Fuel Storage Depots Damaged in War 80% Rebuilt, Iranian Official Says

Reconstruction of fuel depots and facilities damaged during the war has reached 80%, with all infrastructure expected to return to normal operating conditions by the end of November, the head of the National Iranian Oil Engineering and Construction Company said. Mohammad Meshkinfam said the reconstruction project was unprecedented in terms of the scale of operations and speed of implementation, setting new records for the oil industry during its planning and execution.

Despite wartime conditions and operational constraints, the project contractor was selected and deployed to the site within just three days, allowing reconstruction work to begin immediately. Around 60,000 inches of welding were completed over approximately two months, including during wartime conditions and the Nowruz holidays, he added. Meshkinfam attributed the progress to close cooperation among the National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company, the National Iranian Oil Engineering and Construction Company and the project implementation teams.

Referring to damage sustained by the Shahr-e Rey fuel depots and other storage facilities in Tehran Province, he said fuel distribution operations in the capital were restored within about two weeks through round-the-clock efforts by technical and operational teams. Petroleum product distribution in Tehran is now stable and has even exceeded its previous capacity, he added.

Meshkinfam said the reconstruction contract comprises two main components: restoring fuel product distribution and transmission operations, and constructing storage tanks and completing the project's remaining commitments. He put progress on petroleum product transmission facilities at around 60%, while overall reconstruction of damaged depots and facilities had reached approximately 80%.

One of the project's main challenges was the absence of completed initial designs on the first day, he said, adding that engineering design and construction were therefore carried out simultaneously to avoid delays. The parallel implementation of design and construction, combined with the mobilization of resources and sustained efforts by project teams, enabled the rapid restoration of fuel distribution infrastructure, Meshkinfam said. - Tehran Times