Published on: Friday, May 20, 2022
By: Anthea Peter
Kadir and Dolly during the press conference.
KOTA KINABALU: The ninth Sabah Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition (SOGCE) will return physically this year on June 9 and 10 with the theme “Stimulating Investment, Driving Industrialisation of the Oil and Gas Industry in Sabah”.
To be held at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), it will focus on propelling Sabah’s oil and gas (O&G) industry with emphasis on investment and job creation that contribute to the State’s economic growth – aligned with the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development plan.
SOGCE Organising Chairperson Dolly Jimayol said the conference will also see discussions on energy transition, as many O&G companies are looking for ways to reinvent their businesses with the world transitioning towards net-zero carbon.
The conference will feature speakers from the industry touching on key topics such as “Malaysia Renewable Energy Roadmap”, “Future of Liquefied Natural Gas in Sabah”, and “Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage”, among others.
Delegates will also explore gas challenges and opportunities in Malaysia and how industry players can collaborate to position Sabah as one of the key gas hubs as well as discussing the role of industrial parks in stimulating investment and overcoming the ‘resource curse’.
“This conference will also feature a conversation with Bacho Pilong, Petonas Senior Vice President of Project Delivery & Technology, who is a Sabahan with a humble beginning,” Dolly told a press conference on Wednesday.
She added that the exhibition, which will run concurrently with the conference, will showcase latest technology and solutions to demonstrate competitive advantages and competencies from regional energy companies, service providers and oil companies.
There will be 28 exhibitors, which include the Energy Industries Council, Saga Sinarmas Sdn Bhd, Malasian Oil & Gas Services Council, Cristar Group Sdn Bhd and Terra Energy (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, among others.
“SOGCE will spur collaboration and partnerships for mutual benefits as well as providing vast opportunities for local contractors to be involved in the O&G industry ecosystem,” she said.
Meanwhile, SOGCE co-organiser, Sabah Oil and Gas Development Corporation (SOGDC) is expected to sign a few Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with overseas companies during the conference.
SOGDC Chief Executive Officer Abdul Kadir Abdullah said the corporation will also showcase the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP), which it owns and develops.
“Although SOGCE is industry-focused, it is also educational for those who want to know more about O&G,’ he said, adding that it will encourage Sabahans interested in O&G businesses, who would otherwise be daunted by its challenges and strict regulations.
“All stakeholders in the petroleum industry especially those having operations in Sabah should make an effort to attend and participate in SOGCE,” he added.
The SOGCE is jointly organised by Midas Events Management and SOGDC, with the support of the Industrial Development Ministry.
The two-day exhibition will run from 9am to 6pm daily while entry is free of charge.