"Non-oil exports, worth $700 million, show a 23% hike in volume and 2% rise in value compared to same period last year," IRNA quoted Ahmad Pourheydari as saying.
The data does not include gas condensates.
He said the export destinations included India, Mozambique, South Africa, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, China, Romania, Kyrgyzstan, Taiwan Qatar, Italy, Oman and the UAE. The National Petrochemical Company sent cargo via land borders to neighboring Iraq, Turkey and Afghanistan, according to Financial Tribune.
Ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, butane, propane, poly styren, methanol, polyethylene and polypropylene were the main exports.
Asked about imports, Pourheydari said goods worth $24 million were imported to the PSEEZ customs in the period, indicating a 1% increase in volume and 45% spike in value compared to the corresponding period last year.
Imports From 8 Countries
Imports included electronics for turbines and pumps to pipes and natural gas taps and valves. Goods were imported largely from China, Italy, Poland, the UAE, Kuwait, Indonesia, Malaysia and Austria.
The United States re-imposed sanctions last November on Iranian oil exports after President Donald Trump last spring unilaterally pulled out of a 2015 accord between Iran and six world powers.
The US also hit Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company with economic sanctions last month to choke off financing for PGPIC, as it is the country’s largest and most profitable petrochemical group with 39 subsidiaries and several sales agents overseas.
The world’s largest gas field shared between Iran and Qatar, South Pars is the heart of energy production in Iran. It also is the non-oil export hub for petrochemicals and gas condensates.
In addition to the giant gas field, the PSEEZ is home to 16 major oil, gas and petrochemical facilities that produce 20 million plus tons of petrochemicals a year mainly for export markets.
Data related to 2018 show a rise in the production of a variety of byproducts, namely ethane (42%), liquefied petroleum gas (35%) and sulfur (35%), compared with to a year ago.
South Pars accounts for 96% of LPG, 100% of ethane and 55% of sulfur produced in the country. The gas field was developed in 24 phases, of which 22 are operating and Phase 14 is being completed.