During 17-20 February, 2020, ASCOPE’s Secretary- In- Charge Dr. Tran Hong Nam and his predecessor Mr. Nopporn Chuchinda participated in the Oil Capacity Building Program on Energy Security 2020 co-organized by Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) and ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) in association with Japan’s Agency for Natural Resources and Energy and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (MEITI).

The program consists of two-day lectures in Tokyo and two-day visit to Kikuma National Oil Stockpiling Base and Namikata National LPGas Stockpiling Base located in Ehime with an aim to enhancing energy security in ASEAN through sharing of Japan’s knowledge and experience in oil stockpiling and to contribute to the development of the emergency response measures and oil industry policies. Participants to the program include representatives from International Energy Agency (IEA), ASEAN Council on Petroleum (ASCOPE), Petroleum Association of Japan (PAJ), ACE and  ASEAN Member States (Director General/ Director level in charge of energy security).  

During the lecture, ASCOPE presented the importance of regional cooperation through ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA) and facilitated group discussion on various scenarios such as response to request for assistance from oil disrupted country, emergency measures to be taken and impacts to ASEAN Members States under circumstance of global oil crisis.

ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA) was originally signed in 1986 and finally ratified by the last ASEAN Member State in 2013 with an aim to enhancing energy security and minimizing exposure to an emergency situation through implementation of short, medium and long term measures. APSA entered into force on 22 March 2013 and will expire in 2023.