Extracting Policies for Technological Capability Development of Iranian E&P Companies in EOR Sector

Despite the fact that Iran is one of the biggest owners of the oil and gas reserves of the world, but in terms of upstream oil technologies have always had problems and Iranian exploration and production companies do not have a significant position in terms of technological capability, especially in the important field of enhanced oil recovery. Along with various factors at the micro and industrial levels, appropriate policy-making and government support at the macro level are of particular importance in developing the technological capabilities of domestic companies. To this end, the present study has extracted and evaluated the most important macro policies for the technological development of exploration and production companies. First, using the content analysis method, the applied policies and successful experiences of other countries were extracted by a comprehensive review of the literature. Then, using the interpretive structural modeling method and based on the opinions of Iranian exploration and production experts, the extracted policies were classified and the relationships between them were identified. Strengthening the relationship between industry and university, financial incentives for firms’ R&D activities, establishing government-sponsored R&D institutions, linkages with international companies and absorbing their technological knowledge, local content and import substitution policy and protection of the domestic market, and commercializing firms’ innovations And supporting them are the most important macro policies extracted from the results of this study.