Iran’s last record monthly volume came in August when the country exported 423,000 tonnes. Shipments started declining then because of two-month maintenance at the giant South Pars field.
According to Platts, Iranian exports are helping to fill shortfalls of spot supply from the Middle East, as major producers Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait are exporting less spot cargoes.
Iran’s LPG exports appear to rise this year and for February, the country has already 132,000 tonnes fixed for lifting in three cargoes.
In 2017, shipments totaled around 3.5 million tonnes. Before the 2012 sanctions, Iran exported about 400,000 tonnes of LPG a month.
LPG includes widely used butane and propane along with propylene and butene also known as butylene. Butane and propane are used for heating and cooking. Propane has also petrochemical and agricultural use.