By DayakDaily Team
BANGI, Oct 2: Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) has joined forces with the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) to establish the Southeast Asia Methane Emissions Technology Evaluation Centre (METEC) in two key locations in Malaysia.
This groundbreaking initiative, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, will be located at Institut Teknologi Petroleum PETRONAS (INSTEP) in Bukit Rakit, Terengganu, and Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) in Tronoh, Perak.
According to a media release, METEC will significantly enhance regional methane emissions management by facilitating measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification processes, as well as supporting research and development initiatives.
This is a vital component of the Asean Energy Sector Methane Leadership Programme 2.0 (MLP 2.0), launched today in collaboration with key stakeholders from the Asean energy sector, government agencies, and international organisations.
Themed ‘Turning Capacity into Action’, MLP 2.0 builds upon the inaugural Methane Leadership Programme (MLP), which ran from June 2023 to October 2024.
PETRONAS president and Group chief executive officer (CEO) Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz, its senior vice president for Project Delivery and Technology Ir Mohd Yusri Mohamed Yusof, INSTEP CEO Mohamad Nasir, JOGMEC president Daito Michio, and UTP vice chancellor Professor Dato Ir Ts Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib were present.
MLP 2.0 aims to bolster emissions reduction targets and improve coordination between businesses and governments, supporting the Global Methane Pledge signed by over 150 countries, including Malaysia.
Reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector is crucial for achieving climate goals.
The Asean Ministers during the 42nd Asean Ministers on Energy Meeting welcomed these methane emissions reduction initiatives in the region.
The first edition of the MLP equipped oil and gas-producing companies in Southeast Asia with essential knowledge and resources through workshops and masterclasses focused on methane emissions measurement, monitoring, reporting, verification technologies, and reduction strategies. The number of MLP members has expanded from 13 to 18 since its inception.
MLP 2.0 is also expected to expedite regional collaboration on methane emissions management technology, facilitating demonstrations from partners within and beyond the region.
Contributing partners include ASCOPE, Asean Centre for Energy (ACE), Asia Natural Gas & Energy Association (ANGEA), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), JOGMEC, Methane Guiding Principles (MGP), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Japan, PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation Limited (PVEP), PT Pertamina (Persero), PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP), The World Bank, International Methane Emissions Observatory (UNEP IMEO), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United States Department of Commerce–Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP), United States Department of Energy, United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and Woodside Energy.
This initiative is a critical component of PETRONAS’ Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050 Pathway, aligning with its commitments to the United Nations Environment Programme Oil & Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0) and the Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter.
Recently, PETRONAS achieved the OGMP 2.0 Gold Standard Pathway for the 2023 reporting year. — DayakDaily
