Of the 14 projects Iran’s government awarded to Chinese companies since 2004, at least 9 were canceled by either the Iranian or the Chinese side, or fell significantly behind schedule, as shown in the chart below. Despite their poor overall progress in the revitalization of the oil & gas sector, these Chinese companies have managed to cement their influence over the future development of Iran’s energy reserves. Open-source documents reviewed by Tehran Bureau show Chinese nationals have registered a total of 15 companies active in the oil & gas sector since 2004. Additionally, two universities and two research institutes are active in research and development relating to the oil and gas sector. Chinese Oil Companies in IranChinese oil & gas companies escalated their activity in Iran in the early 2000s, when intensifying sanctions on Iran’s oil sector forced many other international firms to leave the country.