Given the safety, environmental, and operational sustainability requirements of the oil industry, establishing the Risk Management, Process Safety and Loss Prevention Center (PRPLC) at the Petroleum University of Technology—as the specialized technical and advisory arm of the Ministry of Petroleum—is a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing resilience and reducing major industrial accidents. The Center’s mission is to develop, localize, and institutionalize process safety management across all companies affiliated with the Ministry of Petroleum by establishing the scientific, technological, and human-capital infrastructure required to implement PSM principles in accordance with international standards and frameworks, including CCPS, OSHA, and API.

In its initial phase, the Center will commence its activities within a structured framework under the supervision of the President of the Petroleum University of Technology and with the policy and financial support of the Ministry of Petroleum. In addition to its educational and research functions, the Center will serve as the national authority on process safety, helping to enhance safety, operational efficiency, and public confidence in the oil industry.

Current Challenges in Iran’s Oil Industry

An analysis of process incidents over the past two decades in petrochemical plants, refineries, and gas facilities indicates that:

• The incidence rate of accidents resulting in severe human and financial losses exceeds the global average.
• Process safety systems within subsidiary companies are often implemented in isolation, without central coordination.
• Specialized training in process safety management (PSM) is limited, unsystematic, and lacks nationally recognized certification.
• Process accident data are stored in a fragmented manner and in a format unsuitable for analysis.
• Collaboration between academia and industry in the field of process safety is weak and project-based rather than system-oriented.

Rationale for Establishing the Center

Process Safety Management (PSM) is recognized as one of the fundamental pillars of sustainability, operational efficiency, and resilience in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. Global experience demonstrates that PSM can effectively prevent major accidents and mitigate their human and economic consequences only when implemented through an integrated, knowledge-based system.
With its strong scientific, research, and educational foundations, the Petroleum University of Technology possesses a unique capacity to serve as the national authority on PSM. Establishing a national process safety management center tasked with policy guidance, specialized consulting, research, and education would provide a sustainable framework for developing domestic expertise, delivering specialized services, and strengthening the connection between policymaking, education, and industry.
Under these circumstances, establishing such a center is an undeniable necessity. It would bridge the existing gap between technical knowledge, risk management, and the Ministry of Petroleum’s decision-making system, while promoting a stronger safety culture nationwide through the development of locally adapted standards.