TEHRAN - National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC)’s Exploration Directorate, on Sunday, signed four agreements with Iranian universities and knowledge-based companies for research in various fields of geophysics, geochemistry, unconventional hydrocarbon resources and drilling.

The agreements include, a project for quantitative interpretation (QI) of Abadan plain’s seismic cube, research studies on Lorestan Province’s shale oil resources and geochemical study of some hydrocarbon reservoirs in southern Iran as well as a project for producing 10,000 barrels of a High Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT) drilling fluid.

According to the report, considering the challenges of exploring hydrocarbon resources, NIOC’s Exploration Directorate has identified various research projects and created a roadmap based on the country’s sixth five-year national development plan (2016-2021) and in line with its organizational strategies.

Since the reimposition of sanctions, Iran has been encouraging domestic companies’ presence in its oil and gas projects, both in exploration and in development sectors. 

In exploration sector, as there are many blocks waiting for exploration, NIOC is seriously following up the plans to lay the ground for the private sector’s contribution.

According to Ali Vatani, an advisor to vice president for science and technology, currently about 300 knowledge-based companies are active in the field of oil industry in Iran.

As the official said the government fully supports knowledge-based companies which are active in providing equipment and components for the oil industry and petrochemical production.
A number of universities and research centers are now responsible for exploiting oil resources, Vatani said.

“Tasking a specific university with conducting activities related to extraction and increasing recovery rate of oil reserves could help us reach our objectives sooner”, he proposed.

EF/MA