Kharg’s renovated tanks raise crude storage capacity by 2m barrels
The official commissioning of renovated Tanks No. 25 and 26 at Iran’s southern Kharg Island oil terminal increased the country’s crude oil storage capacity by two million barrels.
The two one-million-barrel tanks, after completing reconstruction and modernization of safety and environmental systems, were returned to service on Saturday in the presence of the heads of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and the Iranian Oil Terminals Company (IOTC), IRNA reported.
During the visit of Hamid Bovard, the NIOC head, to Kharg Island, the completion of renovation and overhaul operations for Tanks No. 25 and 26 was announced, marking their formal inauguration. Each tank has a capacity of one million barrels of crude oil, and their return to service adds a total of two million barrels to the country’s oil storage capacity.
At the commissioning ceremony, Abbas Asadrouz, CEO of IOTC, described the project as “a symbol of the expertise of domestic specialists and a strategic step in developing oil industry infrastructure,” emphasizing its full compliance with safety and environmental standards.
Officials stated that commissioning these two tanks “not only strengthens export stability but also enables flexible production management and enhances Iran’s position in the global energy market.”
Asadrouz also highlighted the strategic role of Kharg Island in Iran’s oil export chain, affirming the company’s readiness to support maximum oil exports.
“Iranian oil terminals, with their specialized, infrastructural, and logistical capabilities, play a central role in achieving the oil industry’s key objectives,” he said.
“Kharg Terminal, as Iran’s largest and most advanced oil export hub, is the beating heart of the country’s oil exports, with over 90% of exported oil shipped to global markets through this terminal,” he added.
He further noted, “Kharg’s geopolitical position in the Persian Gulf, proximity to major oilfields, sufficient water depth for ultra-large crude carriers (ULCCs), and advanced storage, loading, and export infrastructure make this terminal unrivaled in the region.”
Asadrouz emphasized the terminal’s operational readiness, “Despite challenges, Kharg Terminal — with its storage tanks, export jetties, precision measurement systems, and smart control systems — can support simultaneous loading of multiple tankers, ensuring export stability under all conditions.”