TEHRAN Oct. 25 (Shana) � In a decisive headway bid to win back its status of the global hub of energy, Tehran will host two major conferences on oil and gas industry in November designed to assist Iran, the world's largest holder of oil and gas reserves combined, to regain its heavy-weight title following removal of the sanctions.
The Third Summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) which will convene on November 23 in Tehran and the Iran Petroleum Contracts (IPC) Conference on November 28-29 to unveil Iran�s new oil and gas contracts in the post-sanction era are welcome developments for joint venture investments, energy executives and analysts told Shana.
Moreover, the follow-up IPC conference slated for February 22-24 in London to coincide the lifting of sanctions will further secure Iran�s strong return to international market, said participants of the Iranian Petroleum and Energy Club (IPEC) 2015 Congress and Exhibition on October 19-21.

GECF Secretary General Mohammad-Hossein Adeli said the upcoming summit meeting of the gas rich countries in Tehran is a �significant� event because it is going to consider �strategic� documents on global market monitoring.
�The important document which is going to be presented to the members is the Global Gas Model. It will be GECF�s flag,� Adeli, who was here to take part in the IPEC 2015 conference and brief the Petroleum Ministry on the arrangements of the summit, told Shana.

�The model is unique in than its assumptions are closer to reality because the data are coming from the direct contact with 18 major gas producing countries,� the GECF secretary general added, �Also The Outlook or GECF�s long-term strategy which is the result of the Model and will be introduced to the member states.�
Previous GECF Gas summits were held in Qatar in 2011 and in Moscow in 2013 .This 3rd Gas Summit will be attended by heads of state and government of GECF member countries as well as guest international organizations.

The GECF is the gathering of the world�s leading gas producers that provides a framework for exchange of experience, views, information and data, as well as coordination in gas related developments among member countries.
GECF is comprised of 18 countries: Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirate, and Venezuela.

Kazakhstan, Iraq, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman and Peru are observer members in the Forum.
In less than a week, the conference on Iran�s new oil contracts will be held in Tehran on November 28-29 which is going to introduce details of the new contract models for domestic and foreign investors, officials announced the new dates on Sunday.

The follow-up London conference was postponed from December 2015 to February 2016 so that it will be held after removal of sanctions, they said, �The Iran Petroleum Contracts (IPC) are expected to be more attractive to investors.�
In September, Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh welcomed foreign investment in Iran�s energy industry but said the Islamic Republic is interested in the technology transfer by foreign partners.

�More than cash or using the technology, we would like to have their advanced technology to be transferred to domestic companies,� he stressed.
In the wake of nuclear deal in July, Iran has hosted high-ranking officials and corporate executives of major companies from Germany, Spain, Austria, Italy, and France to discuss new cooperation ventures.

The Petroleum Minsitry has also convened international conferences attended by participants interested in investment in Iran�s lucrative energy market.
At the recent IPEC 2015 conference, the Chief Upstream Officer of oil giant Eni said the Italian company is prepared to resume activities in Iran�s oil, gas and petrochemical projects following removal of sanctions.

�Prior to the sanctions, Eni was active in the development of South Pars field�s phases as well as in the petrochemical projects,� ?Antonio Vella told the conference.
�Employment of the modern technology and to carry out the oil industry projects and to develop oil and gas fields is top on the company�s agenda,� he added, which could be shared with the Iranian partners.

In September, President Hassan Rouhani said Italian companies have the advantage of a more level ground for presence in Iran�s oil and gas industry considering their past record of activity.
�In the new conditions, considering that some Italian firms have had cooperation with Iran in oil, gas and heavy industries, the ground is more prepared for their operation in Iran's economy,' he said in a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in New York.

�I underline the Italian firms that in cooperation with their Iranian counterparts, they are required to do their best to formulate valuable joint activities for stronger presence in the global markets,� Premier Renzi said.
Also the President Middle East and North Africa of Total Exploration and Production said France�s energy giant is ready for financing Iran�s oil projects as well as for transferring of technology following removal of sanctions.

�Total was present in the development of the South Pars field but had to end its activities after sanctions were intensified,� ?Stephane Michel said at told the IPEC 2015 congress.
Referring to the 50 percent plunge in the global crude oil prices as a fundamental challenge for the industry, he added, �We are going to lower project const in Iran and other parts of the world.�

�Iran is one of the worlds� biggest holders of oil and gas reservoirs and can play an important role in the global energy market,� said the Total official.
In addition to GECF, Eni and Total, representatives from OPEC, IEF, Ansaldo, World Petroleum Council, OMV, Mistsui, Siemens, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power System, Linde and Mits attended the IPEC 2015.

In the meantime, Iran�s Ministry of Petroleum has been preparing for the post-sanction era and is planning programs for an increase in production and export of crude oil.
An export increase of 500,000 barrels a day after removal of sanctions and a subsequent increase of another 500,000 barrels within six months are on the agenda based on the current capacity of crude production, officials said.

Iran is set to reclaim its quota in the global oil markets by doubling the current exports to 2 million barrels per day within six months after sanctions are lifted.
Iran is also pushing to regain its quota of 14.2 percent within OPEC and later to increase its share in the global market.

Iran was OPEC�s second-biggest producer before US-led sanctions banned its customers from purchasing, transporting, financing and insuring of its crude in mid 2012.

By SHANA