Azim Kalantari-Asl said the institute has adopted a demand-driven approach focused on technology commercialization and support for elite talent to help translate research into industrial solutions.

Speaking Sunday at the institute’s Research and Technology Festival, held during Research Week, Kalantari-Asl welcomed guests and representatives from the Ministry of Petroleum, the Ministry of Science and supporting institutions. He said support for technology-driven activities and scientific talent is more critical than ever, adding that the institute has put part of its scientific and technical capacity at the service of solving national challenges and those facing the oil industry.

He said research activities have long-term impacts, noting that global studies show it takes an average of 16 years in the upstream oil and gas sector to turn an idea into an industrial technology. Research institutes serve as a key link in that chain, he said, adding that each job created in such centers can generate three to four additional jobs in industry.

Demand-driven approach, focus on commercialization

Kalantari-Asl said all projects at the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry are demand-driven and defined only in response to industry needs, except for limited future-oriented studies. Most projects, he said, are either completed, underway or queued for execution, reflecting the institute’s technology-centered approach.

He emphasized that technology development is organization-driven, unlike education, which can be individual-centered. Developing technology, he said, requires a chain of technical, nontechnical and organizational support activities. Despite infrastructure constraints, he added, the institute is considered a successful model in this area.

One of the main challenges to technology development in Iran, he said, is the lack of “technology commitment.” Technology advances seriously only when tied to the core obligations of institutions, including production targets. If higher output is a commitment, he said, technology must be defined and supported within that framework.

Field achievements and production gains

Kalantari-Asl pointed to field achievements, saying two pilot projects were implemented for the first time in Iran at the Bilal and Ahvaz fields using technology developed by the institute in cooperation with the National Iranian Oil Company. The economic outlook for the projects is significant, he said, and planning should begin now for their development over the next decade.

Supporting knowledge-based companies is among the institute’s key missions, he said, citing the successful experience in catalyst development as evidence that industry trust in domestic expertise is growing. Today, he said, catalyst manufacturers are clients of the institute’s services. The model can be expanded to other areas of the oil industry and could create broad employment opportunities for the country’s elite workforce.

He said the institute’s activities are fully aligned with national policies, the Seventh Development Plan, production growth, addressing gas imbalances, environmental protection and energy efficiency. Continued support from the Ministry of Petroleum, he added, is decisive in achieving these goals.

 651 proposals, 240 research contracts since 2021

Kalantari-Asl said that from 2021 through August 2025, the institute submitted 651 research proposals, of which 240 were converted into active contracts. The figures reflect the institute’s active role in the oil industry value chain and its efforts to meet real industry needs, particularly in environmental protection, energy efficiency and industrial safety.

He said the institute has the capacity to commercialize between 50 and 100 technologies at various scales if the necessary requirements and support are in place. Achieving that goal, he added, requires a strategic management approach and policy support from both the Ministry of Petroleum and the Ministry of Science.

Kalantari-Asl also said the institute is aligned with national policies on field handovers. Four oil fields have been designated as targets, with three already entering the handover process and one nearing contract signing. Two additional major fields are planned to enter the process in the future.