Mohyeddin Jafari made the remarks during a meeting with Mehdi Ahmad Khan-Beygi, head of the Oil Industry Technology and Innovation Park, where the two sides discussed cooperation on digital transformation and AI applications in exploration.

According to the park, Jafari said the exploration directorate had developed a digital transformation and artificial intelligence road map and emphasized the need to draw on the capabilities of knowledge-based companies to turn technology plans into operational solutions.

Digital transformation in exploration goes beyond adopting new software and automating existing processes, he said, adding that its main objectives are to improve technical decisions, reduce risk, and increase the speed and accuracy of exploration operations.

Jafari described the extensive volume of geological, geophysical and drilling data as a major opportunity for AI applications.

The integration, processing and intelligent interpretation of these datasets will become increasingly important to exploration activities, he said, noting that machine learning and advanced data analytics can help identify subsurface structures more accurately, reduce drilling risks and improve operational efficiency.

He stressed the need for targeted cooperation between the oil industry and knowledge-based companies, saying the exploration directorate’s requirements must first be translated into clearly defined, prioritized and actionable challenges.

This approach would enable the identification of suitable technology providers and solutions tailored to specific operational needs, he said.

Jafari also described a potential joint technology supply-and-demand event as an opportunity to connect knowledge-based companies directly with the exploration directorate’s technical challenges. He said the event’s effectiveness would depend on clearly defining technological requirements and enabling companies to present specialized solutions in consultation with oil industry experts.

‌‌‌ Technology Park seeks industry-driven solutions

Ahmad Khan-Beygi said the park’s added value would be realized when actual industry challenges were identified and translated into concrete opportunities for knowledge-based companies.

He pointed to the capabilities of technology firms in artificial intelligence, large-scale data processing, specialized software, modeling, smart equipment and geoscience-related technologies.

Effective use of these capabilities depends on establishing direct links between the oil industry’s needs and technology providers, he said.

Ahmad Khan-Beygi described identifying and prioritizing the exploration directorate’s technological requirements as the starting point for targeted cooperation between the two organizations.

Once priority challenges have been defined, the park can assess available capabilities and identify companies with the relevant technical expertise and implementation capacity, he added.

He said a joint technology supply-and-demand event should go beyond showcasing companies’ capabilities. Instead, it should clearly present the exploration directorate’s actual needs and give technology providers an opportunity to propose solutions and engage directly with industry specialists.

The desired outcome would be to identify solutions that can be pursued further, establish the basis for specialized cooperation and develop required technologies. Joint projects could also be defined if the proposed solutions meet technical and operational requirements, he said.

Ahmad Khan-Beygi stressed that technological solutions must be compatible with the oil industry’s operational needs, noting that technical knowledge alone is insufficient to ensure effective cooperation.

Companies must also demonstrate their ability to adapt their technologies to the industry’s data, standards and operational requirements, he said.

The park can help assess proposed solutions, refine technological concepts and turn them into practical projects by identifying capable companies and facilitating technical discussions between industry specialists and technology developers, he added.

The meeting also examined cooperation on identifying and prioritizing technological needs, expanding AI applications and advancing digital transformation in exploration. The two sides discussed the possibility of organizing a joint technology supply-and-demand event to present specialized challenges and identify solutions suited to the sector’s requirements.