National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has introduced 10 major oil and gas exploration projects in the company"s Exploration Directorate which are moving forward based on schedule.

According to the NIOC office of public relations, the mentioned projects include Persian Gulf, Abadan Plain, North and South Dezfoul, Kopeh-Dagh, Fars, Central Iran, Moghan and Eastern Iran as well as Makran and Oman Sea.

The most important activities done in the Persian Gulf exploration project, include planning for the completion of exploration drilling operations in the Forouzan area, completing static modeling of the joint Aria oil field which has resulted in a substantial increase in the field"s reservoir, as well as planning for launching new drilling operations, signing and executing development project, and processing three-dimensional seismicity of Apadana, Saba, and Nosrat field"s by year end.

As reported, operational exploration activities in the oil and gas industry require structural studies and up-to-date technologies in the field of geology and exploration.

In this regard, NIOC"s Exploration Directorate has signed several agreements with Iranian universities and knowledge-based companies for research in various fields of geophysics, geochemistry, unconventional hydrocarbon resources and drilling.

The agreements include a project for quantitative interpretation (QI) of Abadan plain"s seismic cube, research studies on Lorestan Province"s shale oil resources and geochemical study of some hydrocarbon reservoirs in southern Iran as well as a project for producing 10,000 barrels of a High Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT) drilling fluid.

According to the report, considering the challenges of exploring hydrocarbon resources, NIOC"s Exploration Directorate has identified various research projects and created a roadmap based on the country"s sixth five-year national development plan (2016-2021) and in line with its organizational strategies.

Since the reimposition of sanctions, Iran has been encouraging domestic companies" presence in its oil and gas projects, both in exploration and in development sectors.

In exploration sector, as there are many blocks waiting for exploration, NIOC is seriously following up the plans to lay the ground for the private sector"s contribution.