Mohsen Dehbanpour made the remarks Thursday during a visit by representatives of the Oil Ministry, the National Iranian Productivity Organization, the Plan and Budget Organization, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance to the Rag Sefid-1 gas compression station. He said decisions aimed at boosting development and productivity in the oil industry must be based on thorough technical and engineering analysis of existing conditions, bottlenecks and gaps.

Dehbanpour said Aghajari Oil and Gas Production Co. is responsible for managing eight oil fields and carrying out both upstream and downstream operations. He noted that the fields under the company’s management are in the second half of their life cycle and that engineering studies and enhanced oil recovery projects are underway.

Emphasizing the importance of collecting associated gas, Dehbanpour said the issue is a top national priority and has been stressed by the country’s senior leadership and the president. He said closer coordination among field-level working groups and decision-making processes is essential to minimize gas flaring by the end of the Iranian year 1407 (March 2029).

Need for Regulatory Reform to Boost Oil Industry Productivity

Dehbanpour also highlighted the need for a careful assessment of obstacles to productivity. He said senior policymakers are expected to approve and implement a comprehensive and sustainable plan that takes into account time, costs, and social, economic and political considerations to safeguard national resources.

He cited restrictive regulations, complex tendering procedures, sanctions and outsourcing limitations as key challenges, adding that many existing rules conflict with on-the-ground realities and create confusion for operators. The goal, he said, is to raise productivity while preserving national assets.

Dehbanpour said that if the first steps in decision-making and regulatory reform are taken correctly, the path toward higher productivity in the oil industry will be smoothed. He added that directives and guidelines issued by higher authorities should facilitate action rather than impose new constraints.