Pejman Omid Moghadami, acting head of the ministry's
Information Technology Development, Security and Smart Government Department,
said implementation of the platform's first phase was under way, with
supporting structures and workforce training also in progress.
The ministry is working with domestic experts and a leading
Iranian university to develop data governance capabilities and use its
extensive data resources to generate insights and improve operational and
management decisions, Moghadami told Shana, the Petroleum Ministry's news
service.
Fragmented data poses challenge
Oil industry data is often stored in separate systems, with
insufficient standards for information exchange and interoperability, Moghadami
said.
Other challenges include a lack of centralised data
policies, differences between generations of technology, inconsistent data
quality and uncertainty over the ownership and authoritative sources of some
information.
The planned platform and a dedicated oil industry data hub
are intended to address these problems by improving the management,
accessibility and exchange of information across the sector.
The ministry has begun training employees who are expected
to serve as data stewards, helping oversee data resources and support the
development of a data catalogue and artificial intelligence architecture. Their
formal appointments are expected to be issued soon, Moghadami said.
AI development and data security
The ministry is also pursuing multiple artificial
intelligence projects across its affiliated companies, with plans to bring
these initiatives under a more coordinated approach.
Moghadami said the ministry aimed to adopt AI across the oil
industry while managing operational risks and protecting sensitive information
and critical infrastructure.
Balancing the benefits of AI with data security is a major
international challenge, he said, adding that the ministry was drawing on
global experience to develop an appropriate approach.
The ministry is also preparing specialised data standards
and guidelines to establish consistent procedures for data management, access
and exchange.
Industry-academia cooperation
The remarks come ahead of the second National Conference on
Data Governance and Artificial Intelligence, scheduled for Oct. 13-14 at the
University of Tehran, with support from the Petroleum Ministry.
The conference is intended to bring together industry
executives, policymakers, researchers and academic specialists to exchange
practical experience, discuss recent research and strengthen cooperation
between universities and industry.
Moghadami said the event was not primarily intended to
produce an immediate policy document or roadmap, but to improve understanding
among stakeholders and lay the groundwork for addressing practical challenges.
A dedicated session on data governance in the oil industry
will examine sector-specific requirements, with senior managers from the
ministry's four main operating companies expected to participate. Follow-up
discussions will also take place within the ministry and its principal
companies.
The ministry also plans to update employee training
programmes in data and AI, building on broader government initiatives to
improve workforce skills.
Moghadami said the conference's practical value would be
assessed partly through stronger links between data and AI specialists,
improved data literacy among employees and the application of research and
operational experience to the industry's management needs.