According to the University of Petroleum Industry, Mohammadreza Khosravi Nikou said Saturday, in an interview with News Network during Research Week that the university is the country’s second-oldest after the University of Tehran. Founded in 1939, he said, the university’s core mission has been to train specialized manpower for the oil industry, and today its graduates have the highest retention rate in the sector.

He stressed the importance of effective, targeted research in the oil industry, saying it increases productivity, reduces costs, helps manage environmental challenges, cuts reliance on foreign technologies and mitigates the impact of sanctions. As a result, he said, research at the University of Petroleum Industry is pursued in a problem-oriented and mission-driven manner.

Addressing real industry challenges

Khosravi Nikou said the university’s mission differs from that of many other institutions, noting that publishing papers is not the primary goal. “Our priority is solving real problems facing the oil industry,” he said.

To that end, he said, the university has launched specialized clinics to address defects in oil fields and wells, tackling issues such as asphaltene deposition, rising water cut in mature fields and declining well production through scientific and operational approaches.

He also said the university is focusing on enhanced oil recovery methods, hydraulic fracturing and associated gas gathering. In these areas, pilots have been designed, built and installed at operational units, delivering successful results.

Looking ahead, Khosravi Nikou said a development chain has been formed—through cooperation among the university, research institutes and the Science and Technology Park of the Ministry of Petroleum—to advance technologies to commercial readiness levels. He said the collaboration will pave the way for research achievements to enter the market and be converted into knowledge-based products and services.