ME war sharpens focus on ASEAN energy security plans

MANILA, Oct 6 :Southeast Asian energy ministers meeting in Manila this week face the prospect of a prolonged Middle East war that has exposed the region's vulnerabilities to imported energy.
As the US-Israeli war against Iran drags on, there is increased urgency for ASEAN to implement its proposed energy security plans and reduce its exposure to price shocks caused by attacks on infrastructure and shipping routes in the Middle East.
ASEAN imports more than half of the crude for its refineries from the Middle East at a time when global benchmark prices are around $100 a barrel. The conflict has also sharpened concerns about broader energy security risks as Chinese refiners have suspended oil product exports for October.�" REUTERS