Key Iranian refinery hit by explosion
09 September 2022
An explosion and fire broke out at a key refinery in Iran on September 2. The incident happened in the southwestern city of Abadan where one of the country’s oldest and largest refineries is located. According to state news, no one was injured in the incident at the refinery which produces around 25% of the country’s fuel.
Representative image: Shutterstock
Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, reports that the explosion occurred after a furnace in the sulphur production unit of the plant burst. There were no casualties and production was continuing as usual, IRNA said.
The Abadan Refinery in the Khuzestan province of Iran is one of the country’s oldest refining complexes. The refinery itself was completed in 1912, however it has undergone several rebuilds. It currently produces around 429,000 barrels of oil per day.
Industrial incidents are fairly common in Iran which has been hit by several US sanctions in recent years. The sanctions have made maintenance and repairs at Iran’s oil and gas facilities more difficult. Others in Iran blame the incidents on cyber attacks led by Israel. In 2021, Iran’s fuel distribution network was hit by a cyber attack which led to a complete shutdown of fuel distribution plants nationwide.