CNG Consumption Reportedly Rose 11% After Third-Tier Petrol Price Change
Iran’s National Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company says average daily CNG use increased by about 2 million cubic meters during the first week after the third-tier petrol price reached 100,000 rials.
IRNA reports that average daily CNG consumption in Iran increased by about 2 million cubic meters, or 11%, in the first week after the third-tier petrol price was raised to 100,000 rials. The report suggests a short-term shift from petrol to CNG but does not provide enough data to independently verify the estimate or establish causation.
## Verified facts According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, citing the National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company, average daily CNG consumption rose by approximately 2 million cubic meters—equivalent to 11%—during the first week after the third-tier petrol price was changed to 100,000 rials. The comparison was made with consumption levels in the first half of September and in August, although the report does not provide the underlying figures or a more precise comparison period.
The reported increase followed the government’s decision to keep the first- and second-tier petrol quotas unchanged at 1,500 and 3,000 rials while doubling the price of petrol purchased through station fuel cards from 50,000 to 100,000 rials, effective 17 September. The company’s managing director attributed the higher CNG use, and an associated reduction in petrol consumption, to the effect of the pricing change on petrol imbalance and import dependence.
The company also said that it is prioritizing a free-conversion program for high-mileage internet-based passenger and freight vehicles to operate on CNG.
## Interpretation The reported shift is consistent with a possible substitution effect: some drivers may have moved from higher-priced third-tier petrol to CNG. If sustained, greater CNG use could reduce demand for petrol and support the government’s stated objective of limiting reliance on petrol imports. However, the evidence provided establishes a reported short-term increase, not a demonstrated causal or lasting effect of the price change.
## Uncertainty The source does not provide the absolute CNG consumption figures, a detailed methodology, or independent verification of the 11% estimate. It also does not quantify the claimed reduction in petrol consumption or show how much of the CNG increase was directly caused by the price change. The report’s reference to both the first half of September and August leaves the exact baseline unclear.