UNAIR NEWS – The higher consumption of primary energy used to generate electricity in this century has made the oil and gas industry a promising future career field. That is what Didik Sasono Setyadi said in a webinar entitled “Public Participation in Law and Policy in Energy Security Sector” on Thursday, May 20, 2021.
In the webinar organized by the Directorate of Career Development, Entrepreneurship Incubation, and Alumni Affairs (DPKKA) Universitas Airlangga, Didik explained the importance of the oil and gas sector, both in the present and in the future.
“Industry to create energy or produce energy is a vital industry; it is a growing industry,” he explained.
Furthermore, Didik emphasized that when an industry becomes an essential and large industry, there will be great opportunities for more works and achievements. “It (oil and gas industry, ed) requires great human resources to manage it,” explained an alumnus of the Faculty of Law, Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR).
Didik explained that the use of energy for productive activities proves that the country is experiencing economic growth. “If a country only needs a small amount of energy, it means that the country is not growing or not developing,” continued the Head of SKK Migas’ Legal Division.
He emphasized that even though there is new and renewable energy, the energy consumption from oil and gas will still be high and maybe even increase. “The oil demand will continue to increase in volume even though there is extraordinary growth in new and renewable energy. The oil and gas industry in Indonesia will continue to grow,” explained Didik.
“It (increasing oil consumption, ed) will reduce our worries, especially those who work and explore the upstream oil and gas sector. With new and renewable energy, it does not mean that it be competitive. The two of them will go hand in hand, especially in the next few decades,” explained the man who has worked in the oil and gas sector since 2002.
Didik also emphasized that public participation in Indonesia is still very much needed in the oil and gas industry. Oil consumption in Indonesia tends to increase as a consequence of the country moving towards developed country status. “If the increasing consumption is not accompanied by an increase in production, it will cause a deficit,” said Didik.
He gave an example that oil consumption in Indonesia currently reaches 1.6 million barrels per day when the oil production by Indonesia is only around 600,000 barrels per day. It means there is a deficit of 1 million barrels of oil, which requires the government to import oil to meet the Indonesian people’s daily needs.
“This is where public participation is needed, that in the future we will still face such situation (oil deficit, ed). The opportunity to work in the oil and gas sector and its derivatives is bigger than other fields, “said Didik. (*)
Author: Agnes Ikandani
Editor: Binti Quryatul