Iran stopped compressor, turbine and pump imports from China after implementation of nuclear deal, Reza Padidar, chairman of Board of Directors at Society of Iranian Petroleum Industry Equipment Manufacturers, told Trend June 6.
The nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1 Group (the US, UK, France, Russia, China plus Germany) was implemented in January 2016 and sanctions on Iran were eliminated.
Padidar said that during the sanctions era, Iran had to import low-quality Chinese oil and gas equipment lacking the needed global standards, but the import of these goods decreased by 60 percent in the post-sanctions era.
According to an official document prepared by Oil Ministry and seen by Trend in 2016, Iran needs more than $3.6 billion worth compressors and about $908 million worth pumps only for refineries in 2016-2021.
Overview: Electromotors demand at Iran’s refineries
However, Iran recently signed agreements with Germany’s Siemens and other western companies to establish joint ventures for producing progressive electromotor devices and turbines.
Padidar said that currently, about 70 percent of the needed equipment in oil and gas industry is produced domestically.
Iran becoming self-sufficient in high-tech turbine manufacturing
Abbas Aliabadi, CEO of Iranian engineering giant Mapna Group, told Trend that his company is involved in progressive projects as manufacture of hi-tech equipment, such as the turbo-compressors used in transmission pipelines, refineries and processing units, and oil measurement equipment.
Mapna has also made it one of its top priorities to make better equipment, he said.
“For instance, we have produced MAP2A and MAP2B turbines, which are enhanced versions of MGT70 with higher power output and efficiency,” added Aliabadi.
Mapna has signed several contracts with many well-known international companies, either for the supply of equipment, or transfer of technology or to set up a joint venture, including a joint venture between Tuga – Mapna’s subsidiary in charge of engineering and manufacturing steam and gas turbines – and Franco Tosi Meccanica of Italy in December 2015.
In March 2016, Mapna signed a technology transfer agreement with Siemens in Berlin.
In February 2017, Mapna Boiler Company signed a technology transfer and licensing agreement with Belgian CMI for manufacturing heat recovery steam generators using F-class and H-class turbines.
Iran plans to increase the nominal power generation capacity from the current 76.8 gigawatts (GW) to 100 GW by 2021, of which about 80 percent would account for thermal power plants.