Omid Shakeri, deputy oil minister for engineering, research and technology, said the Oil Ministry has taken the lead nationally in first-time production projects. He made the remarks Wednesday at a ceremony marking Research Week at the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Co.

Shakeri said that from the start of the Iranian year 1403 (March 2024) through the first six months of the current year, the ministry supported more than 150 master’s and doctoral theses, 17 research fellowships and study opportunities, and doctoral scholarships under the Shahid Tondguyan program. He added that about 320,000 square meters of infrastructure within the innovation ecosystem — including science and technology parks and the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry — has been allocated to oil-related knowledge-based companies.

He said 312 research contracts worth about 1.7 trillion rials were signed across the Oil Ministry’s four main subsidiaries during the same period, and that the ministry ranked first among executive bodies in national research and technology evaluations.

Shakeri added that financial facilities have been provided to support technology-driven job creation. Companies with approved technological ideas and projects can access these facilities, noting that about 7 trillion rials have been paid so far to help expand knowledge-based businesses. More than 1 trillion rials has also been allocated to such companies through the Oil Ministry’s Research and Technology Fund.

Boosting Oil Recovery Through Research

Shakeri said the ministry has signed major 10-year contracts with universities for the first time, awarding 22 long-term projects to leading academic institutions to study oil fields and propose enhanced oil recovery methods.

One such project involves low-salinity water injection at the Ahvaz oil field. After years of resistance, the pilot project has become operational and is expected to increase the recovery factor by up to 8%, he said, adding that the project could significantly boost national revenue.

He emphasized that the role of engineering, research and technology divisions is to facilitate the implementation of Oil Ministry projects. Shakeri said 37 innovative proposals were received under a recent call, with four approved to enter the execution phase.

In line with the president’s call for research and technology to address the country’s core challenges, Shakeri said seven key management and economic issues were defined in coordination with the Planning and Budget Organization and the Supreme Council for Science, Research and Technology and assigned to universities, drawing strong interest from students and academic institutions.

Oil Ministry Leads First-Time Production

Shakeri said more than 800 knowledge-based companies are now active in the oil industry, having been awarded over 2,000 contracts. He said these firms play a key role in producing strategic equipment, optimizing energy consumption and reviving low-productivity wells.

He stressed that Iranian technology can meet domestic needs even under tough sanctions. Of the roughly $500 million in nationally approved first-time production projects, more than $400 million are linked to the Oil Ministry and its subsidiaries, he said.

Shakeri said trust in domestic capabilities has helped raise oil output, advance technology and pave the way for Iranian products to enter global markets. As an example, he cited domestically made multiphase pumps deployed at a production unit in southern oil-rich regions, increasing output by about 5,000 barrels per day.

“Iranian companies have the capacity to compete in global markets,” he said.