AMMAN — The Lower House Energy and Mineral Resources Committee, chaired by MP Haitham Ziadin, visited the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company (JPRC) on Tuesday, where it was briefed on the progress of work in the company and the most prominent challenges it faces.

 

JPRC Chairman Abdulrahim Baqaei said that the company is a main tributary of the Jordanian economy, as it contributes to the security of the supply of oil derivatives, pointing out that free competition in the open market serves the interest of the citizen, public service TV Al Mamlaka reported.

 

JPRC General Manager Hassan Hiari said that the company recently re-launched the tender for the fourth expansion project of the refinery (modernisation of the refinery) to companies that were previously qualified to compete for its implementation.

 

He pointed out that the tender was first launched in 2018 to attract consortiums of international companies to implement it, but many fluctuations have prevented it from being completed since then.

 

Hiari pointed out that new studies took into account the expansion of the use of electric vehicles, the entry of natural gas into the transport sector, in addition to the growing reliance on alternative fuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel, and changes in the legislation regulating the sector.

 

He stressed that the project is estimated to cost around $2 billion and aims to meet the growing demand in the local market for petroleum products and improve their quality to comply with international environmental specifications and standards.

 

Hiari stressed that the company is currently taking serious steps to implement the project, which will serve both the national economy and citizens by enhancing the security of oil product supplies, contributing to reducing unemployment and dependence on imports, and increasing the added value of local refining operations.

 

Ziadin praised JPRC’s “strategic” role in achieving energy security, stressing the importance of developing it to keep pace with the local market needs and enhance production efficiency.