ASEAN urges faster petroleum pact ratification amid energy supply disruption

Energy ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have urged faster ratification of the bloc's petroleum security pact, which outlines voluntary and coordinated emergency response measures.

Meeting virtually April 27, the ministers underscored the importance of strengthening preparedness and response measures, noting ASEAN's status as a net energy‑importing region.

The ASEAN Centre for Energy said in a report released the same day that the region's oil and gas import costs have risen by $3.36 billion/month, up 3.4% from 2026 expectations, adding fiscal pressure on member states amid the Middle East conflict.

"We noted that ASEAN's growing energy demand may increase exposure to such shocks," the bloc said in a joint statement, emphasizing "the importance of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security, or APSA, as a key regional mechanism to enhance preparedness and collective response to potential oil and gas supply disruptions."

The statement called for the "expeditious completion" of national ratification processes for APSA, describing it as the region's key mechanism for emergency response, information sharing, and mutual assistance during oil and gas supply crises.

The pact, first signed as a regional framework in 1986, was updated in 2009 to enter into force in 2013, featuring voluntary and commercially based emergency mechanisms, including energy supply sharing and information exchange.

ASEAN later extended the 2009 agreement to 2025 and endorsed a modernized APSA in October 2025, distinguishing natural gas from petroleum and advocating the creation of a specialized, coordinated natural gas emergency response mechanism.

"However, detailed operational guidance has yet to be developed, underscoring the need for ASEAN to establish a clear regional framework to operationalize natural gas security under the updated Agreement," according to a policy brief published by the ASEAN Centre for Energy in February.

APSA trigger

Under APSA, which has not yet been activated since it was first signed, ASEAN members are expected to "endeavor" to supply petroleum equivalent to 10% of a distressed member's normal domestic requirement without taking "undue advantage," although participation remains voluntary and commercially negotiated.

Before seeking coordinated supplies from other ASEAN countries, the distressed member must first implement domestic demand-management measures, including demand restraint and fuel switching, after experiencing a shortfall of at least 10% of its normal domestic petroleum requirement for a continuous period of at least 30 days.

Unlike the International Energy Agency system, APSA does not require members to maintain a fixed number of days of petroleum stocks.

The 2009 APSA text states that oil stockpiling, whether individual or joint, must be conducted on a "voluntary and commercial basis." Joint stockpiling may occur only among ASEAN members who are "ready and willing" to make such commitments.

The IEA system requires member countries to maintain oil stocks equivalent to at least 90 days of net oil imports and be prepared to respond collectively to severe supply disruptions.

Uneven stock visibility

Despite the joint statement endorsing APSA, recent government disclosures reveal differences in fuel buffer transparency across the region.

After diversifying crude oil sources to include Russian crude, Indonesia said in April that it had secured crude oil supplies through the end of 2026.

Philippine Department of Energy data cited by state-run PNA on April 27 showed gasoline supply at 53.01 days, diesel at 54.61 days, kerosene at 168.74 days and jet fuel at 70.83 days, while fuel oil supply was deemed adequate. No crude stock levels were disclosed.

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, said in March that the country's oil reserves had risen to cover 95 days of supply.

The governments of Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia have not disclosed national reserve levels or fuel stockpile day figures amid the energy crisis; however, Malaysia's state energy firm Petronas said fuel supply across its nationwide retail network, which meets about half the country's demand, is secured through the end of June.