Expectations are high for Brunei Darussalam’s downstream energy sector, as Pulau Muara Besar (PMB) island prepares to welcome the country’s first oil refinery and aromatics cracker complex, highlighting the Sultanate’s growing potential as a destination for value-added processing. Upon completion, the plant is expected to inject an estimated $2bn per annum into the Bruneian economy and boost…
Plans to revive a stalled renewable energy deal between Brunei Darussalam and neighbouring Sarawak that would see hydropower exported from the Malaysian state to the Sultanate have thrown a focus on its efforts to increase renewable energy sources. Bruneian officials confirmed at the end of January that they would soon be receiving the business plan and details of a proposal to jointly develop hydroelectric…
Interview:Ken Marnoch How are local oil and gas operators assisting with the national plan for economic diversification? KEN MARNOCH: As the energy sector forms the backbone of the Bruneian economy, it must serve as the starting point for diversification. Oil and gas operators can facilitate this in many areas, both within the energy and in other industries. Promoting education and entrepreneurship…
Interview:Pehin Dato Yasmin Umar What steps are being taken to create jobs for locals in the oil and gas sector in accordance with the Local Business Development Framework? PEHIN DATO YASMIN UMAR: The Energy Department at the Prime Minister’s Office (EDPMO) has taken several steps to increase local employment in the sector, including encouraging oil and gas operators to make employment targets…
Interview:Hj Awang Hj Ali,Supna Karwanamurthi, Mohd Shafie What impacts has the recent local business development (LBD) framework had on domestic companies in the energy sector? SUPNA KARWANAMURTHI: The recent implementation of the LBD framework by the Energy Department at the Prime Minister’s Office (EDPMO) has been a major success in that it has assisted in eliminating monopolies within…
As a small country with a large endowment of oil and gas, Brunei Darussalam has naturally developed a mostly export-oriented energy sector. Through long relationships with top multinationals, the Sultanate has an established record of applying leading technologies in the exploration, development and processing of its natural resources. The country is today primarily an exporter of liquefied natural…
As an export-oriented energy producer and a high-income country with a humid climate, Brunei Darussalam has one of the world’s highest rates of energy consumption per capita. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), annual per capita consumption stood at 9.44 tonnes of oil equivalent in 2011, the sixth-highest amount in the world and about five times the global average. However, most of…
The country has long had big ambitions for the downstream segment of its energy sector, and 2014 was the year when they finally began to take shape. The $10bn oil processing and petrochemicals complex planned by China’s Zhejiang Hengyi in Brunei Darussalam passed a crucial milestone in February 2014 when Hengyi and the Bruneian government formed a joint venture, Hengyi Industries. The deal gave Hengyi…
Like all traditional oil and gas producers, Brunei Darussalam is running an uphill race against time. The giant fields that have been the country’s mainstay since the 1970s or earlier are in decline, and the remaining undeveloped resources are increasingly difficult to reach. They are deeper and in smaller, more scattered reservoirs. In order to stay ahead, the Sultanate must ensure that conditions…
With an established reputation as an honest broker and investor in long-term strategic opportunities within South-east Asia, Brunei Darussalam has made a name for itself as a regional player. ASEAN itself has emerged as a major centre for activities in the upstream and downstream segments, with the Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand standing out as the most compelling cases. The Philippines Hopes…
