A lack of research into Iran's oil and gas reserves has led many skilled engineers and technicians to seek work outside of the country, industry experts have heard.

Iranoilgas.com reports that the Iranian Students News Agency has warned that a lack of independent study into the development of the country's energy reserves is the underlying cause behind the exodus of workers who serve the oil and gas industry overseas.

Dr Ali Vatani, the head of the training and research department of the petroleum engineering institute at Tehran University, said that the Iranian government needs to increase investment in training and development and strip back the bureaucratic barriers to study if it is to stem the tide of workers leaving the country.

He also bemoaned the lack of commitment of some upstream operators in the oil and gas industry which were said to have been uncooperative with the institution in providing data necessary to carry out assessments of the country's reserves.

Dr Vatani's faculty was established in 2000 and is supported by the National Iranian Oil Company.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development