Reza Moghaddam - Reza Moghaddam, BS of Industrial Engineering Amir Kabir University of Technology, MS of MBA AZAD University, National Iranian Oil Company
Morteza Moghaddam - Morteza Moghaddam, BS of Economy Shahid Beheshti University, MS of Economic Planning AllamehTabatabayee University, Ayandeh Bank

Delay is one of the major problems often experienced in project activities. Delay can instigate negative effects such as increased costs, loss of productivity, lawsuits between owners and contractors and contract termination. Since investment in mega oil development projects are billions of Dollar, these problems will be more sensitive and destructive. Goal of this article is to prepare a list of most repeated causes of delay in off shore oil development projects which are implemented through Iranian Buyback contracts. Recognizing such causes of delay before project commencement is inimitable help to oil development projects to save them facing similar problems.To fulfill the study, a primary list of causes for delay is prepared based on experiences taken from implementing five off shore oil development projects. Then the draft list will become distributed between experts using their judgment through Delphi technique to finalize most repeated causes of delay in similar projects

Oil development project, Buyback, Delay, Delphi technique