Petroleum University of Technology

Iran is an oil-rich country and in terms of having oil and gas resources, it stands among the top countries in the world. This issue has made the need for expert personnel in the petroleum industry very critical. The “Petroleum University of Technology” has, therefore, been established with the aim of training technical and specialized experts for administering the oil and natural gas resources of the country in the best possible way. This university functions under the supervision of the National Iranian Oil Company.

History of Petroleum University of Technology

The first oil well of Iran, which is considered to be the first oil well in West Asia, was drilled in the year 1907 in the city of Masjed Soleyman, Khuzestan province. This well reached oil on May 26, 1908, to start a new chapter in the history of Iran. About thirty years after this event, i.e. in 1939, the Petroleum University of Technology was established to support this emerging industry in terms of research and training of manpower. This educational and training center, which was initially called "Technical College of Oil Industry", was upgraded to the “Abadan Institute of Technology” in 1958.

Located in the city of Abadan (one of the cities of the southern Iranian province of Khuzestan), the activities of this university came to a halt for some time following Saddam Hussain’s military invasion of Iran in the year 1980. However, following the expansion of its activities and a considerable increase in the number of its students in the post-war era, this institute was once again upgraded to the level of a university in 1989 and named the “Petroleum University of Technology”.

Two years later the Abadan Faculty of Petroleum was founded to - along with other three faculties, i.e., Ahvaz Faculty of Petroleum, Tehran Faculty of Petroleum, and Mahmoudabad Faculty of Petroleum - make the Petroleum University of Technology a comprehensive university.

Tehran Faculty of Petroleum was established in 1957, i.e. seven years after the Nationalization of the Iranian Oil Industry. Similarly, Mahmoudabad Faculty of Petroleum was founded in 1985 with the aim of training specialized personnel to be on ocean liners. These forces usually work in the National Iranian Tanker Company and the Islamic Republic of Shipping. Four educational groups "Navigation", "Energy Engineering", "Marine Engineering", and "Basic Sciences and Language" function under the supervision of this faculty.

Petroleum University of Technology considers its close relationship with world-renowned research centers as one of its strengths. Also, providing suitable educational facilities for students, the possibility of attracting graduates to Iran’s research and executive centers, and the use of foreign languages for teaching courses, are among the advantages of this university for its students.

Centers to Support Graduates

The Center of Development of the Physical Assets Management System of the Oil Industry is one of the centers of the university and is active in the field of management of physical assets. “Petropam” specialized journal is published under the supervision of this center.

The Petroleum University of Technology also has a growth center that extends support to newly established units in the field of technology affiliated with this university. The units that are accepted in this center will be supported for a period of three to five years and can use the research achievements of university researchers to go through the stages of stabilization and mass production until they reach a stage of profitability.