<article><p class="lead">Venezuela's state-owned PdV is importing more refinery catalyst from Iran in an ongoing effort to boost gasoline production at its 305,000 b/d Cardon refinery. </p><p>State-owned airline Conviasa is ferrying the strategic product on daily flights from Tehran to Josefa Camejo international airport on the Paraguana peninsula near PdV's 940,000 b/d CRP refining complex, which includes Cardon and the 635,000 b/d Amuay refinery. </p><p>A CRP manager tells <i>Argus</i> that Conviasa is scheduled to make at least 20 flights transporting catalyst and "two or three Iranian refinery technicians on each flight." </p><p>The first flight arrived on 11 February and as of 17 February at least seven flights had arrived, the manager added. </p><p>The catalyst, which is transported by truck to Cardon under heavy guard, is used to help PdV produce more and better quality fuel.</p><p>Oil ministry and PdV officials declined to say how much catalyst will be imported and what the government is paying Tehran for it, but a presidential palace official said Iran is recouping the cost in the form of Venezuelan gold. </p><p>Both Venezuela and Iran are subject to US sanctions that they blame for extensive domestic hardship. </p><p>Iranian state-owned carrier Mahan Air made around 20 flights transporting catalyst to the CRP in 2020. The switch to Conviasa has enabled Caracas to save on transport costs.</p><p>Iran supplied up to 1.2mn bl of gasoline and alkylate to Venezuela in mid-2020. Last month Iranian-flagged tankers <i>Faxon </i>and <i>Fortune</i> <a href="https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/2182729-refinery-repairs-imports-ease-venezuelan-gasoline-gap">delivered</a> over 400,000 bl of gasoline to PdV's Guaraguao terminal in eastern Venezuela. </p><p>PdV regularly imported catalyst from US and European suppliers until the US government imposed oil sanctions on PdV in late January 2019. </p><p>Cardon currently is producing about 40,000 b/d of gasoline and 20,000 b/d of high-sulfur diesel.</p></article>
