Latest news with #aSustainable
Borneo Post
16-07-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sarawak must move beyond upstream O&G, says Petros VP
Joseph says Sarawak's shallow industrial base limits the state's economic resilience because it relies heavily on primary sector activities. – Bernama photo KUCHING (July 16): Sarawak has yet to tap its full potential in the oil and gas sector as the focus remains largely on upstream activities, said Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) Senior Vice President of Growth, Datuk Joseph Podtung. He said Sarawak's shallow industrial base limits the state's economic resilience because it relies heavily on primary sector activities. 'Extract, export, repeat. That's the cycle. No strong mid or downstream development, no supporting service ecosystem, and no multiplier effect. 'If we keep exporting, we miss out on far greater opportunities. Developing domestic industries will create value chains, jobs and innovations. That is how we build long-term resilience. 'This is not about choosing between LNG and domestic use. It's about unlocking more. More for Sarawak's own use. More retained value. More future-proofing. 'It benefits not just Sarawak, but Malaysia as a whole. We are shifting from a volume mindset to a value mindset,' he said during the plenary session titled Sarawak Gas Roadmap: Unlocking the Potential of Natural Gas for a Sustainable Future at International Energy Week 2025 held here on Tuesday. Joseph added that natural gas is the key for Petros to move downstream, develop hydrogen, and power new industries across Sarawak. He outlined four regional hubs as part of the Sarawak Gas Roadmap, each with its own role in expanding the state's energy ecosystem. In Miri, onshore gas drilling resumes after 30 years, alongside a 500-megawatt power plant due by 2027. In Samalaju, the Bintulu-Samalaju pipeline, set to complete this year, will power heavy industries. Bintulu is advancing downstream with a methanol plant already running. However, in Kuching, he highlighted that despite being the capital of an energy-rich state, it has no pipelines and still depends on imported liquified petroleum gas and fossil diesel. 'Without action now, Kuching risks being left behind in the shift to a low-carbon economy. But Kuching has what matters, access to clean power, liveability that attracts talent, and proximity to 30 per cent of global maritime trade,' he said. Joseph said Kuching's low-carbon development will take place in three waves. The first wave will see the LNG-to-power project begin. LNG will be delivered via a floating storage and regasification unit and a subsea pipeline, supplying gas to a new combined cycle power plant. This will provide reliable, low-carbon electricity for Kuching and the wider Borneo region. The second wave builds on this foundation by developing a low-carbon industrial park to attract high-value industries. These include low-carbon petrochemicals, hydrogen clusters and digital sectors. 'And the final phase will transform Kuching's low-carbon hub into a global destination for investment, focusing on high-value added downstream products, such as low-carbon hydrogen for steel manufacturing, and low-carbon ammonia for fertilisers and other specialty chemicals,' he said. He also revealed that a global master planner will be appointed to develop the master plan for the Kuching Low-Carbon Hub and Deep Sea Port. Petros has previously secured two anchor partners, China Jiangsu International and Sumitomo Corporation to provide capital, capabilities and global investor networks to develop the Kuching Low-Carbon Industrial Hub. 'By anchoring demand in Kuching, it opens the need to further develop offshore resources. We have a demand-led pathway to unlock the untapped reserves of Western Sarawak, both natural gas and the CCS development,' he said. At its full scale, the SGR is expected to attract RM300 billion in investments and generate RM120 billion in annual output, which he said is close to what the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone is projected to produce at RM125 billion. downstream oil and gas Petros Sarawak
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India can emerge as global MCE hub with tech integration, says NITI Aayog member
New Delhi: India has the potential to establish a $25 billion plus export market in the Mining and Construction Equipment (MCE) sector by 2030, NITI Aayog Member Dr Vijay Kumar Saraswat said on Monday. Speaking at the Mining and Construction Equipment Summit organised by the CII Eastern Region in New Delhi, Saraswat said that the roadmap depends on India's ability to integrate advanced manufacturing with intelligent systems design, indigenize critical components, and align with international performance and emission standards. 'A multi-pronged strategy is essential—one that includes long-term demand visibility through infrastructure pipelines, accelerated adoption of Industry 4.0 practices, public–private R&D investments, and the development of a unified testing, validation, and certification ecosystem,' he said. The summit was held under the theme 'Redefining Boundaries, Innovating a Sustainable Future'. Ambassador of Brazil to India and Bhutan, Kenneth Félix Haczynski da Nóbrega, said Brazil's resource abundance and green energy ecosystem, combined with India's technological capabilities and industrial scale, offer natural synergies for bilateral cooperation in strategic sectors. 'This partnership can unlock new opportunities for sustainable development , enhance energy security, fostering a stronger economic and environmental partnership between the two nations,' the Brazilian envoy said. Ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Stella Nkomo, said Zimbabwe's rich mineral resources and India's technological expertise, advanced machinery, and capacity-building capabilities make for a compelling partnership. She said that mining is at the forefront of Zimbabwe's economic growth strategy and highlighted the opportunity to establish strong industrial ties that can generate mutual benefits and drive economic development. BEML Chairman and Managing Director Shantanu Roy said unmanned autonomous systems are now operational in sectors such as metro rail and mining. 'The paradigm shift brought about by automation in various sectors is evident in examples such as UTO-grade metro rail systems and AI-powered mining equipment,' he said. CII Mining and Construction Equipment Division Chairman and TKIL Industries Managing Director and CEO Vivek Bhatia said India is well-positioned to reduce reliance on imports and boost domestic manufacturing by leveraging existing resources in steel, hydraulics, and electronics. Coal India Ltd Director (Business Development) Debasish Nanda said the adoption of advanced technologies is essential for sustainable growth in mining. He said substantial investment in R&D is needed to create domestic underground mining equipment and improve extraction processes. Eastern Regional Council Chairman of the CII Mining and Construction Equipment Division and BTL EPC Managing Director Ravi Todi said there is an urgent need for domestic capability building, indigenisation, and public-private partnerships . Western Region Chairman of the CII MCE Division and Sandvik Mining & Rock Technology MD & CEO Manojit Haldar said the collaborative spirit at the summit has laid a strong foundation for advancing innovation, sustainability, and global partnerships in the sector. A senior official from the Ministry of Heavy Industries said, 'The development of an export-oriented and standards-compliant MCE manufacturing ecosystem aligns with the government's vision of strengthening India's role in the global industrial value chain.'
Arab News
11-02-2025
- General
- Arab News
Kingdom's 75-year green plan ‘a battle for cleaner air, healthier soil'
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's 75-year afforestation program is a battle for cleaner air and healthier soil, according to the general manager of the National Greening Program. Ahmed Al-Anzi made the statement on Tuesday during a presentation titled 'Shaping a Sustainable Future for Saudi Landscapes' at the World Environment Social and Governance Summit in Riyadh. The National Center for Vegetation Cover official spoke about the road map to combat land degradation, boost biodiversity and improve air quality by 2100. 'Trees grow slowly, ecosystems rebuild incrementally. Our vision extends to 2100 to ensure real impact,' Al-Anzi said. The phased plan allowed for adaptive responses to climate shifts, with milestones aligned with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 sustainability goals, he said. Respiratory diseases caused by pollution and sand particles are a significant cause of death in Saudi Arabia. Al-Anzi said the program represented a battle for cleaner air and healthier soil. 'Our satellite-based NDVI mapping reveals both vegetation decline and recovery pathways,' he said, referring to the surveying method that assesses the density of vegetation. He highlighted efforts to target zones ravaged by overgrazing and urban sprawl and said that NGP strategies included enforcing protections for the remaining green corridors. The program's goal was 'to plant 10 million native trees annually by 2030, prioritizing drought-resistant species,' he said. Deploying AI systems to optimize renewable water use, including treated wastewater, was crucial, and the NGP aimed to train 20,000 citizens in land stewardship through community partnerships, he said. Al-Anzi also highlighted the program's efforts to create new forests. Tree planting initiatives, including mangroves, had achieved 'impressive results with over 128 million trees planted to date' and in terms of land rehabilitation, 'we have prioritized soil conservation and afforestation, successfully rehabilitating over 288,000 hectares of land,' he said. The program's land protection efforts have also focused on measures such as establishing national parks. 'To date, the program has protected more than 4.4 million hectares of land through these efforts,' Al-Anzi said.
