SHANA - The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has signed research contracts with 5 leading Iranian universities for expanding the petroleum industry's scientific and technological bases in discovering hydrocarbon resources.

The contracts were signed this morning (Monday, March 12), by NIOC Managing Director Ali Kardor and chancellors of the universities of Shahid Beheshti, Ferdowsi of Mashhad, Kharazmi, Shahroud Industrial University and Shahid Chamran University of Ahwaz, with Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh and Minister of Industry, Minister of Science Mansour Gholami in attendance.

Accordingly, the research project "Development of modern exploratory geochemical techniques with emphasis on hydrocarbon modeling of sedimentary basin in North Dezful region" will be implemented with Shahid Beheshti University, and the "Improvement of Subsurface Illustration Improvement Technology in Exploration of Hydrocarbon Resources in Kope Dagh Basin" will be carried out in cooperation with Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.

Also, Kharazmi University will co-operate with the NIOC exploration department in "Development of Carbonated Rock Technologies in Abadan Plain", and �Shahrood University of Technology will be involved in "Geomechanics Application in Exploration of Hydrocarbon Resources and New Technologies for Drilling and Petroleum Engineering in Exploration Wells".

The research project of Shahid Chamran University of Ahwaz is "Development of new exploratory geochemical technologies with emphasis on surface and subsurface geochemistry in Abadan plain".

The duration of each of these contracts will be 10 years, and the finances earmarked for all five research projects in the first phase are �1.5 million and about IRR30 billion.