According to the company, Mohammad-Sadeq Azimifar made the remarks Monday, during a meeting of the company’s Digital Transformation and Data Governance Committee. He said digital transformation and data-based governance have become fundamental approaches among leading global companies to boost efficiency and profitability.

“In all leading international companies with standardized processes and tools, a 20 percent increase in profitability over a 10-year horizon has been targeted through digitalization,” Azimifar said. “At the National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company, we are determined to move beyond symbolic measures and take practical steps. Experience from the past year — particularly at the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company — shows that even small initiatives, such as the Kashf system for detecting invalid fuel cards, have delivered significant results in preventing capital loss.”

Data analysis saves more than 600m liters of fuel

Azimifar said the company, as a major data holder in the downstream sector, must lead the Oil Ministry in digital transformation and data governance to prevent waste and improve consumption management.

“By leveraging data analysis, we have managed to save about 3 million liters of diesel fuel daily by identifying fake shipping documents — a major step in curbing rising consumption,” he said. “This daily saving of 3 million liters translates into more than 600 million liters annually, equivalent to preventing $360 million in diesel imports. In total, $55 billion worth of fuel is distributed annually in Iran — a truly massive figure.”

Azimifar added that given the challenges of fuel smuggling and low efficiency across the supply chain, Iran can take major steps to prevent resource waste without new hardware or additional costs — simply by analyzing existing data. “I believe that through digital transformation alone, we can increase the efficiency of the refining and distribution industry by at least 10 percent, even with our current infrastructure,” he said.

Boosting refining efficiency through digital transformation

Azimifar also underscored the need to prepare a digital transformation roadmap with input from committee members. “Our goal is to move away from superficial projects and focus on implementation based on a clear roadmap,” he said. “We will gradually advance in areas such as data completion and updates.”

He stressed the importance of training and empowering human resources in digital transformation and data governance. “To institutionalize digital transformation, the company’s organizational structure must be reviewed in line with global trends toward organizational change through digital evolution,” Azimifar said. “Digital transformation is a fundamental, gradual process that requires raising general awareness and understanding across the organization. Incentives should also be designed for employees contributing to this effort.”