Sok Khavan (right) meets with Tran Hong Nam, head of the ASCOPE secretariat and chairman and CEO of PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation, in Siem Reap. MME CAMBODIA
Cambodia recently hosted the 7th ASEAN Council on Petroleum (ASCOPE) Working Group Meeting, a significant event in the region’s oil industry.
The agenda at the meeting, held for three days from August 9 to 11, was filled with knowledge sharing, discussions and business in the oil sector between ASEAN member countries. Oil companies, ASEAN nations, development partners and other stakeholders joined to discuss relevant key issues.
Sok Khavan, secretary of state at the Ministry of Mines and Energy who chaired the meeting, also held bilateral talks with Tran Hong Nam – head of the ASCOPE secretariat and chairman and CEO of PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP), a subsidiary of PetroVietnam – on the sidelines of the meeting.
The bilateral meeting is a key step for discussing investment opportunities in the Cambodian oil sector, according to the ministry, though no further details were provided.
The main agenda of the ASCOPE meeting on August 9 included a review of the working group’s progress. Topics included the exploration and production, gas support, policy study and capacity building, clean energy and coordination within ASCOPE member countries.
August 10 saw the 7th Mid-Year Working Group Meeting, where key tasks were highlighted. This included progress reports from the ASCOPE secretariat and updates on the plans of the four ASCOPE task forces.
Strategic plans, new investments in the petroleum business and future meeting plans were also presented.
On the following day, the working group had an organised study tour at Aviation Depots of PTT Cambodia, a subsidiary of Thailand’s state-owned, SET-listed PTT. A cultural visit to the temples in the Angkor park added a local touch to the proceedings.
Previously, the 6th ASCOPE Mid-Year Meeting was conducted by PTT from August 3 to 8, 2022.
This prior meeting had a strong focus on reviewing progress reports from the ASCOPE secretariat and each working group. Other highlights included gathering opportunities with ASCOPE of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers and preparations for the next meeting.
