“Exporting technical and engineering services, creating knowledge communications and increasing R&D cooperation between the scientific and research sectors of Iran’s petroleum industry and international bodies is on the agenda of the Office of Deputy Minister of Petroleum for International Affairs and Trading,” he said at a gathering of ambassadors of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) at the RIPI head office. 

Seyedi said Minister of Petroleum Javad Owji’s strategy is focused on expanding international cooperation in all sectors of the petroleum industry, i.e. oil, gas, refining and petrochemical.

“The 13th administration’s policy is based on increasing regional transactions and convergence and broadening cooperation with neighbors. To that effect, expanding ties with CIS nations is specifically significant in light of geographical proximity, as well as many historical, cultural, religious and economic commonalities,” he said.  

Noting that the geopolitical position of Iran and CIS nations should be instrumental in expanding energy corridors and winning strategic toehold in global energy markets, he said: “To put this potential into practice, it would be important to identify the capabilities of research centers.”

“Nations are actively looking for ways to enhance their own energy security through diversifying fuel supply sources, creating economic corridors for carrying and exporting crude oil and natural gas, optimizing processes of oil and gas extraction from fields, producing and refining gas and petroleum products,” said Seyedi.

“Although due to sanctions, some restrictions have been created for supplying parts or obtaining various technologies for the oil and gas industry, we feel compelled to access them. To that effect, RIPI specialists have developed and commercialized new technologies in the oil and gas industry,” he added. 

“In spite of restrictions caused by sanctions, valuable experience achieved over years has earned us significant hard currency in a way that over the past one year, more than $200 million in financial contribution has been reported,” he said.

Seyedi said Iran was among several proprietors of knowledge and technology in the petroleum industry, adding: “Although the bulk of Petroleum Ministry’s activity has been limited to selling crude oil, gas condensate and petroleum products, exporting technical and engineering services, establishing knowledge communications and upgrading R&D cooperation between the scientific and research sectors of Iran’s petroleum industry and international bodies is on the agenda of the Office of Deputy Minister of Petroleum for International Affairs and Trading.”

Seyedi played down challenges to plans for expanding joint research and scientific programs, saying: “With strong steering and commitment to cooperation, we can overcome these challenges. That may include setting up joint research institutes and sharing scientific data for joint development and commercialization of technology.”

Seyedi said Iran’s embassies were expected to announce grounds for joint cooperation based on their knowledge of RIPI activities and potentialities, adding diplomatic missions can facilitate relations between RIPI and its counterparts within CIS nations.

He proposed establishment of an energy working group, saying: “There is potential for bilateral or multilateral cooperation within the Iran’s petroleum industry for transfer of knowledge and experience to other nations, particularly CIS nations as we believe that Iran’s expansion of scientific, research and knowledge-based cooperation with other countries can bring about a bright and win-win future for the region.”

RIPI ready to savvy export

Azim Kalantari-Asl, head of RIPI, referred to the 60-year age of the research institute, saying: “RIPI is one of the oldest research institutes in the region, covering many activities associated with Iran’s petroleum industry.”

According to Kalantari-Asl, RIPI is exclusively involved in oil and gas production, exploration, enhanced recovery, petrochemical, refining and environmental sectors. By staging training and practical courses in the petroleum industry and lab services, covering more than 1,600 varieties of services to the petroleum industry and technological cores, it serves its clients.”

“The most significant assignment assigned to RIPI over the past 15 years, in light of unjust sanctions imposed on Iran, has been to accompany Iran’s oil and gas industry and move along the petroleum industry knowhow. In this regard, RIPI has concentrated on developing necessary technologies for the petroleum industry in various sectors from exploration to exports,” said Kalantari.

Referring to RIPI’s proper ties with Eastern and Western nations, he said: “In cooperation with Iranian universities, particularly Petroleum University of Technology, we can host PhD exchange students. We have also submitted a proposal to Russia to grant scholarship to students. We are also ready to organize various training courses in different sectors of the petroleum industry in target nations.”  

He said RIPI was instrumental in developing technical knowhow, adding: “RIPI is ready to transfer and export technical knowledge to target countries.”

“We have also proposed to Russia establishing a union or association in the oil and gas sector with CIS nations, which we believe can be of help in further cooperation with those nations,” he added.

Mutual cooperation

Tajikistan’s Ambassador to Iran Nezamoddin Zahedi said: “Iran has transformed sanctions imposed for more than four decades into opportunities. Meantime, we are well aware of the Iranian petroleum industry’s capabilities and in many cases we need Iran’s cooperation.”

“Exchange of experience in extraction, exploration and refining of oil, environmental protection and lab services can be the subject of Iran-Tajikistan cooperation in the upstream and downstream petroleum industry,” he said.

He said that there is already ground for cooperation between Iran and Tajikistan, adding: “Currently, Tajikistan is importing Iranian crude oil and petroleum products. In some cases, we do bartering.”

Iran refining savvy

Vardan Kastanian, the commercial attaché of the Armenian Embassy in Tehran, touched on proper energy ties between Iran and Armenia, saying: “We have currently an energy-for-gas trade with Iran. Iran is also exporting petrochemicals to Armenia.”

He said that Iran supplies 90% of Armenia’s bitumen needs, noting: “In the near future, Iran would be opening a commercial center in Armenia, which would pave the ground for cooperation between the two nations.”

He said that Armenia would need Iran’s cooperation in building an oil refinery.

Brilliant record

A deputy ambassador of Kazakhstan said Iran’s scientific and technological capacities in the petroleum industry were significant. He said Iran had a brilliant track record in the petroleum industry.

“There is great potential in Iran’s petroleum industry for international cooperation with friendly and neighboring nations. In the future, Iran and Kazakhstan can cooperate in the domain of RIPI technologies,” he said.

Iran Petroleum