NIOC Drilling job started in Iran in 1901 following the concession granted to William Knox D'arcy by Mozaffarol din- Shah of Qajar for production of crude oil across Iran- except in five northern provinces. Hence, Iran became the first country in the oil-rich Middle East region to start the oil operations. crude oil across Iran- except in five northern provinces. Hence, Iran became the first country in the oil-rich Middle East region to start the oil operations. Iran’s oil industry is now preparing to enter the second century of its life cycle. Iran’s oil industry, as a technical and industrial phenomenon, opened the doors of the modern sciences for the Iranians in the past century. It also acted as a foundation for political, economic and social development of the country. To examine each event, we need to take a look at what has been going on in the country in the past century. Some of the events which have to be carefully studied are as follows: Production of crude oil from the first well drilled in Masjed Soleiman field in 1908; construction of Abadan oil refinery in 1913; unsuccessful revision of the D'Arcy concession in 1933; oil nationalization in 1950 and finally inconclusive talks with a consortium of oil firms in 1945 which led to domination of foreigners on Iran’s oil reservoirs and the wasteful utilization of the country's oil resources in 1961.
