KEPCO – The Oil & Gas Year
Editorial Watercolor Illustration (Iran 2016 edition)
Commissioned for the 2016 edition of The Oil & Gas Year, this watercolor illustration captures Iran’s Amir Kabir offshore platform—one of the country's flagship deepwater assets operated by KEPCO. Situated in the Caspian Sea, the Amir Kabir semi-submersible rig symbolizes Iran’s push toward independent offshore drilling and technological advancement in a geopolitically complex energy market.
The visual blends technical accuracy with expressive strokes, portraying the bold red and yellow structure interacting dynamically with the ocean environment. Every element, from the helipad to the crane systems, was meticulously re-rendered from limited photographic references, showcasing the rig’s structural complexity. My goal was not just to represent, but to elevate the perception of Iran’s offshore ambitions—bridging factual storytelling with artistic emotion.
This piece also supported the editorial chapter on E&P in Iran and was published during a period of renewed industry interest following sanctions relief, making it both timely and symbolically powerful.
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Successfully transformed limited visuals into a compelling feature illustration for The Oil & Gas Year.
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The artwork was not only published in the Iran 2016 edition but also used in promotional materials as a symbolic image of the country’s engineering capability.
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This piece reinforced the publication’s credibility by offering exclusive, accurate, and humanized portrayals of inaccessible rigs—helping engage stakeholders in both government and private sectors.
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The original asset references were low resolution and inconsistent, requiring visual reconstruction based on scattered public imagery.
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Political sensitivity and lack of high-quality offshore photography made capturing emotion without misrepresentation a critical challenge.
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The intricate layering of decks, machinery, and color-coded elements required long hours of manual detailing to retain technical credibility.
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