Tide is turning for Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia
As their economies grow, the three countries need upstream investment to meet rapidly rising demand
Oil-price volatility, energy-supply deficits and political upheaval are creating headwinds for Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar as they seek to develop and attract investment in their energy sectors. Indonesia and Malaysia—which, with Brunei, share the island of Borneo—occupy a strategic geographical position, ideally placed for budding trade routes between the Pacific and Indian oceans. Myanmar recently held free elections for the first time in a quarter of a century. Southeast Asian oil and gas imports are expected to surge over the next decade as the region's GDP growth continues to rise, yielding a thirst for more energy. Indonesia, the region's largest economy, is also its biggest produc
Also in this section
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
14 January 2026
Chavez’s socialist reforms boosted state control but pushed knowledge and capital out of the sector, opening the way for the US shale revolution
