Iran Would Look to Launch GTL Plant This Year

Iran’s Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI) is planning to launch a gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant during the current Iranian calendar year which started on March 20.

RIPI and NIGC have developed the first GTL plant in Iran by employing slurry reactor technology, a senior official with RIPI, Mansour Bazmi said, reported news agency Shana.

"RIPI has signed an MoU with National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) for developing a gas refinery project as well," the news agency quoted the official as saying.

He said RIPI inked two strategic deals with National Iranian Oil Products and Distribution Company (NIOPDC) for development of RCD catalysts and hydrocracking studies.  

GTL is a refinery process to convert natural gas or other gaseous hydrocarbons into longer-chain hydrocarbons such as gasoline or diesel fuel.