, and ammonia, which, if not addressed, will become the country’s Achilles’ heel.”
Referring to the 200 tons per hour capacity of ethylene on the western line, he warns that newly licensed projects could add 30 to 40 percent to the line’s load, while the necessary infrastructure to support this increase in capacity is not in place: “Some of the things that happen on this line will be irreparable. It’s not a reduction in the capacity of one unit, but a loss of the entire system.”
Sleep deprivation in the development of the production value chain
Saffari points to unforeseen events in the ethylene line, where even a momentary disruption can stop production for several days: Two years ago, there was a problem in the ethylene line and the companies were shut down. Sometimes a sudden event like a stroke delays production by at least two or three days, let alone reducing the pressure on this line or taking measures to develop it.