TEHRAN- The current Iranian calendar year 1401 (began on March 21) is named “Production: Knowledge-Based and Job-Creating” by Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.

In a recent meeting with some officials of the country, the Leader referred to the motto of this year and called the oil-free economy a long-term goal, saying that at least two governments in eight-year responsibilities must work to solve this problem (reliance on oil income).

Unfortunately, raw materials are exported cheaply and the final products are imported at high prices, while with the knowledge-based production, this process must be corrected and the final product must be produced and exported, he further emphasized.

Referring to the countries that have economic growth without oil, the Leader said: "Oil has been causing severe addiction in the country for about a hundred years, which must be cured."

Elsewhere in his remarks, while explaining the different dimensions of the slogan of the year, he emphasized that in the current condition of country, while there are many closed or semi-closed units in the downstream sectors, through the knowledge-based production in these sectors, job opportunities will be also multiplied.

“Knowledge-based” to increase oil output

In line with materializing the motto of the year, Oil Ministry and all of its subsidiaries have announced strong determination and prepared plans to this end.

Oil Minister Javad Oji has said, “We will increase oil production and reduce the import needs of the oil industry by relying on the power of knowledge-based production”.

“At the Ministry of Oil, we called in five areas so that we could use the potential of knowledge-based companies to increase production. Low-efficiency wells and optimization of fuel consumption in collecting gases, import needs of the ministry, and the chain of petrochemical complementary industries are among these areas”, the minister said last week.

“More than 200 capable companies participated and our colleagues are evaluating these companies. We hope to be able to make our production knowledge-based in these areas to reduce costs and increase productivity”, he added.

“During the short time that this government has been established various exhibitions of knowledge-based companies have been held, which I believe that they have a very good potential in both the upstream and downstream sectors”, Oji further reiterated.

“According to the order of the Leader, the industry should become knowledge-based; it is possible, and we have started the work in this due”, the oil minister noted.

“Also, with our call, very good and capable companies came forward, and the new formats of contracts we have designed will motivate these companies for cooperation”, he added.

‘Knowledge-based production, oil industry’s priority’

The managing director of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), the main subsidiary of Oil Ministry, has also said that the main priority of the oil industry in the present year is increasing oil production relying on the knowledge-based approach.

“With the planning that has been done by using new technologies in the oil industry, we will strengthen the economic front in the oil industry more than before”, Mohsen Khojasteh-Mehr has stressed.

Emphasizing that knowledge-based production will be at the forefront of the industry's plans, the official said: "Creating sustainable job opportunities while increasing production will definitely be a basic necessity and strategy that must be considered."

NIGC plays essential role in materializing motto of year

National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), the other major subsidiary of Oil Ministry, also plays an important part in materialization of the motto of the year.

As Majid Chegeni, the managing director of the company, has said, the activity of the gas industry is directly related to the issues of production and employment; because almost all industries in the country are dependent on gas energy, so the role of the NIGC personnel is highlighted in this due.

‘Petchem sector completely familiar with knowledge-based concept’

National Petrochemical Company (NPC), another main subsidiary of Oil Ministry, is completely familiar with the knowledge-based concept, and plays a significant management and development role in moving in the way of progress through a new and technological view, as stated by the managing director of the company.

In a recent meeting with the NPC directors and experts on materializing the slogan of the year, Morteza Shahmirzaei said the concept of knowledge-bases is familiar to the whole large family of petrochemical industry and the units have had very good activities in this field due to their area of responsibility.

“Many equipment and catalysts of the petrochemical industry are being fully domestically-produced relying on the internal technical know-how, and we should eliminate the need to import them due to the existing capacities in the country and relying on our domestic capability”, the official stressed.