Green mission: (From left) Leeuwenburgh, Shakeel and Akbar at the press conference held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
KUALA LUMPUR: Oil and Gas Asia (OGA), South-East Asia’s largest trade event of its kind, as well as the Petrochemical Sustainability Conference (PSC), will focus on addressing pressing challenges, driving sustainable solutions and navigating a low-carbon future.
Malaysian Petrochemicals Association (MPA) president Shakeel Ahmad Khan said the PSC retained its theme of “Future Ready Petrochemicals,” placing a significant emphasis on “empowering sustainability,” driving its journey towards a sustainable future.
“PSC 2024 is testament to our commitment and collective endeavour to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time – climate change,” he told a joint press conference between OGA and PSC, held in conjunction with the launch of both events.
He acknowledged that the petrochemical industry, often viewed through the lens of environmental concerns, is a crucial enabler in driving sustainability initiatives and achieving ambitious goal of net-zero carbon emissions.
From solar panels that harness the sun’s power to wind turbines that capture the wind’s energy, Shakeel said petrochemicals play a pivotal role in manufacturing technologies that lead towards a more sustainable future.
“It is our aim that PSC 2024 will be a melting pot of ideas, where industry leaders, innovators, policymakers and academics converge to forge a path to sustainability that is not only visionary, but actionable,” he added.
Shakeel emphasised that the petrochemicals industry is essential to energy transition, serving as a major enabler toward achieving net-zero ambitions.
Shakeel, who is also the chief executive officer of PETRONAS Chemicals Marketing (Labuan) Ltd, said the MPA recognises the importance of sustainability in driving long-term growth and competitiveness.
“Building on the success of the inaugural PSC 2022, we will continue to focus on the complexities of energy transition. The conference will be very interactive and provide ample space and opportunities for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, address issues and network,” he added.
Meanwhile, PSC organising committee chairman Akbar Md Thayoob highlighted the pivotal role of the petrochemical sector in driving sustainable solutions, underscoring the importance of collective efforts.
He said the group aims to steer the petrochemical industry towards a sustainable and a net-zero carbon future, showcasing the sector as “an enabler, not just a problem maker. The event will house a blend of talks and exhibitions, designed to create a dynamic platform for companies to showcase their latest innovation, sustainable solutions and products,” he said.
Akbar elaborated on three key themes for the showcase.
Firstly, he said the emphasis will be on decarbonisation efforts across existing operations and future investments.
Secondly, Akbar noted that the circular economy practices will take centre stage, highlighting their critical role in our path towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions.“Lastly, the focus will be on the petrochemical sector’s role as an enabler of sustainability, particularly regarding financing mechanisms and policy frameworks,” he said, recognising that much financial and regulatory support is needed to drive meaningful change towards a sustainable future.
When asked about the business value generated by the platform, Informa Markets Malaysia country general manager Gerard Leeuwenburgh highlighted two economic consequences.
He said direct spin-offs to the business value are hotel bookings and taxi services, estimating the total value to be between US$4mil to US$5mil.
Additionally, Leeuwenburgh said the group estimated a trade value of RM200mil for 2023, derived from surveys conducted among attendees.
He said the group anticipates a similar trade value to be concluded during the upcoming OGA 2024, although an exact value is hard to predict due to the difficulty in assessing the full extent of spillover effects. The OGA 2024 is scheduled to run for three days from Sept 25 to 27, with the MPA and the Malaysian Oil, Gas and Energy Services Council as strategic partners.
Additionally, the PSC, organised by the MPA in collaboration with its counterparts, the Singapore Chemical Industry Council and the Federation of Thai Industries - Petrochemical Club, will take place on Sept 26 and 27.
Both the events will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Celebrating its 20th edition, the OGA 2024 promises to bring together over 2,000 esteemed brands and over 25,000 attendees from across the globe. With representation from over 100 countries and 10 international pavilions, both the events are poised to foster groundbreaking collaborations and unveil cutting-edge solutions.
