Tehran Times - Saied Pakseresht, director of research and technology at National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), said the company is nearly self-sufficient in supplying all its needs.

As reported by Shana, the official noted that the company is currently supplying most of its necessary equipment and services from domestic firms.
�Paying especial attention to Iranian knowledge-based companies, communicating with parks of science and technology, benefiting from the potentialities of Iranian manufacturers and broadening research work are among achievements in Iran�s gas sector,� Pakseresht noted.

The official further noted that Iran has been moving in the direction of self-sufficiency since a long time ago.

�It has regulated policies for domestic suppliers and manufacturers, as well as suppliers of technical knowhow to grow, recent industrial achievements bear proof to this fact,� he said.

�We believe that we should regulate our economy so as to bring about development and basic knowledge in the country.� he added.

He said policymaking is instrumental in the gas industry. This issue takes up more significance in the sanctions era.

Pakseresht said: �I agree that sanctions are worrisome; however, consequently they may help us move towards further growth and development so that we would reach our objectives much more quickly.�

�The unilateral and unlawful sanctions imposed by the United States against Iran have certainly caused some problems for Iran�s oil and gas industry. But if they are looked into at a higher level, one will see that the sanctions have made Iran much more resistant,� he explained.

Elsewhere in his remarks he mentioned Iran Oil Show, saying during Iran�s recent oil show this year, many domestic companies had managed to fill the void left by foreign companies.

�We are also supplying many of our needs through domestic companies and we are delighted to see that the supply of domestic needs has been in parallel with the growth of knowledge and technology,� said Pakseresht.

�Domestic companies have had good performance in engineering, operation, as well as growth of knowledge and technology. I dare to say with certainty that we are not worried about the absence of foreign companies.� he added.

NIGC research and technology

Due to correct policymaking and support by state-run companies like NIGC, currently, over 4,000 knowledge-based companies and science and technology parks are active in Iran.

�In today�s industrialized world, we are adopting a new approach on a daily basis towards knowledge and technology; one day by awarding projects to research companies, another day by establishing knowledge-based companies and directing them towards supply of products and industrial needs,� said Pakseresht.

According to him, many research projects have come to fruition in the past few years, providing products which are being used in gas refineries.

�We have considered manufacturing about 30 technological products for the current Iranian calendar year (March 2019-March 2020), which need about 300 billion rials (over $7 million) in investment,� he said.