Izah Azahari
The waste products from the Pulau Muara Besar Phase 1 Plant will be processed as feedstock to produce petroleum products that are more valuable in the market.
This was said by Minister of Energy Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein during the sixth day of the 18th Legislative Council (LegCo) session yesterday, in response to a question by LegCo member Yang Berhormat Haji Mohimin bin Haji Johari @ Jahari on whether Hengyi Industries Sdn Bhd produces asphalt through the Pulau Muara Besar project and whether the ministry plans to supply for domestic use to increase the total national supply in road construction.
According to Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny, as the quality of the processed crude oil is categorised as light crude oil, the residue composition currently produced does not meet the specifications to produce the desired quality of bitumen.
Meanwhile, LegCo member Yang Berhormat Iswandy bin Ahmad also asked the Ministry of Energy on the implementation of carbon pricing for companies and producers of carbon footprint that exceed the limit, as well as any government or private sector related to all industrial facilities, and energy utilities.
In response, Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny said Strategy 6 under the Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Policy is one of the strategies closely related to Strategy 1, which is Industrial Emissions.
“It is one of the strategies undertaken under the auspices of the Brunei Climate Change Secretariat (BCCS),” the minister said, adding that “the Ministry of Energy is aware that the carbon pricing mechanism is one of the approaches widely implemented in several economies around the world, including neighbouring countries such as Singapore”.
Carbon pricing can promote the reduction of carbon emissions from the industry, including energy operators through several methods including carbon taxation on carbon emissions, he added.
“Currently, the BCCS at the Ministry of Development is in the process of researching the most appropriate mechanism for Brunei Darussalam,” said Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny. “The Ministry of Energy is working closely with the Ministry of Development to ensure that the energy sector is involved in the process.”
