Iranian Researchers Working on Developing Hydraulic Fracturing Technology to Increase Oil, Gas Extraction

Kamal Khodaei, the head of the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research ( ACECR) also known as Jahad-e Daneshgahi in Iran- Shahid Beheshti University (SBU) branch said that the researchers at their center are working on localizing and developing hydraulic fracturing technology in the oil and gas upstream.

“Hydraulic fracturing technology plays a very decisive role in increasing oil and gas extraction and helps a lot in creating jobs for young people” he said.

“For several years, we have been following the issue of localization and development of this technology in the oil and gas upstream in the ACECR Faculty of Basic Science at the SBU. This hydraulic fracturing technology is useful in increasing oil and gas extraction and has an impact on global energy equations too.”

“Now the researchers at this center have acquired the know-how of designing and implementing this technology. Now we have given proposals to oil companies to localize this technology,” Khodaei said.

“We do not have any expectations from the government except for providing us with oil wells. We will provide the finances ourselves. All investments and finances for this technology will be provided from the increase in production,” the ACECR-SBU branch said.

“Such technology is very important. Neighboring countries have also entered in this field and have spent huge funds to achieve it. We have shared fields with some neighboring countries, which use this technology to extract oil. We considered it as a must to obtain the technology and localize it,” he added.

He added that the United States, which was actually an oil importer, extracted oil and gas from shale with the help of hydraulic fracturing. He also consdered Saudi Arabia as the world's top oil producer as a user of the technology.

Khodaei went on to say that the hydraulic fracturing technology has created a lot of jobs in the United States. “We hope to implement this technology in the country with the support of Vice Presidency for Science and Technology and the trust that can be delivered by the oil companies.”

“The ACECR main objective is to localize the entire chain of this technology. The second step after the localization of design knowledge and implementation of technology, is the production of consumables, and one of these products has passed the semi-industrial production phase. We hope that with the support of the Innovation and Prosperity Fund of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology we will be able to start the first phase of its industrial production.”

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