TEHRAN – The eighth refinery of the South Pars Gas Complex has begun a major overhaul, with more than 250,000 man-hours of work scheduled, according to the refinery’s director.

Hadi Chabok said Thursday night that the overhaul started on July 1 with the shutdown of Phase 21 and will continue through July 19.

This year’s maintenance program includes planned shutdowns of Phases 20 and 21, as well as an 11-day complete shutdown of the refinery. During this period, 3,829 maintenance operations will be carried out, requiring approximately 256,000 man-hours of labor.

Key technical activities include internal inspections of 104 critical units, repair and calibration of hundreds of industrial valves, preventive testing and maintenance on over 2,000 mechanical and instrumentation systems, as well as upgrades to electrical and control infrastructure across various units.

“With strict adherence to safety protocols and operational standards, we aim to complete this year’s overhaul without incident and on schedule,” Chabok said.

South Pars, located in southern Iran, is the world’s largest gas field, shared between Iran and Qatar. The Iranian section is divided into 24 phases, each comprising onshore refineries and offshore platforms. The complex is a critical component of Iran’s energy infrastructure, supplying over 70 percent of the country’s domestic gas needs.

The eighth refinery, which processes gas from Phases 20 and 21, plays a key role in meeting peak seasonal demand and ensuring stable supply to households and industries. Regular overhauls are essential for maintaining the operational integrity of the aging facilities and maximizing output from the high-pressure gas reservoirs in the Persian Gulf.

Iran has invested heavily in expanding and maintaining the South Pars complex despite sanctions, which have complicated access to foreign equipment and services. Officials say these annual maintenance shutdowns are scheduled to minimize disruption and ensure the sustainability of the field’s long-term production.

EF/MA