Malaysia’s state-owned oil and gas firm Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) and its partners have launched the Petronas Energy Transition Academy (P-ETA) on Monday which is designed to help prepare the future workforce to meet the demands and respond to the challenges and the opportunities of the lower carbon energy industry.
Petronas said in a statement that P-ETA is an initiative by the firm’s technical training institute, Institut Teknologi Petroleum Petronas (INSTEP), and will be open to participants from global energy players.
The academy aims to provide learners with the right skills and knowledge to enable them to participate in and contribute to the fast-evolving energy industry.
“It is our hope that the launch of P-ETA will lay the foundation for an equitable energy future shaped by leaders and professionals with the vital skillsets to meet the world’s growing energy needs,
“As Petronas continues to pursue our Energy Transition Strategy which aims to balance energy security, affordability, and sustainability, this initiative is envisaged to support access to equitable opportunities for the workforce delivered through programs that will be specially curated in the context of the energy transition,” said Tengku Muhammad Taufik, Petronas president and group chief executive officer.
INSTEP has also on Monday exchanged three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with P-ETA training partners – Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia (SEDA Malaysia), the United Kingdom-based Energy Institute (EI), and OPITO respectively.
By collaborating with global and national partners, P-ETA aims to deliver programmes aligned to international standards that will help fast-track capability development across areas such as carbon management, hydrogen, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and circular economy practices.
Located at INSTEP in Terengganu, Malaysia, the academy will deliver its programs with an emphasis on experiential learning and hands-on training.
It is noted that the energy transition towards a lower carbon economy is vital in reducing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change and ensuring a more sustainable future.
A successful transition will require equipping energy sector workers with the necessary skills to meet new employment opportunities created by changing industries.
Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap estimates that a successful energy transition could generate up to 310,000 jobs in Malaysia by 2050.
The launch of P-ETA was held during a High-Level Session on Decarbonization organized by PETRONAS, which highlighted the strategic importance of methane emissions reduction and decarbonization.
Also discussed were the developments on the Southeast Asia Methane Emissions Technology Evaluation Centre (METEC) – the first of its kind in Southeast Asia – which will play a significant role in strengthening regional methane emissions management efforts.
The center will support experts in overseeing measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification processes, as well as research and development efforts.
Under an existing collaboration between Petronas and Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), an engineering study is currently underway for the establishment of Southeast Asia METEC at INSTEP in Terengganu and at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) in Perak.
This collaboration was announced in October 2024 during the launch of ASEAN Energy Sector Methane Leadership Program 2.0, a collaboration between Petronas and key players from the ASEAN energy sector, government agencies and international organizations to strengthen emissions reduction targets and enhance coordination between businesses and governments, while supporting the Global Methane Pledge.