Energy

"Iran is holding an international oil, gas, and petrochemical industrial exhibition in which a strong sense of hope prevails regarding the future possibility of Iran-world business boom as the country is now free of sanctions. However, a general inquiry from various companies which have set up booths around the fairground tells of one running theme: the banking problems that still hinder transfer of money to or from Iran. 'Banking is a real problem. We have many projects that are currently let down because Iranian companies have no financer,' Roberto Epicoco, manager of projects at the Italian Skem industrial consultation firm told Trend May 7. He pointed out that his company is overseeing many petrochemical projects in Iran, including a major one in the production of polyolefin, all of which are waiting for banking relations to be established." (Trend News Agency, “Iran’s international oil show: Participants under spell of banking problem,” 5/8/2016)

On June 30, 2020, the Mississippi Department of Finance & Administration identified Hemla Vantage as a company “engaged in investment activities in Iran, providing funds, goods or services valued at $20,000,000 or more in the energy sector of Iran.” 

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In 2017 the U.S. state of Mississippi listed Hemla Vantage on its Iran restricted companies list rendering Hemla Vantage ineligible for investment and/or state contracting.

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“NIOC plans to sign a deal with Norway’s Hemla Vantage next week, based on which the European firm will construct an FLNG unit with a production capacity of 500,000 tons per year,” Ali Kardor was also quoted as saying by ILNA." (October 2017).

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A Norwegian oil and gas company is closing in on a $600m contract with an Iranian petrochemical group for one of the first major gas deals since international sanctions were lifted. The contract will be a joint venture between Hemla Vantage and the Kharg Petrochemical Company, a quasi-privately-owned company, to produce and export liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas by 2017. (May 31, 2016).

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Iranian IIC (Iranian Investment Company), through its Oman based sister company MENE (Middle East New Energy), with Mr. S.A.N.S. Khamoushi as its chairman, has signed an agreement with Norwegian Hemla to expand their trading operations. (April 15, 2016).

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Hemla and Tamin Petroleum & Petrochemical Investment Company (Tappico) (www.tappico.com), one of the leading oil, gas and petrochemical companies in Iran, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Oslo on the 18th of February 2016. (February 18, 2016).

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“A Norwegian oil and gas company is closing in on a $600m contract with an Iranian petrochemical group for one of the first major gas deals since international sanctions were lifted. The contract will be a joint venture between Hemla Vantage and the Kharg Petrochemical Company, a quasi-privately-owned company, to produce and export liquefied national gas and liquefied petroleum gas by 2017. 'Hemla will secure debt financing and will be 50/50 equity partners with KPC/KGRC [the latter is a sister company of the former],' said Gerhard Ludvigsen, a founding member of Hemla group and director of Hemla Vantage... 'We are inspired that Iran really wants to shift from a traditional player to a modern player. Nobody would believe that Iran could be the first in the world to produce LNG from a floating production vessel (FLNG) in 2017,' he added. The joint venture will purchase 200 million standard cubic feet of flared gas from offshore oilfields near Kharg Island over a period of up to 15 years. In its first phase, the site is projected to produce 500 metric tons of LNG and 200 tons of LPG per year. The FLNG barge, produced in China and ready to be shipped to reach Kharg Island by October, will be leased from Exmar, a Belgian company.” (Financial Times, “Norway’s Hemla Vantage closes in on $600m Iran gas joint venture,” 5/31/2016)

Ghadi"r Investment Company, a major Iranian conglomerate, signed a trilateral memorandum of understanding on joint investments in oil and gas field development projects with Russia's state-owned oil firm Zarubezhneft and Turkey's Unit International in Moscow on Tuesday." (August 10, 2017)

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“Turkish energy company Unit International has reached a $4.2 billion deal with Iran's energy ministry to build seven natural gas power plants there, in what it said was the biggest investment in Iran since the lifting of sanctions. The power stations, to be built in seven separate regions of Iran, Turkey's eastern neighbor, would have a combined installed capacity of 6,020 megawatts, the company said in a statement... ‘Unit International has reached a deal with the Iranian Energy Ministry worth some $4.2 billion to build natural gas combined cycle power plants,’ Unit said, adding the agreement was signed at a ceremony in Tehran on June 1.” (Reuters, “Turkey's Unit International says agrees $4.2 billion deal to build Iran power plants,” 6/4/2016)

PetroVietnam's LinkedIn page says that the company conducts activities in Iran. 

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A February 2021 publication on Lloyd's List says "National oil company Petrovietnam [is] among the owners of 10 Vietnam-flagged tankers involved in shipping Iranian and Venezuelan cargoes."

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“Asia is the main destination for crude shipped by foreign vessels, with India, China and Japan the biggest takers, but at least four international tankers are also heading for Europe. India, in particular, is taking a lead role as its demand soars and refiners such as Essar Oil, Reliance Energy, Hindustan Petroleum Corp, and Bharat Petroleum Corp enjoy good ties with Iran. The non-Iranian companies currently chartered to carry its oil include Chinese state controlled shipper China Shipping Development, PetroVietnam and Japan's Idemitsu Kosan.” (Reuters, “As Iran’s oil exports surge, international tankers help ship its fuel,” 6/6/2016)

As of December 2020, Rhode Island continues to list Sinopec Group as having active investment in Iran's energy sector of at least greater than $50 million. 

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"Chinese oil companies such as Sinopec [SASADZ.UL], CNOOC Ltd and others have managed to reduce their shipments of Iranian oil but it is unclear which Chinese government parties might still be buying Iranian oil, a senior U.S. energy official said on Tuesday." (Reuters, "U.S. to monitor Iranian oil shipments, will eye Chinese purchases: official," 9/10/2019).

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Sinopec Group is the parent company of Sinopec Corp
 

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"China's state oil giants are set to start pumping a combined 160,000 barrels a day at two projects in southwestern Iran from around October, company sources said, contributing to Tehran's plan to boost output ahead of sanctions being lifted. Chinese energy firms had earlier put on hold or slowed work on energy projects in Iran from late 2010, worried about penalties that might be imposed by Washington as it led world powers to press Tehran to curb its nuclear ambitions. Sources at Sinopec Group, parent of Sinopec Corp and China National Petroleum Corp said companies have since late last year stepped up work at existing main contracts, after prodding from Iranian counterparts as negotiations were continuing over the eventual easing of sanctions. Sinopec Group is expected to start producing at the Yadavaran oilfield at 85,000 barrels per day (bpd) under phase-one development, two company sources said, part of a $2 billion deal signed in 2007 to build a 200,000 bpd producer. 'Yadavaran project is progressing smoothly and is expected to start producing at 85,000 bpd by the end of the year,' said company spokesman Lu Dapeng." (Reuters, "China state firms to start pumping new oil in Iran," 7/31/15)
 

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"Top Iranian officials are traveling this week to Beijing to meet executives at one of China's largest energy companies to discuss oil projects after a political agreement to eventually lift Western sanctions was struck, people familiar with the matter said. The meetings with Sinopec Group, a state-owned Chinese company, come as China is looking to secure its interests in Iran following a tentative agreement last week with the U.S. and European powers that could enable the return of major Western oil companies to the world's fourth-largest oil patch. They are also among the first signs that foreign companies are moving to position themselves for Iran's opening up to the world if sanctions over its nuclear program are lifted. Iran and the six major powers still must hammer out final details of the agreement by June 30... The Iranian delegation will include Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh and the deputy oil minister for international affairs, Amir-Hossein Zamaninia. They plan to meet the management of Sinopec, China's largest oil refiner, an Iranian official and people close to Sinopec said." (WSJ, "Iranian Officials Travel to Beijing to Discuss Oil Deals," 4/7/15)

"South Korea’s Hanwha Total Petrochemical Co Ltd [SMCHE.UL] has increased imports of condensate from the United States and Australia and is seeking more European cargoes to replace Iranian supplies, two industry sources said on Thursday." (8/28/2018)

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"Hanwha Total Petrochemical Co. bought alternative supply after a fire on board an Iranian oil tanker that was destined for the South Korean company. Crew members of the vessel were still missing following a collision in the East China Sea with another ship that’s left it in danger of sinking." (January 2018)

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“South Korea, Asia's largest buyer of condensate, will step up purchases of the ultra light oil from Iran by more than 50 percent in June, two sources said, as competitive pricing squeezes out rival oil from Qatar. While South Korea does not provide separate data on imports of condensate, traders said the expected June shipments from Iran of at least six million barrels, or 200,000 barrels a day, would be a record level... Two South Korean buyers, refiners SK Energy and Hanwha Total Petrochemical Co, are set to lift at least six million barrels of Iranian South Pars condensate in June, up from about 3-4 million barrels in April and May, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. A Hanwha spokesman said the refiner planned to import about 2 million barrels of Iranian condensate in June, as it was cheaper than oil from Qatar and the company wanted to diversify its sources of supply.” (Reuters, “South Korea's condensate imports from Iran to soar in June,” 6/9/2016)

"The Philippines’ state oil company, PNOC, signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday to study Iran’s Paznan Khami and Darkhoveyn oilfields in southern Khuzestan Province. The agreement was signed in Tehran by Gholamreza Manouchehri, deputy for development and engineering affairs at the National Iranian Oil Company and Pedro Aquino, Chief Executive Officer of PNOC, the Oil Ministry news service Shana reported." (May 9, 2017)

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"Jan 6 National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) is negotiating with the Philippines over exporting four million barrels of crude per month to the country, Iran's English-language Press TV quoted a statement published on Friday by the NIOC as saying. 'The National Iranian Oil Company is in talks with Philippines' National Oil Company (PNOC) to export 4 million barrels per month,' the statement said. PNOC is one of the 11 companies in a consortium of international companies, known as Pergas, which has signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with the National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC) for carrying out studies over two oilfields in Iran, Press TV said. 'Based on the deal, the consortium will have 6 months to hand over the result of its studies on the fields to the NISOC. Pergas may submit its proposal for development of the fields sooner if it is ready,' it said." (Reuters, "Iran in Talks to Export 4 Mln Barrels of Oil per Month to Philippines - State TV," 1/6/2017).

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"The Philippines has officially voiced readiness to purchase Iran’s gas as well as to establish an LNG plant in southern Iran in collaboration with a European company... The South East Asian state has formally called for the purchase of Iranian gas as well as launching new LNG production projects in southern Iran. Accordingly, a new round of talks between the two countries was held in Tehran at the presence of the Iranian Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs Amir Hossein Zamaninia and the Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC) President Pedro Aquino." (Mehr News Agency, “Philippines to buy Iranian LNG,” 6/4/2016)

Lists an office in Tehran, Iran on its website.

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“At CBC we firmly believe in a customised approach, based on your company’s ambition for (re-) entering the Iranian market.”

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"The Dutch CBC Oil & Gas Company office in Tehran declared that for the first time, Iranian companies will have their own especial pavilion to present themselves in the Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference 2016 (OEEC 2016). The OEEC 2016 is a good opportunity for Iranian companies active in this field to introduce the country’s offshore energy projects to potential investors. OEEC 2016 together with CBC Oil & Gas have tailored activities for Iranian companies to meet the international energy industry at their national pavilion and during a dedicated technical session on Iran, the developments in the Iranian oil industry will be discussed. The Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference 2016 will be held this year in Amsterdam. The ninth edition of this event is expected to attract 11,500 offshore professionals and more than 650 exhibiting companies." (Shana, “Iran attends OEEC 2016 for first time,” 6/6/2016)

"European customers of Iran's crude oil were Royal Dutch Shell, Total S.A., Italy's Eni and Saras SpA., Greece's Hellenic Petroleum, Spain’s Repsol S.A. and Hungary's MOL Group. According to a report by the Iranian Oil Ministry, 40 oil refineries in the world purchase Iran's crude oil and gas condensates." (March 6, 2018).

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"Iranian Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs Amir Hossein Zamaninia said Hungarian oil and gas group MOL has expressed willingness to enter into partnership with Iranian firms and join the country’s oil and projects." (April 2017)

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"A Fresh round of oil negotiations was conducted between Iran’s NIOC and Hungary’s MOL Group over inking long-term crude sale contracts. Executive Director for International Affairs at National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Seyyed Mohsen Ghamsari made a visit to Budapest and began a new round of talks with MOL, the largest integrated oil and gas company from Hungary, to ink long-term and permanent contracts for crude oil sales. During his stay in Hungary, Iran’s Ghamsari, in addition to attending a meeting with MOL officials, made a visit to a Hungarian refinery. Other axes of talks between Iranian and Hungarian officials in Budapest, apart from long-term sales of crude oil, included investments in upstream and downstream sectors of Iran’s oil industry." (Mehr News Agency, "Hungary's MOL, Iran seek long-term oil contracts," 11/1/2016).

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"MOL Group, a leading international integrated oil and gas company from Hungary, has confirmed the purchase of Iranian heavy crude oil... According to traders and shipping data, MOL has commissioned a cargo of 140,000 tons of Iranian heavy crude oil for Oct. 23. The cargo will be delivered from Iran'sKharg Island terminal to Croatian port of Omisalj." (Trend, "MOL: Hungary's MOL Looking for Alternative Oil Grades from Iran," 10/5/2016).

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“Hungarian oil and gas company MOL recently held talks in Iran and is ready to start importing oil from Iran via the Adriatic pipeline if opportunities arise, Ferenc Horváth, who heads MOL’s downstream business, said in an interview with Reuters. ‘If Iran starts exporting crude officially … we will be very pleased and we will try to use that opportunity,’ he said.” (Hungary Today, “HUNGARY’S MOL EYES OIL IMPORT FROM IRAN, BUSINESS CHIEF TELLS REUTERS,” 2/11/2016)

Axens is listed as a partner of the Iranian firm, Chagalesh Consulting Engineers (“Chagalesh”).  (Chagalesh Website, “About”). 

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According to the Bou Ali website, a number of process units at the Bou Ali Sina Petrochemical Complex were supplied by, among other companies, AXENS. (Bou Ali Website, “About Us”).

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In November 2017, talks were underway with France’s Axens to provide Nouri Petrochemical Company in southern Bushehr Province with technical expertise to build a special unit to sweeten heavy distillates.

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"International oil services companies are scrambling to win contracts worth tens of billions to repair and modernize Iran's oil refineries once sanctions are removed, with officials even laying on bus tours for visiting foreign executives. Officials from Iran's oil refining company NIORDC, its National Petrochemical Company and the privately owned Persian Oil and Gas are holding talks with services firms to clinch projects to repair Iran's derelict refining and petrochemical sector... Oil services companies that had been active in building refineries in Iran prior to the sanctions, including Australia’s WorleyParsons, France’s Technip and Axens, South Korea's Daelim and China's Sinopec Engineering were all interested in resuming business in the country, the sources said. The companies declined to discuss whether they are meeting in Iran." (Reuters, “Foreign firms scramble to fix Iran's refineries once sanctions end,” 8/17/2015)