Iran petchem plants have idle capacity since 2005
Iran has doubled gas output capacity since 2005 to about 284 billion cubic meters in 2016, of which 97 percent is methane and the remainder is ethane, propane, butane, etc. Gas condensate output also increased at the same pace to above 560,000 barrels per day in 2016. All of the mentioned raw materials are feedstock for petrochemical plants, but according to an official statistics prepared by Oil Ministry and seen by Trend, there has been a significant amount of idle capacity since 2005 and feedstock shortage shares 44 percent of the total idle capacity. During last years, Iran increased feedstock supply to petrochemical plants, but the rapid growth of nominal production capacity as well as export decline due to sanctions led to continuance of idle capacity. There was a slight growth in feedstock supply, while the nominal capacity of petrochemical plants increased by 20 percent during the mentioned period. Iran’s feedstock supply to petrochemical plants: Feedstock 201