Reports are emerging of a pipeline explosion at Iran's Parsian refinery in the country's southwest, where an excavator reportedly hit a 10-inch gas condensate pipeline today.
While the story is still developing, as reported by Reuters and Iran's Fars news agency, there were no casualties in the explosion, and rescue squads are still on the scene.
This is the third major explosion since this summer affecting Iran's gas pipeline infrastructure.
In mid-November, an explosion at an oil pipeline in southern Iran was attributed to aging infrastructure.
No casualties were reported in that incident either, in which a 16-inch outlet line of Iran's Maroon Gas Injection Station cracked in the explosion, leading to minor leaks which caused a fire. Corrosion and leakage led to the explosion. No damages were reported to the production facilities.
In July this year, a much more dramatic explosion at a pump house in the Iranian southwest killed three oil workers and injured four others at the Einkhosh field. The explosion hit a breakroom building for pump house workers.
At the time, the cause of the explosion was unknown, but once again, aging oil and gas infrastructure was suspected.
A month earlier, a petrochemical facility caught fire in the extreme summer heat.
Iran has been suffering from sanctions, which have hindered its ability to maintain infrastructure, including parts necessary for maintenance.
On Thursday, Iran resumed negotiations over the 2015 nuclear deal, where Washington says time is running out for Tehran to comply in order to see any sanctions eased. At the same time, the U.S. and Israel are in discussions about alternative options should Iran fail to demonstrate its willingness to agree to a new deal.
By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com
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Julianne Geiger is a veteran editor, writer and researcher for Oilprice.com, and a member of the Creative Professionals Networking Group. More