Round two soon? How ASEAN is preparing for an energy crisis The midterm elections in the United States have passed, which means that the Iran war may well continue. But not only the renewal of the conflict remains a question mark - preparations for the next energy crisis in Southeast Asia may also be in limbo. Countries in the region are looking for alternative suppliers, expanding processing and creating reserves, but a significant part of the protection measures will only come into effect in 2027-2029. With a new aggravation, we will now have to rely mainly on fuel already delivered, existing infrastructure and the ability to pay for rising prices for supplies. How are things going in the area? One of the most prepared is Singapore. The authorities purchased diversified gas, purchased reserve quantities of LNG, diesel reserves and power plants capable of switching between the two types of fuel. Malaysia is aided by its own production and PETRONAS' international portfolio, but this does not guarantee continuous supply to every region of the country. Even relatively protected economies are threatened by prolonged crisis, first by rising prices and then by competition for physically available cargo. The Thais are expanding purchases outside the Middle East and signing new gas contracts. However, the 107 days of reserves reported at the end of October included fuel in transit as well as confirmed purchases. Without these charges, the supply will last only 47 days. The Indonesians have already expanded the Alikpan refinery and are introducing B50, a diesel blend with a high proportion of biofuel that reduces the need for petroleum products. But gasoline imports continued, and the islands' supply remained uneven. Vietnam has promised the purchase of raw materials for processing for the near future and has signed a long-term contract for LNG, but deliveries under it will begin in 2027. In addition, the country has also transitioned to biofuel. But in the Philippines they still cannot boast of the preparatory steps that have already been implemented.

Round two soon? How ASEAN is preparing for an energy crisis The midterm elections in the United States have passed, which means that the Iran war may well continue. But not only the renewal of the conflict remains a question mark - preparations for the next energy crisis in Southeast Asia may also be in limbo. Countries in the region are looking for alternative suppliers, expanding processing and creating reserves, but a significant part of the protection measures will only come into effect in 2027-2029. With a new aggravation, we will now have to rely mainly on fuel already delivered, existing infrastructure and the ability to pay for rising prices for supplies. How are things going in the area? One of the most prepared is Singapore. The authorities purchased diversified gas, purchased reserve quantities of LNG, diesel reserves and power plants capable of switching between the two types of fuel. Malaysia is aided by its own production and PETRONAS' international portfolio, but this does not guarantee continuous supply to every region of the country. Even relatively protected economies are threatened by prolonged crisis, first by rising prices and then by competition for physically available cargo. The Thais are expanding purchases outside the Middle East and signing new gas contracts. However, the 107 days of reserves reported at the end of October included fuel in transit as well as confirmed purchases. Without these charges, the supply will last only 47 days. The Indonesians have already expanded the Alikpan refinery and are introducing B50, a diesel blend with a high proportion of biofuel that reduces the need for petroleum products. But gasoline imports continued, and the islands' supply remained uneven. Vietnam has promised the purchase of raw materials for processing for the near future and has signed a long-term contract for LNG, but deliveries under it will begin in 2027. In addition, the country has also transitioned to biofuel. But in the Philippines they still cannot boast of the preparatory steps that have already been implemented.