Iran's Oil Ministry is aggressively expanding its pipeline infrastructure to streamline petroleum product distribution and ensure a consistent nationwide supply, head of the National Iranian Oil Engineering and Construction Company (NIOEC), Mohammad Meshkinfam, said last week. 

The initiative aims to resolve current imbalances and enhance delivery efficiency, with the cornerstone of this strategy being the nearly completed 460-kilometer Bandar Abbas–Sirjan–Rafsanjan pipeline. 

This 26-inch line can transport up to 300,000 barrels (48 million liters) of refined fuel daily from southern refineries in Bandar Abbas and Persian Gulf Star to central and northern provinces.

Construction on the $240 million project, which began in 2019, included three new pump stations and terminals in Sirjan and Rafsanjan. 

The pipeline is expected to eliminate 1,200 to 1,500 daily fuel tanker truck trips, significantly reducing transportation costs and improving safety.

Meshkinfam stated that over 1,000 kilometers of new pipelines are under construction, with the Bandar Abbas–Rafsanjan line anticipated to reach full capacity by September. 

The system already moved nearly 100,000 barrels of refined fuel daily to central Iran during December's peak consumption.

Other key projects include a new 37-kilometer spur connecting the Goreh–Jask pipeline to the Bandar Abbas refinery, shifting feedstock delivery from sea to land. 

Additionally, the long-delayed 340-kilometer Sabzab–Rey crude oil pipeline, started in 2014, is nearing completion. 

This multi-phase pipeline will supply crude to several refineries, including those in Kermanshah, Shazand, and Tehran, with varying capacities up to 450,000 barrels per day.