Fuel refining laboratories in main areas in Upper Egypt, Suez, Alexandria and Cairo are being developed and new projects are being implemented to cater for the state's needs of fuel and reduce imports, the minister of petroleum said.

During a meeting of the general assembly of the Middle East Oil Refinery (MIDOR) and Alexandria National Refining & Petrochemicals Co (ANRPC) on Saturday, Petroleum Minister Sherif Ismail said Assiut refining laboratories are being expanded to meet Upper Egypt needs in addition to new MIDOR and ANRPC projects.

During the meeting, MIDOR Chairman Mohamed Abdel Aziz said MIDOR signed in April two agreements with the multinational Universal Oil Products (UOP) Company on expanding MIDOR refinery with an investment of 1.4 billion dollars.

The expansion of the refinery aims to increase its production capacity from 100,000 to 160,000 barrels per day, within the ministry’s plan to develop refineries to boost local petroleum production.

CEO of MIDOR, Mohamed Abdel Aziz, said that the annual production capacity of the refinery, after the project is accomplished, will reach up to 245,000 tons of butane gas, 1.3 million tons of gasoline, 3.2 million tons of diesel oil, 570,000 tons of coal and 135,000 tons of sulphur.

Meanwhile, ANRPC Chairman Ahmed Abul Roh said the company managed to up its production of high-octane gasoline to reach 913,000 tons.

He noted that the company is working on three new ventures, including a 300-million dollar project for doubling its production of high octane gasoline.

The project is expected to be finalized by mid 2018, he said.