The National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) was established at Iranian Ministry of Petroleum in March 1991 based on the principle of separating upstream activities (exploration and production of crude oil and gas) from downstream activities (refining, transportation of crude oil and petroleum products, export, import and distribution of petroleum products). The company's official activities began in 1992. NIORDC, as one of the four main companies of the Ministry of Petroleum, manages and supervises the activities of its subsidiaries, including the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC), Iranian Oil Pipeline and Telecommunication Company (IOPTC), Abadan Oil Refining Company, Imam Khomeini Oil Refining Company (Shazand) and the National Iranian Oil Engineering and Construction Company. NIORDC monitors the activities of 10 refining companies and carries out its missions by exploiting the services of over 2,000 skilled and experienced personnel.