Petroleum Business Review

Abstract This study conducts a comprehensive examination of the interlinkages among four key financial markets—crude oil, gold, currency, and equities—over the July 23, 2013, to March 12, 2025. This study employs the Contemporaneous and Lagged R2 Decomposed connectedness approach recently introduced by Balli et al. (2023), which allows us to decompose the connectedness among variables into lagged and contemporaneous components. As the previous approaches only show overall or contemporary results, this novel approach fills the gap in the literature. The findings reveal that most spillovers occur contemporaneously, with the U.S. dollar playing a central role in the propagation of contemporaneous shocks. In contrast, gold emerges as a significant transmitter of long-term shocks, underscoring its relevance for strategic risk management. Moreover, crude oil is the main receiver of shocks in the average and lagged connectedness in the network. Dynamic analyses indicate heightened market sensitivity during periods of geopolitical tension, particularly under intensified sanctions and currency volatility in Iran. By uncovering the evolving structure of cross-market dependencies, this research offers valuable insights for portfolio allocation, systemic risk assessment, and the formulation of responsive economic policies in times of financial stress.

Abstract In spite of decades from its establishment, National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has failed to get the reputation of a prosperous international company. This failure may be due to different reasons but the role of directors in the success of the company is undeniable. How to have efficient directors and therefore a strong board of directors is a challenge that in its response is raised the concept of Good Corporate Governance that by crushing this concept, It will be applied it in the process of appointment directors. The research intends to scrutinize and describe the process of board of directors' appointment from Good Corporate Governance point of view, identifying NIOC advantages and disadvantages thereof. It was found that some indicators of Good Corporate Governance principles such as specialized diversity of board composition are desirable and minimum competencies are less and there is no independent managers criteria. At first hereto, the process is described in three sections: appointment entity, board qualifications and nomination process and following is brought its analysis by using descriptive-analytic method. In conclusion, suggestions are made in regards with enhancing standards of NIOC Good Corporate Governance about board of directors' appointment .

Abstract Iran, as an oil-dependent economy, has faced strict energy sanctions from the Western bloc, prompting the country to adopt policies aimed at enhancing energy economic resilience. Given the similarities in economic structure, this paper explores the concept of energy economic resilience in Russia under sanctions. Following Russia's special military operations in Ukraine, successive Western sanctions were imposed on Russia, primarily targeting its energy sector and global exports. This study aims to identify the key components affected by these sanctions by examining Russia’s energy security within a structured framework. The findings indicate that sanctions have had a negative impact on Russia's energy security and inflicted economic damage. However, Russia has demonstrated resilience in its energy sector by implementing strategic policies, such as diversifying oil and gas export destinations and strengthening energy transportation infrastructure through investment and new projects. Despite these successes, Russia remains highly dependent on fossil fuel extraction and exports, with limited progress in increasing the share of renewable energy, which remains a major weakness.

Abstract The current research was conducted with the aim of providing a conceptual framework for the development of relations with suppliers in Abadan Oil Refining Company. The research method is qualitative and based on the data theory of the foundation. To collect data, semi-structured interview was used and data analysis was done by Strauss and Corbin method and paradigm model. The statistical population was experts and managers with experience in Abadan Oil Refining Company, from which a sample of 21 people was selected after reaching theoretical saturation. Sampling has been done theoretically and using targeted (judgmental) techniques. The results of the analysis of the data obtained from the interviews, during the process of open, central and selective coding, led to the creation of models of the development model of the relationship with the suppliers of consumer products in the Abadan Oil Refining Company based on the data theory of the foundation, which ultimately provided a model for the development model. Communication with suppliers was identified. The findings of this research indicate that for the success of the development model of the relationship with the suppliers of consumer products, company managers can pay attention to the identified categories and subcategories and if they match the conditions of the company, from this category. use In addition, this research shows the need to pay attention to the development patterns of relationships with suppliers.

Abstract Todays, the issue of environmental instability and destructive environmental behavior can leave many irreparable effects and damage on future ecosystems and the lives of future generations.
Method: This study aimed to present an environmental model of sustainable development in the Iranian gas industry. The present study used a qualitative with grounded theory method. In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 academic experts (professors of public administration and environmental engineering at universities in Mazandaran province) and the heads of the National Iranian Gas Company in five regions of Iran using the "rich information" sampling method.
Results: The results indicated that the environmental model of sustainable development in the Iranian gas industry had 15 dimensions in terms of causal conditions. 1. Services, 2. Safety and health requirements, 3. Social responsibility, (context condition) 4. Education and learning, 5. Acculturalization, 6. Managers' attitude and awareness (intervening conditions) 7. Contractors, 8. Technical facilities and equipment, 9. Technology and technical operations (Strategy) 10. Medium and long term policies of the Ministry of Energy, 11. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of project progress, 12. Consumption management programs, 13. Pollutants management programs and consequences 14. Improved environmental performance of the gas company and 15. Moving towards sustainable development. Conclusion: Since the gas industry is one of the most polluting industries and the lack of attention to environmental issues in this huge industry will lead the Iranian environment to very serious and perhaps irreparable crises, using the environmental model of sustainable development in this industry seems highly important and necessary.

Abstract The challenge of environmental pollution and climate change have made countries to develop energy transition progress to move from non-renewable energy sources towards renewable ones. This paper seeks to consider energy transformation process and analyze its pattern in Iran by modeling through the ARDL bounding testing method over the period of 1993-2018. The empirical estimations depicted that in the long-run economic growth and inflation rate negatively impact on energy transformation of Iran, while increase in carbon dioxide emissions and appreciation of Iran’s national currency accelerate the energy transition process in Iran. Regarding the short-run relationship, the major results represented an evidence of positive impact of exchange rate on Iran’s energy transition process, while the other variables have negative coefficient. As a major concluding remark, for the case of Iran, the findings prove that the influential impacts of explanatory variables on energy transformation are stronger in long-run rather than in short-run. Therefore, the presence of efficient long-run energy planning is recommended.

Abstract The supply of natural gas in energy exchanges has emerged as a significant aspect of the global energy landscape since the 1990s, requiring the establishment of appropriate trading platforms. In Iran,  it was envisioned the sale of up to ten billion cubic meters of natural gas following the approval of the budget law of 1400 (2021). However, despite these projections, no offerings were made on the Iran Energy Exchange (IRENEX) due to various challenges. This research aims to identify the essential prerequisites for gas supply in energy exchanges using a systematic review approach and subsequently analyze these prerequisites within the context of Iran's gas market. The findings of this study reveal that while the technical prerequisites for such transactions are presently available, significant strides are needed in terms of legal and structural aspects. Notably, challenges arise from the presence of long-term contracts between the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) and neighboring countries, the monopolization of the country's natural gas industry's value chain by state-owned enterprises, incomplete unbundling of the mentioned chain, limited third-party access to pipelines and storage facilities, gas supply with subsidized tariffs, and the absence of a comprehensive law governing the integration of Iran's natural gas market. Overcoming these obstacles is imperative for enabling natural gas supply in the IRENEX and successfully implementing the gas supply program. Policy makers must carefully address these prerequisites to foster a conducive environment for gas trading within the energy exchange and pave the way for its effective implementation.

Abstract One of the most important factors that investors pay attention to in stock markets is stock price fluctuations, which is the basis for evaluating the performance of company managers. The performance of the company's stock includes the yield from the resources under the company's control and is considered a suitable criterion for reaching the set goals. In the meantime, one of the things that influenced widely on the world financial markets is the outbreak of the 2019 Covid-19 epidemic. The Covid-19 pandemic is known as a black swan event since it was a rare, unexpected, unknown phenomenon with a high and universal impact. Therefore, the current research purpose is to investigate the fluctuations in the stock prices of petrochemical industry companies affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. For this purpose, 19 petrochemical companies of Tehran stock exchange were studied between 2017 to 2022. The data gathered daily and included 19 petrochemical companies in 220 working days for 5 years. The results showed that the shock caused by the growth of the corona virus initially caused a decrease in price volatility in petrochemical companies, but after two periods, the reaction of price volatility to the shock was positive. Finally, the shock effect disappeared after seven cycles.

Abstract Dynamic capabilities refer to an organization's capacity to purposefully create, expand, or change its resource base. In all countries of the world, the gas industry of each country plays an important role in its economy and growth. And we are in an era where rapid global changes and technological innovations occur, and gas refineries are not unaffected by these changes. The objective of this research is to identify dynamic capabilities within knowledge-based companies in the gas refining industry. This study employs a mixed-methods approach to develop a model of dynamic capabilities specific to knowledge-based gas refining enterprises. By analyzing 54 articles through a meta-synthesis method and conducting semi-structured interviews with 12 experts in this field, the components of dynamic capabilities were identified through thematic analysis. Following this, the factors were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis, and a questionnaire was distributed to specialists, with all components being validated in the initial phase. To develop the final model, the research utilized structural interpretive modeling (ISM), and the corresponding questionnaire was completed by 15 managers of knowledge-based companies in Tehran

Abstract Currently, blockchain in the oil and gas industry is still at the experimental stage, and many people in the oil and gas industry do not acknowledge this technology.  Blockchain technology can bring many opportunities, such as reducing transaction business costs and increasing transparency to the oil and gas industry. However, due to the blockchain being an emerging technology, organizations need to investigate the maturity stages to increase this technology's readiness and adoption. The capability Maturity Model (CMM) is one of the common models in information technology. This model is widely adopted as a public maturity model in business processes, industry, and IS / IT organizations. The blockchain technology maturity model is classified into five levels of emerging, identified, defined, operational and mature to identify the applications of this technology toward flourishing and providing the ultimate solution to most of the organization's problems. Therefore, this qualitative research has been designed to identify maturity levels to provide a conceptual model of maturity levels of blockchain technology in grounded theory. First, the initial factors extracted through reviewing the research background; then, by conducting semi-structured interviews with 12 blockchain technology experts, the data were collected. It is noted that the interview was stopped as the duplicated and identical data, based on grounded theory research strategy The meanings and characteristics of the blockchain maturity model challenges presented in three stages of coding: identification, classification, and finally, create the research model.The reliability of the interviews has confirmed by the reliability methods of Test-Retest and intra-subject agreement. The results of data analysis indicate that experts at the emerging level to primary educating and technology monitoring, at the identified level, to recognize the applications of this technology and regulation, at the defined level, to develop a roadmap, proof of concept (POC), and  Feasibility, At the operational level, the stakeholder resistance, and at the matured level, the entry new members, the consortium, and increasing attention to maturity requirements, is spotlight with more frequency than other indicators and elements.




Keywords:
Blockchain, Blockchain capability maturity model, Blockchain maturity levels
 


 


Currently, blockchain in the oil and gas industry is still at the experimental stage, and many people in the oil and gas industry do not acknowledge this technology.  Blockchain technology can bring many opportunities, such as reducing transaction business costs and increasing transparency to the oil and gas industry. However, due to the blockchain being an emerging technology, organizations need to investigate the maturity stages to increase this technology's readiness and adoption. The capability Maturity Model (CMM) is one of the common models in information technology. This model is widely adopted as a public maturity model in business processes, industry, and IS / IT organizations. The blockchain technology maturity model is classified into five levels of emerging, identified, defined, operational and mature to identify the applications of this technology toward flourishing and providing the ultimate solution to most of the organization's problems. Therefore, this qualitative research has been designed to identify maturity levels to provide a conceptual model of maturity levels of blockchain technology in grounded theory. First, the initial factors extracted through reviewing the research background; then, by conducting semi-structured interviews with 12 blockchain technology experts, the data were collected. It is noted that the interview was stopped as the duplicated and identical data, based on grounded theory research strategy The meanings and characteristics of the blockchain maturity model challenges presented in three stages of coding: identification, classification, and finally, create the research model.The reliability of the interviews has confirmed by the reliability methods of Test-Retest and intra-subject agreement. The results of data analysis indicate that experts at the emerging level to primary educating and technology monitoring, at the identified level, to recognize the applications of this technology and regulation, at the defined level, to develop a roadmap, proof of concept (POC), and  Feasibility, At the operational level, the stakeholder resistance, and at the matured level, the entry new members, the consortium, and increasing attention to maturity requirements, is spotlight with more frequency than other indicators and elements.




 




Received: 23 August 2020
Revised: 03 September 2020
Accepted: 14 September2020




 
 

Abstract This study investigates the impact of global crude oil price fluctuations on the volatility of the Iranian Rial–U.S. Dollar exchange rate over the period November 2011 to August 2025. Using daily data and employing GARCH-family models—including GARCH(1,1), EGARCH(1,1), and GJR-GARCH(1,1,1) under heavy-tailed distributions—we examine whether oil price shocks influence the mean and conditional variance of exchange rate returns. The results indicate that higher oil prices significantly appreciate the Rial, reflecting Iran’s dependence on oil revenues and foreign exchange inflows. Volatility dynamics reveal strong persistence, with shocks exhibiting long memory. Asymmetric effects are also evident: negative oil price shocks increase exchange rate volatility more than positive shocks, highlighting the destabilizing role of downturns in global oil markets. Diagnostic tests confirm the adequacy of the estimated models, with EGARCH and GJR specifications providing the best fit. The findings underscore three key policy implications. First, Iran’s exchange rate remains highly sensitive to oil revenues, reinforcing the need for structural diversification. Second, the persistence of volatility complicates short-term stabilization, demanding long-term reserve and fiscal policies. Third, the asymmetric impact of oil downturns calls for proactive risk management to mitigate volatility in times of declining oil prices. Overall, the study provides new evidence on the oil–exchange rate nexus in an oil-exporting economy, offering lessons for macroeconomic management under external shocks. Robustness checks — including Bai–Perron breakpoint tests and alternative model specifications with event dummies — confirm the main findings.

Abstract the formation of the current legal system is a function and is influenced by a basic element called time. An element that influences not only the formation of the legal system, but also its evolution.so, the legal system in the Iranian oil industry began with a contract and not with the legislation of a law. In relation to the term "contractual framework", it seems necessary to explain that the contractual framework refers to the criteria which give the contracts such a feature that it distinguishes that contract and similar contracts from other contracts concluded in that field. What were these contracts? How did they form the legal system of the Iranian oil industry? What has been their impact on technology transfer in the oil industry? These are some of the questions that will be addressed in this work. Disappointment with the framework of previous agreements (concession agreements), along with socio-political contexts such as the nationalization of the oil industry, led to a re-examination of this industry's contract frameworks in the light of past experiences, better future benefits and national independence and sovereignty. But how successful it was, that is another matter. Because the oil companies did not simply want to transfer the maximum benefits to the countries with oil resources, and used the dependence of those countries to their industry as a tactic against this trend as much as possible. Therefore, the structure of contracts governing the oil industry should be considered as a result of this conflict of interests.

Abstract The enforced international limitations and sanctions against Iran have affected all stages of natural gas extraction from gas reservoirs. In this study, the effects of various situations on natural gas extraction from the Iranian operating oil reservoirs have been examined. Thus, this study aimed to study the role and effects of imposed international sanctions on Iran’s gas extraction and production. Outcome of the study provides appropriate solutions to recognize such situation and cope with the resulting circumstances. Regarding methodology of the research, quantitative data were collected and analyzed by using the statistical panel model. Results show that gas extraction from natural gas reservoirs has been decreased significantly in the period of international sanctions and limitations were imposed. To achieve the previous desired gas extraction level according to the initial developing plans and the existing potentials as well as to be able to cope with hardship of international circumstances, it is necessary to improve implementation system of the respective projects, attain technological knowledge and take serious steps towards resilient economy to enhance the domestic abilities through knowledge-based advancement especially in producing strategic equipment and goods required by such a large scale projects while the existing internal rules and regulations should be reformed and be more flexible.

Abstract The aim of the current research is to explore a strategist developing model based on a mixed method for National Iranian Oil Company. This study is an exploratory and applied research, and it methodologically uses mixed methods. In the qualitative part, which is based on a data theory approach, the required data were gathered by means of semi-structured interviews. The participants involved in the study were 24 industrial and academic experts. After collecting the data, they were encoded, and necessary measurements were then taken to determine dimensions, main categories, subcategories, and relevant concepts related to our coding system. Having gained a coded table which was pivot and selective, finally, the goodness of the fit of the paradigmatic research model was developed (n=320). Quantitative analyses were performed by means of SPSS 24 and Lisrel 9.30 software. The qualitative findings of this study included 11 main categories, 24 subcategories, and 98 concepts. The concepts which were related to development strategists included causative factors (individual factors, organizational factors, and discourses); the category of central strategic thinking (conceptual and organizational thinking, foresight, and philosophical attitudes); obstructive factors (both inter organizational and intra organizational factors); contextual factors (cultural context, psychological factors, and organizational independence); strategies to identify the talents, to attract them, and to retain them; the outcomes of the establishment of monitoring system; strategic thinking; and the process of developing experts in our oil company. Our findings resulted in discovering a pattern to develop experts in oil industry.
 

Abstract The present study tries to find out the effect of energy consumption on economic growth and emission through applying non-linear framework, the smooth transition regression model, and threshold regression TAR by using the data from1969 to 2017. The results of empirical frameworks indicate that the economic growth is gradually affected by energy consumption and STR model demonstrates the dynamics. However, the changes in energy consumption on emission has taken place faster and the parametric changes have been more severe. In both states, there is one model which consists of two regimes. In this model, the fossil fuel energy consumption growth variable is selected as transition or threshold variable which is optimal model. The fossil fuel energy consumption variable is considered as a policy variable which in both frameworks have been selected in 12 percent level.
The results of TAR model revealed that in high regime of fossil fuel consumption, the first lag of fossil fuel consumption and the logarithm of population have impact on emission and in high regime of low fossil fuel consumption, the fist lag on variable growth of fossil fuel consumption and electricity have impact on emission. Also, the results of TAR model indicated that the electricity energy consumption growth in low regime, the growth in electricity consumption and first lag investment affect the economic growth. The fossil fuel consumption in high regime, the growth variables of fossil fuel consumption and investment have impact on the economic growth.

Abstract Currently, distribution of various types of petroleum products is performed exclusively by the government. The high price of land in metropolitan cities, lack of incentive for the private sector to invest in construction of filling station due to the low-income, have caused filling stations to be insufficiently available. One of the solutions to overcome this obstacle is to use the ability of the private sector for distribution of petroleum products. To reduce the government's ownership, the market structure for petroleum products distribution in the country needs to be changed. This change should be firstly done gradually and step by step, and secondly, the government has to monitor this issue at various stages. In this study, three stages are proposed for the market restructuring of the petroleum products distribution in the country, and the conditions and requirements for each stage are separately identified.
For the private fuel distributing companies, the most important problem is the economic issue and having profit. On the other hand, since the product price is still subsidized in the country, therefore, it is indispensable that the amount of commission fee should be determined in such a way that the activity for private companies is economically justified.
In this study, the amount of products commision fee is calculated concerning capital and operatational expenditures, using the engineering economics method in different situations by COMFAR version 3 software.

Abstract Overconfident managers, who tend to overestimate their capabilities, underestimate the possibility and impact of side effects in projects. The purpose of this study is to review the effect of managerial overconfidence on research and development expenditures and the moderating effect of firm value and liquidity on this relationship. For this purpose 51 companies were chosen from oil/gas, and petrochemical Companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange over the period 2012-2017. This research, within three basic hypotheses, is analyzed by Eviews software and shows that managerial overconfidence has positive effect on research and development. Company liquidity has direct effect on relationship between managerial overconfidence and R&D, but firm value has no meaningful effect on the relationship between managerial overconfidence and R&D.
Keywords: managerial overconfidence, R&D, liquidity, firm value

Abstract Projects are affected by many internal and external factors. Such factors could be initiated domestically or internationally. The South Pars is a mega gas field in Iran which requires billions of dollars for development and gas extraction. Its development has taken a rather long time and gone through many challenges over the last two decades; due to several challenges, especially international barriers.In this research, the effects of sanctions on the expenditurs ofselected activities in developing of pars field between internal and foreign contractors is investigated. The main purpose of this research is to calculate the cost of selected activities of South Pars phases and compare the performance of internal contractors in sanctions conditions with foreign contractors in non-sanctions conditions.For this purpose, 18 activities which were similar in all of South Pars contracts,were selected.In these three sections, after applying relative indexes,global inflation, and technology by using inferential statistics, the total cost were considered among internal and foreign contractors. Based on the statistical analysis,there was no significant difference between the expenditures of selected activities performed by internal contractors and foreign contractors Under sanctions.

Abstract The present study aimed to provide an inter-organizational cooperation management model in oil companies in the Pars Energy Special Economic Zone. This study was conducted in two stages: conceptual research framework design and validation. The first part included the senior managers of oil companies in the Pars Energy Special Economic Zone, and 10 subjects were selected as the sample. In the second part, the population included all employees, from whom 116 samples were selected. After identifying the components, indicators, and criteria, the Delphi questionnaire and a 5-point Likert scale were used to collect data. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed using the CVR index and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, while its reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha. Data analysis was performed using the Delphi technique, one-sample t-test, and structural equation modeling in SPSS and Lisrel statistical software. The results identified four dimensions, 17 components, and 63 indicators for the inter-organizational cooperation management model in the Pars Energy Special Economic Zone oil companies. Environmental, cultural, organizational, and leadership style dimensions are the dimensions of inter-organizational cooperation management in oil companies in the Pars Energy Special Economic Zone. Such factors are the most significant among the identified dimensions of environmental dimension with a load factor of 0.99, cultural dimension with a load factor of 0.82, organizational dimension with a load factor of 0.79, and a leadership style dimension load factor of 0.89 respectively than other dimensions to the concept of inter-organizational cooperation management model in oil companies in the Pars Energy Special Economic Zone. The results indicated that designing the inter-organizational cooperation management model is divided into four environmental, leadership, cultural, and organizational dimensions. The environmental dimension includes political, business process, economic, developmental, legal, and technology, and the cultural dimension includes the components of conflict management, information sharing, participation, and commitment. The organizational dimension consists of the components of philosophy, processes, coordination, and strategy, and the leadership style dimension encompasses the components of collaborative leadership, multidisciplinary decision-making, and adaptation to management style

Abstract Strategic management contexts usually define a couple of activities, including preparing a mission statement, which is one of the essential parts in developing the strategic plan of an organization. Numerous researches in the strategic management literature have expressed the attributes of an effectively written mission statement for a firm in general. Although the corporate mission statement and its components vary from industry to industry, none of the researchers have specifically studied the components of a corporate mission statement in the petroleum industry. In this study, the general components of the corporate mission statement were extracted and listed based on the literature review of strategic management. Then, the most important components of the corporate mission statement specific to the petroleum industry were selected using the industry experts’ opinions. The grey systems theory was utilized to aggregate the expert judgments that are qualitative in nature. Fourteen components of corporate mission statement in the petroleum industry were selected as the research results. Whether developing a new business or reformulating direction for an ongoing company in the petroleum industry, these specific components should be included in the content of the corporate mission statement.

Abstract The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of comparability and environmental uncertainty on the expected rate of return. The current study utilizes panel regression method estimator to investigate the relationship between comparability, environmental uncertainty, and the expected rate of return of 500 firm-year observations in oil, gas, and petrochemical firms listed in Iran Securities and Stock Exchanges for the period of 2009 to 2018. The results show that the comparability and uncertainty have a significant effect on the expected rate of return. In other words, the expected rate of return is a function of comparability, and it varies at different levels of comparability.

Abstract COVID affects various sectors of the economy, including energy. Measuring these effects on the energy sector can help policymakers adopt appropriate protectionist policies. In this paper, the effect of COVID shock on energy and non-energy sectors has been investigated using the DSGE model. For this purpose, two shocks of preferences and shocks of labor supply have been used. This article adds COVID to the model as well as adding energy to the New Keynesian model. The effect of COVID on the energy and non-energy sectors of the two channels of labor supply and consumer preferences has been investigated. The results of the study indicate that consumption, investment, and production in the energy sector have increased under the influence of both shocks. But consumption, investment and production in non-energy sector have declined. Prices and production costs have increased in both sectors. Also, the negative effects of the preferences shock were greater than the negative effects of the labor supply shock.

Abstract The oil market is affected by the supply of oil by oil-producing countries. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was established in the 1960s to balance oil prices in favor of oil-producing countries. OPEC has gone through a period of convergence and divergence since its inception under political-economic events and crises. In turn, this convergence and divergence have had a significant impact on oil production, supply, and prices in the oil market. OPEC members form a diverse range of population, size, reserves, output, gross domestic product, ideology, and type of relationship with world powers. This diversity, along with internal tensions, leads to different approaches on energy markets and production quotas, which has affected the interests of all producing countries. Thus, this study aims to assess the convergence relationship between OPEC members on the strength of this organization on the market. To reach this aim, we have used a qualitative method of descriptive and analytical type using library resources and documents. Findings show that any lack of convergence and understanding between OPEC members has led to increased supply in the oil market and fluctuating prices. These price fluctuations seriously damage the economies of exporting countries.

Abstract West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil is a pivotal benchmark in the global energy market, exerting a decisive influence on economic expectations and national macroeconomic policies. As the primary pricing basis on the New York Mercantile Exchange and numerous energy futures contracts, WTI is subject to persistent and severe price volatility. Such fluctuations, often appearing as abrupt upward or downward shocks, profoundly affect key macroeconomic indicators. These include inflation, economic growth, trade balances, corporate profitability, production costs, and government budgets. Consequently, variations in WTI prices influence oil and gas markets, financial stability, energy security, and even international geopolitical relations. To address these challenges, this study develops a hybrid VMD+SVR framework to model and forecast WTI crude oil futures prices across short-, medium-, and long-run horizons. Empirical findings reveal that across all three horizons, the proposed hybrid model consistently achieves the lowest forecasting errors compared with alternative approaches. Moreover, the Diebold–Mariano and Wilcoxon tests statistically confirm the superior predictive performance of the hybrid VMD+SVR model. These results highlight the importance of integrating advanced adaptive signal decomposition (VMD) with powerful nonlinear learning algorithms (SVR) for accurate oil price forecasting. The proposed approach not only enhances forecasting accuracy but also provides practical insights for policymakers in managing economic risks, stabilizing budgets dependent on oil revenues, and formulating sustainable energy strategies. It opens a new avenue for developing financial forecasting models inspired by advanced signal processing.

Abstract The present study was conducted with the aim of designing a model for evaluating the performance of financial units in petrochemical industry. This exploratory practical study carried out based on the descriptive-analytical method and all data were gathered via two separate processes as interview and literature review. The statistical population included professional and academic experts in the field of human resources (HR) to answer qualitative questions by targeted sampling for experts. According to the experts’ opinion, in order to identify effective factors, the Grounded Theory method and Interpretive Structural Method (ISM) were applied for evaluation of method and structural equations, respectively. After reviewing all the 67 indicators of financial performance that were extracted from theoretical foundations and previous research, 48 indicators have been approved by Delphi Roxab Group and then were selected. Finally, content factor analysis showed that all 48 indicators are significant enough. The novelty of this research compared to the similar ones raised from identifying the factors related to "production and procurement" and so "marketing" of the understudy organization that have not been evaluated in the previous studies.