ETN Global strengthens engagement with Southeast Asian user community at ATPS 2026

ETN Global strengthened its engagement with the international user community during the Asia Turbomachinery & Pump Symposium (ATPS) 2026 in Kuala Lumpur through a series of activities.

Ahead of the symposium, on 18 May, ETN Global hosted its inaugural Southeast Asia High-Level User Meeting (HLUM), bringing together operators and industry representatives from across the region. The meeting was led by ETN Global’s Managing Director, Christer Björkqvist, and supported by Client Relationship Manager, Antonio Escamilla.

The discussions focused on three key themes:

1. low-carbon pathways and security of supply
2. supply chain and maintenance, and
3. ageing fleets and life extension

Participants exchanged views on the practical challenges currently facing regional gas turbine users, particularly around the following:

• Ageing fleets: driving increased focus on efficiency upgrades, operational optimisation and advanced maintenance strategies as replacement capacity remains constrained.
• Transition from baseload to cyclic and partial-load operation: accelerating the need for advanced condition monitoring, physics-based lifetime assessment and digitalised maintenance approaches.
• Supply chain disruption and global competition: driving greater interest in localisation of maintenance activities, additive manufacturing and closer collaboration between users, Original Equipment Manufacturers and service providers.
• Low-carbon pathways: practical and investable solutions, including near-term efficiency improvements, CCS deployment and hydrogen readiness for future equipment, while recognising the current limitations linked to infrastructure and fuel availability.

The meeting welcomed representatives from companies including PETRONAS, Shell, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Malakoff Corporation Berhad, NUR Power and Brunei Department of Electrical Services.

ATPS 2026 also provided an opportunity for ETN Global to contribute to the wider industry discussion through a keynote presentation delivered by Christer Björkqvist together with Dag Calafell II on 19 May, titled “Energy transition meets operational reality – solving the energy equation of tomorrow”.

The keynote explored the growing complexity of the energy transition from a user and energy-system perspective. It also reflected priorities emerging from ETN Global’s High-Level User Meetings and the 2026 R&D Recommendation Report, underlining the need for stronger alignment between operational realities, technology development, policy frameworks and market conditions to support investable transition pathways.

The keynote was followed by a users’ panel session titled “The User Voice: Aligning technology and R&D priorities with operational reality” featuring co-chair Peter Stuttaford (CEO, Pathwaze Energy/ETN Global Board Member), and speakers Ir Siva Kumaran Chidambram (Shell), Khairul Fata Ahmad Asnawi (PETRONAS), Anbarasan Sellappan. The panel provided further inputs into how real operational experience should shape future technology development and R&D priorities in Southeast Asia.

ETN Global would like to thank the organisers of ATPS 2026 for the invitation and all participants for the valuable discussions and exchange of experience throughout the event.