SHANA - An official with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) is planning to sign agreements with 5 leading Iranian universities for carrying out studies on oil technologies.

Speaking to Shana, Saleh Hendi said the deals will serve as a major step by NIOC to strengthen cooperation between the oil industry and universities.

Director of Explorations at NIOC said the company has identified several areas that require studies in oil industry and will assigned leading universities with their studies.

He said NIOC has held extensive talks with the universities for signature of the documents.

He continued: "In negotiations with the universities, we have stressed generation and development of technologies, the necessity of formation of a technology network consisting of the contracting university and knowledge-based companies and partner universities (either domestic or foreign), as well as the necessity of a plan for commercialization of technologies."

Hendi expressed hope that the five research contracts will be signed in the coming days.

Previously, nine technological agreements in the upstream and twelve technical contracts in the downstream sector of the oil industry were signed between the main Iranian national oil companies and domestic universities as well as research centers.