Research

The Office of Deputy Minister of Petroleum for Engineering, Research and Technology is in charge of policymaking for development of science and technology. This Office examines internal and external capacities in order to explore options for the technological development of the petroleum industry. These policies are all pursued by the research and technology divisions of the four main subsidiaries of the Ministry of Petroleum as well as dozens of other companies. Hundreds of specialized manpower are steering these affairs. A major research arm of the Ministry of Petroleum is the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI) that has been instrumental in meeting petroleum industry needs while benefiting from the potentialities of scientific elite in the country. Cooperation with dozens of science and technology parks and establishment of the largest park of technology as well as development of startups in the petroleum industry are among other Petroleum Ministry potential for development. The Ministry has also set up a council to support knowledge-based companies. The Petroleum University of Technology is training specialized forces while working on scientific development. Meantime, cooperation with universities and other scientific and specialized entities is under way for the local development of the petroleum industry. The Institute for International Energy Studies (IIES), as a scientific reference, is tasked with data analysis.

Acquisition of new technologies and their stabilization as the most influential factors in production require appropriate and targeted research. R&D plays an undeniably significant role in the petroleum industry development. The key factor in R&D units is to carry out fundamental and scientific research and making it practical through development of a product with a view to optimal performance. The petroleum industry is currently pursuing a knowledge and technology-based approach. Due to new demand in the petroleum industry, scientific and research organs are required to move in the direction of petroleum industry needs. R&D in the petroleum industry serves as the driving force in the industrial, economic and social development of Iran. In light of the abundance of oil and gas reserves on one hand and the daily growing national and international demand for this God-given blessing, any effort for upgrading this industry for the purpose of preventing any waste of resources, optimal use of resources, equipment, facilities and installations, and principled and reasonable operations and protecting them with advanced technologies and facilitating research and attracting modern technologies would be highly effective and vital.

Today, infrastructure is needed to be laid out for developing new ideas and becoming a scientific reference body. Therefore, one policy in expanding scientific development centers in various sectors of the petroleum industry would be to provide necessary infrastructure for access to new technologies. Meantime, access to technology would largely depend on the quality of knowledge and manpower skills. R&D divisions exist in all oil companies. These divisions helped end Iran’s dependence on imports during years of sanctions. Meantime, mastering technology to build key equipment or supply commodities domestically is the result of research and development work in recent years. Upgrading the Iranian oil and gas industry’s regional and global standing, enhancing oil and gas recovery and extraction with a focus on joint fields, along with optimal use of hydrocarbon reserves as the driver of economic development entirely depend on the petroleum industry development. Therefore, R&D is a must for the development of the petroleum industry.