Read more | Digg story
Iran needs to postpone until September a plan scheduled for implementation this month to ration petrol that is expected to have a huge impact on the economy, an MP said.
The plan, aimed at reducing the lavish subsidies that keep petrol prices low, should be put off as the technology to enforce the rationing is not ready, the head of parliament's energy commission, Kamal Daneshyar said.
"Based on the studies of our commission the ground is not ready to implement the rationing using smart cards, so we have to give another chance to the government," said Daneshyar.
"We have received reports that the devices for reading the smart cards break down quickly and some pumps end up working backwards.
This means that instead of pumping petrol they suck up the petrol from the vehicles," he added.
"Therefore until these problems are addressed, the rationing project has to be postponed until around end of September," he concluded.
The lavish consumption by Iranian drivers, encouraged by the subsidised prices that work out less than a comparable amount of mineral water, forces Opec's number two producer to import billions of dollars of extra petrol annually.
The government has yet to confirm whether the plan will be delayed but after such explicit comments by the head of the commission that drafted the legislation it appears unlikely the plan can go ahead on time.
Giants keen on Iran oil blocks Iran needs to postpone until September a plan scheduled for implementation this month to ration petrol that is expected to have a huge impact on the economy, an MP said.
The plan, aimed at reducing the lavish subsidies that keep petrol prices low, should be put off as the technology to enforce the rationing is not ready, the head of parliament's energy commission, Kamal Daneshyar said.
"Based on the studies of our commission the ground is not ready to implement the rationing using smart cards, so we have to give another chance to the government," said Daneshyar.
"We have received reports that the devices for reading the smart cards break down quickly and some pumps end up working backwards.This means that instead of pumping petrol they suck up the petrol from the vehicles," he added.
"Therefore until these problems are addressed, the rationing project has to be postponed until around end of September," he concluded.
The lavish consumption by Iranian drivers, encouraged by the subsidised prices that work out less than a comparable amount of mineral water, forces Opec's number two producer to import billions of dollars of extra petrol annually.
The government has yet to confirm whether the plan will be delayed but after such explicit comments by the head of the commission that drafted the legislation it appears unlikely the plan can go ahead on time.
An Iranian oil official has revealed that 14 oil giants have purchased the tender documents for 17 Iranian oil blocks to date.
Head of the Exploration Department of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Hossein Roshandel told the Iranian Mehr news agency, "To date 62 information packages have been purchased and the deadline for participating in the tender for these blocks, which is June 20, is unlikely to be extended."
He enumerated some of the bidders as the Anglo-Dutch Shell, France's Total, Brazil's Petrobras, Malaysia's Petronas, Spain's Repsol and Austria's OMV.
The official estimated that at least euro 450m would be needed for exploratory activities in these blocks.
"Specifying the condition of these blocks is high on the agenda of NIOC's Exploration Department in this Iranian year", he added.
The blocks include five offshore and twelve onshore, spread across nine provinces in the country, covering a 129,000 km area. Iran introduced 17 oil blocks for exploration and development during a February meeting in the Austrian capital Vienna.
Head of the Exploration Department of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Hossein Roshandel told the Iranian Mehr news agency, "To date 62 information packages have been purchased and the deadline for participating in the tender for these blocks, which is June 20, is unlikely to be extended."
He enumerated some of the bidders as the Anglo-Dutch Shell, France's Total, Brazil's Petrobras, Malaysia's Petronas, Spain's Repsol and Austria's OMV.
The official estimated that at least euro 450m would be needed for exploratory activities in these blocks.
"Specifying the condition of these blocks is high on the agenda of NIOC's Exploration Department in this Iranian year", he added.The blocks include five offshore and twelve onshore, spread across nine provinces in the country, covering a 129,000 km area. Iran introduced 17 oil blocks for exploration and development during a February meeting in the Austrian capital Vienna.
