Oil Ministry inks co-op MOU with Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology

The MOU was signed by Oil Minister Javad Oji and Vice President for Science and Technology Sourena Sattari at the place of the ministry on Tuesday, IRNA reported.
The MOU is aimed at developing the oil industry’s innovation and technology bases and expanding the capacity of knowledge-based companies and start-ups active in the oil, gas, refining and petrochemical industries.

Under the framework of the MOU, a policy council will be formed with the aim of defining macro policies for the knowledge-based development of mentioned industries.
As reported, the vice president for science and technology, the deputy oil minister for engineering, research, and technology, the deputy oil minister for planning, the secretary of the water and energy technologies development headquarters, and the heads of the oil ministry’s four main affiliated companies will be members of the mentioned council.

In order to accelerate the implementation of the MOU, seven specialized working groups are also going to be formed to tackle issues in specific areas including the upstream sector refining and petro-refining, petrochemicals, downstream sector, domestic manufacturing of oil industry equipment, energy consumption optimization, and ecosystem development.

The mentioned working groups will be chaired by the heads of the Oil Ministry’s major subsidiaries as well as senior managers from the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology.
Based on the MOU, the Oil Ministry is obliged to make the necessary coordination for the formation of the mentioned specialized working groups and holding regular meetings, obtain the necessary permits and provide the physical and legal infrastructure for the approved projects of the working groups in order to implement technological projects, support domestic manufacturers and knowledge-based companies, provide and facilitate the required funds for technological projects approved by the mentioned specialized working groups.

The Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology, on the other hand, is obliged to provide experiences and implementation models in all areas covered in the MOU, inform the needs and priorities announced by specialized working groups to the knowledge-based companies, and take the necessary measures to meet the mentioned needs through knowledge-based companies by holding technology events and exhibitions and supply the necessary materials for technological projects and etc.

Over the past few years and especially since the re-imposition of the U.S. sanctions, the Oil Ministry has been seriously pursuing various programs for using the capacities of domestic knowledge-based companies for meeting the oil and gas industry’s technological needs.

Source: Tehran Times