Mahmoud Aminnejad, vice president for planning and business
development, told the opening session of the Petrofan 2025 conference that
innovation and technology should underpin strategic decisions in the sector. He
said technological needs across the industry can no longer be met through
foreign cooperation and must be addressed through local capabilities.
Aminnejad noted that some of Iran’s major plants, including Bandar
Imam and Razi, operate with ageing infrastructure and high energy consumption,
warning that failure to modernize them will erode profitability and weaken
their position in global markets.
He highlighted Iran’s progress in catalyst production, saying 85 out
of 89 industrial catalyst types have been localized, with a domestic market
valued at about $285 million. He added that Iran could shift from importer to
exporter, citing recent catalyst exports by Lorestan Petrochemical.
Aminnejad said this progress reflects genuine cooperation between
industry and technology developers. This year’s Petrofan conference includes an
evaluation of knowledge-based firms carried out with support from the
Presidential Science and Technology Office, as well as a new innovation award
aimed at recognizing proven process improvements and new product development.
The Petrofan 2025 event, organized by PGPIC, runs from 7 to 9 December
at the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry.