According to NIOC, Hamid Bovard made the remarks Wednesday, October 15, at the launch ceremony of the Ahvaz Field Bangestan Reservoir Water Injection Pilot Project, hosted by the National Iranian South Oilfields Company (NISOC). He said the Ahvaz field is not only Iran’s largest oil field but also one of the world’s four biggest, playing a vital role in the country’s economy.

Bovard noted that the field consists of three main reservoirs — Asmari, Bangestan, and Khami — and that substantial progress has been made in the Asmari layer, which accounts for the majority of current production. “Production from this layer once reached a record of one million barrels per day,” he said.

Highlighting the Leader’s recommendations to employ a variety of EOR methods, Bovard said that following these directives and by order of the oil minister, a special task force was established. “Based on preliminary studies by NIOC, implementation speed has increased, and at NISOC, advanced EOR techniques such as layer fracturing and water injection are now being carried out both experimentally and operationally,” he added.

Bovard stressed that EOR efforts in Iran had previously been limited mostly to laboratory work but have now entered the field execution stage. “The real-world results of these projects can directly benefit the national economy,” he said.

Regarding water sources for the project, Bovard explained that three potential supplies are under consideration: treated wastewater from Ahvaz, effluent from sugarcane industries, and desalinated brine, which can serve as an alternative to seawater after industrial treatment. However, he added that the seawater transfer project remains under review.

The NIOC chief concluded that issues such as increasing oil production and capturing associated gas will also be key topics of evaluation during this visit.

Earlier today, Bovard traveled to Khuzestan Province to assess measures for boosting oil and gas output, addressing operational challenges, and accelerating gas collection efforts.