Iran's Oil Ministry has stated that it is to roll out a programme of construction of new heavy and extra-heavy crude oil refineries as it looks to modernise its national energy industry.

Earlier this week it was reported that as many as 15 European and Asian countries, including France, Germany, India and China are eyeing up oil and gas investment opportunities in Iran's burgeoning industry, with priority expected to be given to those operators with the technology and financial resources needed for both upstream and downstream projects.

Now, the manager of the refining affairs department of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) has revealed that the government is also set to invest heavily in new refining projects.

With just the Bandar Abbas refinery capable of refining heavy crude oil, investment will focus on upgrading existing facilities, such as the Khuzestan site, as well as the construction of new ones, Aminollah Eskandari told the Mehr News Agency.

According to the Tehran Times, Iran currently refines 180,000 barrels of heavy crude oil per day, though this figure is likely to rise significantly by 2011.

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