The Methane Policy Readiness in ASEAN’s Oil and Gas Sector: Assessments of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam examines existing methane-related frameworks in ASEAN’s oil and gas sector, including pledges, policies, governance arrangements, and institutional capacity. It also assesses the challenges ASEAN faces in advancing emerging methane management policies for the sector.
This publication forms part of the deliverables under the “Optimising Methane Emissions Governance and Abatement in ASEAN Oil and Gas” (OMEGA) project, conducted by the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) with support from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). The project aims to strengthen the capacity of ASEAN policymakers and major oil and gas companies to develop, implement, and support effective methane abatement policies and measures. The OMEGA project was developed in response to ASEAN’s growing commitment to methane reduction, including through the Global Methane Pledge and the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter, alongside the evident lack of dedicated methane emissions management targets or policies for the energy sector.
The publication combines desk-based research with stakeholder engagement to develop a comprehensive understanding of methane management frameworks within the governments and national oil companies (NOCs) of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The findings were compared across the four countries to identify common trends, gaps, and differences, which then formed the basis for practical recommendations to strengthen methane abatement policies and institutions.
As with any study relying primarily on publicly available information, the findings are subject to limitations related to data availability, reporting standards, and the varying depth of national disclosures. While stakeholder engagement and consultations helped validate several aspects of the analysis, the study did not involve primary emissions measurement or facility-level verification. As a result, data gaps or inconsistencies in national reporting could not be independently reconciled and remain outside the scope of this assessment.