Introduction
Faculty of Research and Development in Upstream Petroleum Industry (FRDUPI) traces its roots back to 1959, when “NIOC Research & Development Office” was founded. It started under the name "Petroleum Engineering Laboratories", and later evolved to its current standing.
FRDUPI is an essential pillar of Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI). It puts forward a wide spectrum of methods and tools for integrated operations of upstream petroleum activities. At present, FRDUPI is comprised of three independent research divisions: "Geosciences
Division", "Petroleum Engineering Division" and "Reservoir Studies and Field Development Division". Apart from the three mentioned divisions, FRDUPI has also organized a "Center for Upstream Software Development".
Although FRDUPI is made up of independent research divisions, its main focus is to promote collaborative, comprehensive, multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary projects in order to cultivate synergy within the organization. Project management services for these types of projects are typically performed by teams that are not an integral part of any specific division.
FRDUPI's primary goal is to deploy technological solutions that address
emergent and enduring operational and environmental issues/requirements and to find innovative solutions to operational problems. To achieve its
objectives, the Faculty engages in fundamental and applied research, full field and other comprehensive studies, and provides laboratory services. The Faculty achieves its primary goal tapping on its competent, creative, and knowledgeable technical and managerial professionals, and by investing in state-of-the-art
modern and advanced laboratory facilities as well as by fostering a spirit of teamwork.
In order to advance the frontiers of current technologies, to maximize its
current capabilities, and to commercialize high-quality prototypes and pilots,
FRDUPI collaborates with value- added scientific, technology and research networks comprised of renowned universities, established and reputable research institutions, leading science-based companies, and prominent individuals inside or outside Iran.
Having reviewed current problematic issues - with an eye to anticipate future technological needs - FRDUPI has developed a road-map and a technology foresight and strategy to achieve its long-term goals and objectives. It involves methods and tools for integrated operations of upstream petroleum activities that will bring substantial progress and revitalize the technologies and practice in the industry.
The added value of FRDUPI’s activities is seen in additional commercial finds of oil and gas, increased recovery rates, reduced costs, longer life for petroleum fields, and reduced environmental loads.
The following areas are of particular interest and are high-lighted within the road-map:
In Exploration;
▪ Development of unconventional resources such as tight oil and gas formations, shale gas, heavy oil, oil shale, and gas hydrates;
▪ Petroleum Systems and Basin Modeling;
▪ Development of technologies related to fractured carbonate reservoirs
In Production and Field Development;
▪ Using and customizing new technologies and developing in-house new technologies for reservoir management (i.e. intelligent reservoir);
▪ Using new technologies and developing in-house new technologies for Improved Oil recovery (IOR) customized to Iranian reservoir conditions;
▪ Using and customizing new technologies and developing in-house new technologies for drilling;
▪ Developing methods to overcome production problems such as precipitation of wax and asphaltene deposits, sand production, casing collapse, etc;
▪ Increase in production, as a complementary approach to IOR, with special emphasize on well oriented methods.
And Generally;
▪ Software development for upstream industry customized for Iranian reservoir conditions;
▪ Underground natural Gas Storage (UGS);
▪ Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).
Our Main Mission is
To produce one more drop of oil by using technological innovation for the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Faculty of Research and Development in Downstream Petroleum Industry
Goal
This faculty is a dynamic and sophisticated research and development center, which plays a major part in development and transfer of know-how's in petroleum, gas and petrochemical industries and achievement of the highest value, wealth and knowledge based economic growth
Missions
Development of know-how's for petroleum downstream, subterranean and other industries
Consultation regarding optimizations and debottlenecking in industries, preferably the petroleum industry
Offering Scientific and laboratory services
Objectives
Establishment of a center for development of know-how's in petroleum, gas and petrochemical industries
Development of economically oriented know-how's
Approach
The main approach of the center is directing research projects toward development of know-how's of major priority for petroleum, gas and petrochemical industries using scientific potentials of national and international research and academic centers as its partners
Strategy
Simultaneous attention to
Scientific potentials of RIPI
Cooperation with other national and international research and consultation organizations
Allocating 10-20% of the available sources to academic research
Allocating 80-90% of the available sources to applied and developmental research
Publications of papers and preparation of other sources of information
The Faculty of Research and Development of Energy and Environment
consisting of three Research Divisions (i.e. Environment and Biotechnology, Industrial Protection, and EnergyTechnologies) and a Research Group (i.e. Analytical Chemistry), conductsnumerous R&D plans in order to develop the know-how andtechnologies required by Iran's oil industry
Furthermore, it has the mission of offeringtroubleshooting services to the domestic oil industry in the fields ofEnergy, Industrial protection and Environment, since its establishmentin 1959 it has offered a great deal of research, troubleshooting andlaboratory services. In the past two decades and in line with RIPI's neworientation and mission to develop the oil-industry-relatedtechnologies, other fields (i.e. basic, applied and industrial research) were added to FRDEE's working portfolio
To develop its internal capacity withrespect to specialized human resources and advanced equipment, FRDEEfollows the strategy of creating research networks involvinguniversities, research institutes and science based corporations inorder to utilize the maximum domestic capacity for the benefit of Iran'soil industry
At present, FRDEE's main fields of activity are as follows:
Environment and Biotechnology
Bioremediation and biotechnological methods for decontamination of oil-polluted soils
Bioconversion of petroleum into value-added products
Upgrading petroleum fractions through enzymatic processes
Evaluation of the cumulative environmental effects of industrial development of plants
Development and revivification of ecosystems near industrial and urban areas
Pollutant modeling and immigration simulation for different environments
Design, construction and startup of advanced water and wastewater treatment systems such as DAF, SBR, MBR and CPI
Waste management, minimization, control and recycling of solid waste to compost
Development of novel technologies for the evaluation, modeling and control of pollutants in industrial areas
Bioassay, environmental evaluation and management of industrial chemicals and effluents
Industrial Protection
Design and implementation of corrosion monitoring systems
Fracture analysis of industrial equipment
Formulation of biocides, corrosion inhibitors, anti-scale materials for cooling towers
Design and monitoring of cathodic protection systems
Scientific and Laboratory services
Atmospheric corrosion
Developing of methods for evaluation of coatings
Energy Technologies
Optimization of energy consumption in process and equipments
Application of new and renewable energies
Design and development of applicable software for optimization of energy consumption
Fuel and combustion research
Potential assessment and registration of clean development mechanisms
Water & Steam management in oil industry
Application of nanotechnology for reduction of energy consumption
Analytical Chemistry
Laboratory services: Zetasizing, SEM, AAS, ICP, GC/MS, XRF (WDX, EDX) XRD, GC/SIMDIS
Gas chromatography
Standard tests on crude oil, petroleum products
Development of new analytical methods
Consultancy Services