Abadan refinery

Abadan is a large, low-complexity refinery located in Iran.

The refinery is owned and operated by NIORDC.

Refinery configuration

Complexity: 4.5

Major process units:

Atmospheric distillation - 400 kbpd

Vacuum distillation    

Hydrocracker     

FCC     

Alkylation    

C5/C6 Isomerization   

Reformer - Semiregen  unit and Continuous (CCR) unit

Naphtha hydrotreater  

Base oil plant   

Asphalt plant   


Refinery history

1912 - Refinery commissioned with 2500 bpd by the Anglo Persian oil company

1951 - Nationalized along with all oil assets in Iran

1980 - Refinery largely destroyed by was

1988 - Reopened and expanded

2017 - Sinopec signed a $1B agreement to expand the refinery

2020 - Work on expansion project suspended due to pandemic 

2026 - Proposed project to add conversion: Distillate Hydrocracker 42 kbpd, C5 Isomerization 20 kbpd, CCR Reformer 46 kbpd, Diesel Hydrotreater 90 kbpd, Kero Hydrotreater 45 kbpd, Naphtha Hydrotreater 65 kbpd, Vacuum Distillation 45 kbpd.  Status unclear.