12 May 2017, Sweetcrude, Tehran, Iran — The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) took part in IR Iran’s International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition 2017, which concluded Tuesday in Tehran.
The four-day event featured around 2,500 domestic companies along with 1,500 foreign firms from 37 countries, including China, Germany, South Korea, Austria, Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Britain, the US, and Canada. It was spread out over 25 halls and covered 80,000 m2.
Opening the annual exhibition, the 22nd such event held so far, IR Iran’s Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh welcomed participants and commended the recent successes of IR Iran in the international oil industry, including the doubling of capacity of South Pars fields and the switch from being a gas importer to becoming a gas exporter.
Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani praised the Ministry for its recent successes in increasing production. He spoke about the role of geopolitics, saying that although regional security is a serious issue, IR Iran is very safe. He added the Parliament is going to try and do its part to ensure policies are favorable for exploration and investment.
Oil Ministry’s Public Relations Director General Kasra Nouri said in an OPEC interview that applications from 800 local and international exhibitors had to be turned away because they could not be accommodated.
On the sidelines of the exhibition several documents were signed among participating companies and between the Iranian government and firms, tackling future cooperation in various fields, said Mr. Nouri.
In the last six or seven months, since the Ministry’s new contract formula has been presented, 27 Memorandums of Understanding have been signed with countries such as Italy, Austria, Russia, Japan and the Philippines; four of these have been signed so far at the exhibition, primarily for oil field developments, he said.
Mr. Nouri’s message to foreign companies is that IR Iran has undergone serious changes in its business environment. He also said that the country is a safe and favourable place to do business.
He added the OPEC Founder Member has some of the world’s richest hydrocarbon resources and “we want the world to believe that IR Iran is a sustainable and reliable source of energy to supply the world.”
The OPEC stand in Tehran’s Exhibition was well located near the front of the main hall, close to the Iranian National Oil Company. The stand is visited by several Iranian officials from the Oil Ministry, national oil and gas companies and members of the parliaments as well as oil industry professionals and students.
There was great interest from the audience on OPEC and its publications and many visitors wanted to establish regular contact with the Organization.