Maham Momeni said the company entered the associated gas recovery sector in 2016 after signing two contracts with the National Iranian Oil Co., following preparatory environmental studies that began in 2014. Additional agreements signed in 2022 and 2023 are nearing operation this year, he said, while four new contracts signed this year are expected to come online within 17 to 18 months.

The latest contracts cover four operational units — Rag Sefid 1, Rag Sefid 2, Golkhari and Naft Sefid — with a combined recovery capacity of roughly 110 million cubic feet, or nearly 3 million cubic meters, per day.

Momeni described the projects as a milestone in the evolution of cooperation between the Oil Ministry and the private sector. What was once an unfamiliar partnership model has matured into a more institutionalized framework, he said, adding that the past two years have seen higher levels of trust and responsibility-sharing.

He said third-generation gas collection contracts have moved closer to standard investment models, with improved mechanisms for product sales, feedstock pricing and access to utilities such as water and electricity. Challenges remain in areas including land allocation, customs procedures and financing, though progress has been made, he added.

Momeni said the company’s entry into flare gas recovery transformed it from a contractor into an industrial investor, manufacturer and operator. The group established what he described as the first knowledge-based EPC company in the sector, localized catalyst production and launched Iran’s first gas processing skid manufacturing plant. A new factory in Khorramshahr began operations this year.

The company employs about 900 people directly, including 600 working on flare gas recovery projects. With indirect employment, the total reaches approximately 1,500, he said.

Momeni credited cooperation from the National Iranian Oil Co. and the National Iranian Gas Co., particularly in feedstock supply and infrastructure coordination in southern oil-rich regions. Beyond accelerating projects, private sector participation has strengthened confidence within the government in domestic capabilities, he said.

He also cited continued follow-up by the president and the oil minister, including the formation of special task forces to expedite flare gas projects, as a positive signal for private investors. Sustained support, he said, would further expand cooperation in scale and diversity, helping advance development goals and safeguard national resources.