Prioritizing exploration in Iran: Which sedimentary basins have golden oil and gas potential?

According to Energy Press, sedimentary basins are areas of the earth’s crust where thick layers of sediment have accumulated over millions of years. These sediments become the main source of oil and gas under pressure and temperature conditions, and for this reason, sedimentary basins are considered the lifeblood of hydrocarbon exploration in the world. Iran, with its vast area of these basins, is one of the most promising countries in the world in terms of oil and gas exploration and production. Seyyed Saleh Hendi, former director of exploration at the National Iranian Oil Company, emphasized in an interview with Energy Press that the view of sedimentary basins is not uniform and, based on prioritization and geological studies, more focus has been placed on areas such as Dezful, Dasht Abadan, Fars, Lorestan and the Persian Gulf, which have greater potential. Of course, this does not mean that other basins have been forgotten and plans have been developed for them, because in exploration, even a negative result is an answer.
Main Priorities in Exploration
According to Handi, during his management period, all of Iran’s sedimentary basins were identified and categorized: In the first step, the northern and southern Dezful basins, the Abadan Plain, the Persian Gulf, Fars, and Lorestan basins were prioritized. After that, the sedimentary basins of central Iran, Moghan, Kopeh Dagh, Gorgan, and Makran were on the agenda. However, studies showed that the probability of discovery in some of these areas, especially Makran, is very low and requires more fundamental data such as magnetism and gravity.
Why is Makran not a priority?
Contrary to the general view that the Makran basin is not receiving enough attention, the former exploration director emphasizes that this area has also been studied, but the data shows that its potential is limited. He said: “We have not ruled out any basin, but naturally, budget and equipment should be directed towards areas with a higher probability of success.” When the data shows that the chance of discovery is low, it doesn’t make sense to continue investing.