TEHRAN – Iran’s Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI) and a major Chinese firm called Keyon have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on coal-to-natural gas conversion technologies, officials said on Thursday.

The agreement was signed on the opening day of the 29th Iran International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition (Iran Oil Show 2025) in Tehran. It aims to support Iran’s efforts to address its domestic gas imbalance by utilizing alternative fuels such as coal, according to a statement from RIPI.

RIPI head Azim Kalantari-Asl and a representative from the Chinese company, signed the deal, which focuses on technological cooperation in synthetic gas production from coal.

Hamid Ganji, head of RIPI’s Gas Research Center, said Iran’s substantial coal reserves, combined with China's expertise in synthetic gas and hydrogen production from coal, provide an opportunity for joint innovation. The primary goal of the partnership, he said, is to localize the technical know-how and enable industrial-scale implementation in Iran.

"The current gas supply-demand imbalance makes it essential to look at domestic resources like coal as a viable alternative for natural gas production," Ganji added.

The four-day exhibition, which opened on May 8, is being held at Tehran’s permanent international fairgrounds.

EF/MA