The initiative was announced at a meeting hosted by the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), which brought together senior officials to design and establish the new PSM framework, according to the Petroleum University of Technology (PUT).

Shahram Ahmadi, director general of health, safety and environment (HSE) at the Ministry of Petroleum, opened the session by outlining the importance of process safety management and presenting a report on current safety conditions in Iran's oil industry. He thanked PUT for its cooperation and stressed the need to expand specialized knowledge in process safety.

Ahmadi also highlighted the role of PUT's Center for Risk Management, Process Safety and Loss Prevention (PRPLC) in advancing this expertise and helping implement a comprehensive process safety management system nationwide.

Mohammadreza Khosravi-Nikou, president of the Petroleum University of Technology, pointed to the university's scientific capacity and track record in safety — particularly process safety — and said the PRPLC would lead the project's execution.

He added that the initiative represents the country's first comprehensive governance model for process safety management and could serve as a template for similar systems at other oil and gas companies.

Shokouhian, head of HSE at NIGC, presented a report on steps already taken to implement a process safety management system at the company and emphasized the project's importance in strengthening the firm's safety management practices.

The project is being carried out by PUT's Center for Risk Management, Process Safety and Loss Prevention with the goals of deepening university-industry collaboration, building the technical capacity of NIGC's workforce, and advancing specialized knowledge in process safety management.

As part of the initiative, a number of PUT students will take part in scientific and operational activities through the PRPLC academic support program.