Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said the government will continue to support the country’s energy and petro-chemical industries, to retain its status as a major global hub for the sectors.

Addressing the official opening of ExxonMobil’s expanded chemical plant on January 8, PM Lee said several initiatives are underway to achieve that goal, including the enhancement of the infrastructure on Jurong Island .

A programme of initiatives on the island will introduce alternative feedstock sources such as LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) to increase competitiveness and reduce the costs for the plants, while making use of waste heat for water desalination to save energy, he said.

As a feedstock — or raw material — for chemical manufacturing, LPG is gaining popularity as an industry alternative and Singapore needs to make sure it can deliver what companies such as ExxonMobil require.

Other developments on the island include Tuas Power’s Tembusu Multi-Utilities Complex to provide cost-effective utility services for industries and the launch of Jurong Island Terminal last year to reduce dependence on trucking.

The Prime Minister also affirmed the government totally supports all petrochemical and energy firms operating in the country.

ExxonMobil Cooperation is the world leading publicly traded international oil and gas company. It is also one of Singapore’s largest foreign manufacturing investors.-VNA