According to the ministry’s engineering, research and technology office, Omid Shakeri made the remarks during a meeting of the Oil and Gas Technology Advancement Task Force. The meeting aimed to strengthen the participation of knowledge-based technology firms and experts in oil and gas projects. Shakeri outlined the task force’s structure and duties, noting that it includes committees for technical evaluation, talent support and human capital development, technological entrepreneurship, and business development.

Referring to the latest progress in the low-productivity wells project, Shakeri cited a report by Farhang Fasihi, head of the Oil Industry Technology and Innovation Park, indicating that 13 technology firms currently hold active contracts to rehabilitate 65 wells. However, he said the initiative faces several challenges, including the lack of profit-sharing mechanisms for stakeholders, weak business models, insufficient cooperation from operating companies, and the full transfer of contractual risks to technology firms.

Shakeri added that despite these difficulties, the well rehabilitation project represents an important step toward improving oil and gas production technology. He noted that the technology advancement task force and its specialized committees have significant capacity for strategic decision-making, including selecting and completing successful pilot projects.

He emphasized the need to revise business models based on the experience of the 13 active companies, introduce incentive rewards for oil industry personnel, transfer project risk from researchers and tech firms to operating companies, leverage investment from the National Iranian Oil Company, encourage participation from major exploration and production firms, and utilize tax credits under the Knowledge-Based Production Leap Law to support priority projects.

Shakeri concluded by underscoring the importance of regulatory support and interagency cooperation, saying that closer synergy among the oil industry, innovation ecosystem, and legislative bodies would accelerate and enhance the effectiveness of technological advancement.