The Iranian Oil Ministry announced on Tuesday more than 200 investment opportunities valued at more than $135 billion, new incentive and financing packages and the launch of an Oil Guarantee Fund to support investors in the strategic industry, emphasizing, “We are prepared to negotiate with the private sector regarding various types of contracts.”  Addressing the opening ceremony of the “Strategic Transformation in Iran’s Upstream Oil & Gas Sector”, Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad highlighted the event’s focus on three pillars, including investment, production and structural transformation.“The Oil Ministry has so far signed 16 contracts under the IPC (Integrated Petroleum Contracts) framework for the development of 23 oil and gas fields, with total investments exceeding $27 billion. Of these, nine contracts worth approximately $13 billion are under implementation, while the remainder are nearing finalization and ratification,” he said.The minister cited the recent signing of the South Pars shared field pressure-boosting project, with an investment of around $17 billion, as the largest recent initiative, expressing hope that, “This contract will soon be ratified, and its execution will commence with the participation of major domestic contractors.”  Paknejad noted that approximately 200 investment opportunities have been defined across 200 packages, primarily targeting the development of oil and gas fields.“This framework includes plans to develop over 100 oil and gas fields to boost upstream production, as well as enhance output of petroleum products in downstream and refining sectors,” he continued.  Regarding financing, the minister referenced coordination between the National Iranian Oil Company and the National Development Fund to secure project resources, stating, “This matter has been largely finalized, though transitioning from finalization to execution will require some time. We expect this issue to be resolved shortly.”  On the sidelines of the event, Paknejad responded to a question about the potential participation of American companies in Iran’s oil sector should Iran-US negotiations yield positive results, “There are no restrictions on utilizing foreign investors or international oil and gas companies, provided they can meet the necessary requirements. This is a general principle and rule.”  Tax exemptionsMeanwhile, Head of the National Iranian Oil Company Hamid Bovard announced at the ceremony that, “Comprehensive financial packages, including tax exemptions, have been prepared to attract investors.”Bovard also highlighted a recent Economic Council resolution to reduce maximum contract timelines in the oil industry to six months, adding, “Planned upstream oil and gas investments include the development of approximately 50 oil fields and 50 gas fields.”  First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, also addressing the event, remarked, “Estimates indicate that achieving 8% economic growth requires over $100 billion in domestic investment. To meet this, we are focusing on the private sector, regional partnerships, and international investments within our policy framework.”He further emphasized, “Significant domestic capital is available through the private sector, which can be mobilized via confidence-building mechanisms. Simultaneously, we are pursuing joint regional investments with friendly nations and international ventures aligned with our strategic priorities.” (ICE TEHERAN)

Fonte notizia: IRAN DAILY