The National Iranian Oil Company has defined 22 technology-oriented contracts with 13 top universities and research institutes in the country with the aim of converting scientific research into practical achievements. These contracts are aimed at developing technology and improving production in the country's oil and gas fields.
Increasing Recovery and Reducing Challenges
The goal of these contracts is to increase the recovery factor and reduce drilling problems in oil fields such as Ahvaz, Azadegan, Masjed Soleyman, Mansouri, Soroush, Kupal, and Gachsaran. New technologies such as low-salinity and smart water injection, nano and surfactant injection, and polymer injection have been designed to enhance extraction from reservoirs. In particular, a pilot project in the Ahvaz field is currently underway, and a pilot for the Azadegan field is planned for the second half of 2026.
Drilling and Well Repair Technologies
In the field of drilling, new technologies are being developed to improve the time and quality of drilling operations in the Raghsafid and Bibihakimeh fields. Additionally, a drilling fluid optimization software is being developed for the South Pars field, and the design of casing pipes using geomechanical modeling in the Esfand field is underway. In the area of well repair and completion, the use of artificial intelligence for optimizing operations in the Dorood and South Pars fields is being pursued.
Moreover, innovative technologies in reservoir description and modeling are also under development. These technologies include the construction and field implementation of a water-based tracker in the Esfand field and a gas-based tracker in the Dar Khoyen field. Well, reservoir, and facility modeling is also being carried out in the South Pars and Raghsafid fields.
Timely Field Management and Digital Transformation
One of the key challenges in field management is the time lag between data acquisition and decision-making. To reduce this gap, research programs in the area of real-time monitoring and digital transformation are being pursued. Artificial intelligence and big data technologies have been designed to optimize gas injection and water flooding in the Dar Khoyen and Esfand fields. Additionally, digitalization projects are underway in the Dar Khoyen, Esfand, Alvand, and Forouzan fields.
By the end of 2025, 131 artificial intelligence projects in various areas related to the oil industry have been proposed by the National Iranian Oil Company. These projects include optimizing reservoir management in the Dar Khoyen field and developing various software in South Pars. Digitalization plans for the fields are nearing completion and will have positive impacts on the efficiency of production operations.
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