TEHRAN - Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI) and the Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation in studying gas hydrate resources in the Oman Sea, Shana reported.

The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) had awarded the project for the study of Oman Sea gas hydrate resources to RIPI back in the Iranian calendar year 1397 (started in March 2018).

RIPI was supposed to work on the project in collaboration with NIOC’s Exploration Department in an executive four-year program.

The mentioned project has been defined in 11 different sections, in two of which the institute is going to cooperate with the National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science.

Speaking on the sidelines of the signing ceremony, IRIP Head Jafar Tofiqi underlined the significance of the cooperation between the two institutes and said: “This cooperation is very valuable because it is for a major national project in terms of technical knowledge and I am optimistic that with the cooperation of the two research institutes we can implement this project well.”

"Considering the energy capacities of the country on land and sea, fortunately, exploration projects are among the important programs of the Oil Ministry," Tofiqi said, adding: “This project is of special importance for the NIOC exploration Department as the employer, so it is necessary to use the knowledge and executive capacities of both parties to be able to complete the project successfully.”

Field studies, research for boosting the recovery factor of oil and gas reservoirs, drilling-related research projects, and several other exploration projects are among the projects that are being pursued and carried out by the RIPI, the official said.

RIPI was initially established under the title of the “Iran Petroleum Industry Research Development Office” in 1959. Its primary aim was to carry out research on the application of petroleum materials.

The main strategy of PIRI is creating value-added via the development and indigenization of new technologies used in the oil industry.

EF/MA