Trung Ghi
Trung is a Partner and Head of the Energy & Utilities with Arthur D. Little (ADL) in Asia Pacific. Prior to moving back to Asia, Trung spent 4 years in the Middle East
Trung has more than 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry with half that time spent in consulting with a specific focus on advising the Asia Pacific / Australasian, Middle Eastern, and North American E&P clients (both Operators and OFSE) on Project Management challenges such as portfolio and planning, joint venture, and project definition. He has also advised clients on Energy Reform Strategy, Organizational Restructuring, Growth and Diversification Strategy, Technology and Digital Strategy, Hydrocarbon Maturation, and Operational Excellence.
Prior to joining ADL, Trung worked in Schlumberger Business Consulting, Independent Project Analysis, and as an engineer for wireline services with Halliburton.
Trung holds an MBA from Melbourne Business School. He also has a Mechanical and Space Engineering degree (Hons) at the University of Queensland.
Getting a grip on decarbonization with effective internal carbon pricing
Regulators and other stakeholders are increasing pressure on organizations to monitor, improve, and share information on their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. They want increased transparency around targets, timelines, and plans and are increasingly demanding actual results from decarbonization efforts.
The number of emission trading schemes (ETS) and carbon taxes is rising worldwide. In 2024, 75 carbon pricing initiatives were in place, covering 24% of global GHG emissions. Other countries are discussing implementing their own carbon pricing schemes.
Accelerating the financing of sustainable transport fuels
Transport was responsible for 14% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2023. While electrification is the most efficient way to decarbonize road transport, inland/nearshore shipping, and even short-haul flights, it does not cover every use case. That means different approaches will be needed for areas such as long-haul flights (2% of GHG emissions) and shipping (1% of GHG emissions).
Seabed mining: A $20 trillion opportunity
Seabed mining offers a unique US $20 trillion opportunity to extract critical minerals that are essential for batteries, electric vehicles (EVs), and other green technologies. This Viewpoint explores the economic potential and environmental impact of seabed mining as an alternative to traditional land-based mining, which faces challenges due to declining ore grades, stricter environmental regulations, and rising production costs.
“Big enough to survive and small enough to care — we can do it!”
Operating out of Singapore, Ocean Network Express, branded as “ONE,” was formed in April 2018 by merging the three competing container shipping business units of Japanese parent companies NYK, MOL, and K-Line. At the time, many commentators highlighted the challenges of such a large, complex integration. Yet just five and a half years later, ONE has become one of the most profitable and successful companies in the industry, with net income of approximately US $50 billion over the past five years.
Decarbonizing Southeast Asia: The green fuels race
Navigating the voluntary carbon credit market to support net zero targets
Of Forbes 2000 companies that have committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2030, a 2023 Net Zero Tracker study reports that 53% plan to use carbon credits, either to offset hard-to-eradicate emissions or to voluntarily advance their targets. However, the carbon offsetting market is still developing, and consumers, customers, and governments are scrutinizing the veracity of many claims. This Viewpoint provides guidance for companies that seek to incorporate carbon credits within their emissions strategies.
Closing the emissions gap through carbon capture, utilization & storage
Countries across the world have set ambitious decarbonization targets. However, despite some progress, the gap between aspirations and reality is growing. Greenhouse gas emissions are rising globally, with industrial emissions proving particularly difficult to reduce. Delivering effective industrial decarbonization therefore requires additional levers, specifically carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). This Viewpoint explains the opportunities CCUS provides for businesses and its potential to address climate targets.
Succeeding in SEA’s alternative fuel journey
The transportation sector is responsible for 20% of global emissions and faces increasingly stringent regulations and intense pressure to change. Adopting alternative fuels has the potential to drive decarbonization, especially in aircraft, ships, and heavy-duty vehicles. Thanks to their mature sustainability certification standards, the EU and US currently lead alternative fuel ecosystems. In this Viewpoint, we focus on how Southeast Asia (SEA) can replicate that success for the emerging class of alternative fuels.
Why the bio-based materials market is finally poised for growth
This is now changing rapidly, reinvigorating the market. Demand is growing, driven by increasingly environmentally conscious consumers and governments’ Net Zero targets requiring consumer-focused product companies to achieve sustainability. Finally, technology breakthroughs are bringing down production costs for bio-based materials, while improving their performance to make them comparable or superior to fossil-based counterparts.
The rise of the energy community & its lifeline to the battery
Increased consumer engagement combined with growing availability of affordable, small-scale distributed energy resources (DERs), along with legislative changes, present opportunities for local energy community (LEC) initiatives, in which consumers can actively participate in optimizing their energy bills. These initiatives can protect consumers from high and extremely volatile energy prices. Moreover, opportunities are emerging for traditional and nontraditional market players to enable and facilitate these new community models.
Corporate sustainability – Using your ecosystem to sustain the ecosystem
It has been nearly 25 years since the Brundtland Report introduced the modern concept of sustainable development, highlighting its three fundamental components – the environment, the economy, and society. Yet since then, despite the many global, regional, and local goals, pledges, and initiatives, society has been largely ineffective in transforming discussions around sustainability into concrete and strategic actions.
The global AI arms race - How nations can avoid being left behind
Artificial intelligence promises to have the same disruptive effect on today’s global economy as electricity in the 19th century. This has led governments to focus heavily on how they can unlock AI’s potential within their countries. Based on in-depth research, this article outlines the current winners and losers, exploring what it takes to win in the global AI arms race.
Unlocking high CO2 gas fields – Contributing to the carbon economy
Can high CO2 fields successfully become a new business line for exploration and production operators that embrace an energy transition strategy?
When should national oil companies have subsidiaries?
National oil companies (NOCs) are becoming ever more influential in today’s oil and gas environment, dominating production output and expanding their footprints beyond their local boundaries. With this growth and increase in influence, many NOCs have expanded their organizations over the years, creating subsidiaries and other holding companies, all of which were meant to ease management of resources, technology, and people.
Trung has more than 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry with half that time spent in consulting with a specific focus on advising the Asia Pacific / Australasian, Middle Eastern, and North American E&P clients (both Operators and OFSE) on Project Management challenges such as portfolio and planning, joint venture, and project definition. He has also advised clients on Energy Reform Strategy, Organizational Restructuring, Growth and Diversification Strategy, Technology and Digital Strategy, Hydrocarbon Maturation, and Operational Excellence.
Prior to joining ADL, Trung worked in Schlumberger Business Consulting, Independent Project Analysis, and as an engineer for wireline services with Halliburton.
Trung holds an MBA from Melbourne Business School. He also has a Mechanical and Space Engineering degree (Hons) at the University of Queensland.
Getting a grip on decarbonization with effective internal carbon pricing
Regulators and other stakeholders are increasing pressure on organizations to monitor, improve, and share information on their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. They want increased transparency around targets, timelines, and plans and are increasingly demanding actual results from decarbonization efforts.
The number of emission trading schemes (ETS) and carbon taxes is rising worldwide. In 2024, 75 carbon pricing initiatives were in place, covering 24% of global GHG emissions. Other countries are discussing implementing their own carbon pricing schemes.
Accelerating the financing of sustainable transport fuels
Transport was responsible for 14% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2023. While electrification is the most efficient way to decarbonize road transport, inland/nearshore shipping, and even short-haul flights, it does not cover every use case. That means different approaches will be needed for areas such as long-haul flights (2% of GHG emissions) and shipping (1% of GHG emissions).
Seabed mining: A $20 trillion opportunity
Seabed mining offers a unique US $20 trillion opportunity to extract critical minerals that are essential for batteries, electric vehicles (EVs), and other green technologies. This Viewpoint explores the economic potential and environmental impact of seabed mining as an alternative to traditional land-based mining, which faces challenges due to declining ore grades, stricter environmental regulations, and rising production costs.
“Big enough to survive and small enough to care — we can do it!”
Operating out of Singapore, Ocean Network Express, branded as “ONE,” was formed in April 2018 by merging the three competing container shipping business units of Japanese parent companies NYK, MOL, and K-Line. At the time, many commentators highlighted the challenges of such a large, complex integration. Yet just five and a half years later, ONE has become one of the most profitable and successful companies in the industry, with net income of approximately US $50 billion over the past five years.
Decarbonizing Southeast Asia: The green fuels race
Navigating the voluntary carbon credit market to support net zero targets
Of Forbes 2000 companies that have committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2030, a 2023 Net Zero Tracker study reports that 53% plan to use carbon credits, either to offset hard-to-eradicate emissions or to voluntarily advance their targets. However, the carbon offsetting market is still developing, and consumers, customers, and governments are scrutinizing the veracity of many claims. This Viewpoint provides guidance for companies that seek to incorporate carbon credits within their emissions strategies.
Closing the emissions gap through carbon capture, utilization & storage
Countries across the world have set ambitious decarbonization targets. However, despite some progress, the gap between aspirations and reality is growing. Greenhouse gas emissions are rising globally, with industrial emissions proving particularly difficult to reduce. Delivering effective industrial decarbonization therefore requires additional levers, specifically carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). This Viewpoint explains the opportunities CCUS provides for businesses and its potential to address climate targets.
Succeeding in SEA’s alternative fuel journey
The transportation sector is responsible for 20% of global emissions and faces increasingly stringent regulations and intense pressure to change. Adopting alternative fuels has the potential to drive decarbonization, especially in aircraft, ships, and heavy-duty vehicles. Thanks to their mature sustainability certification standards, the EU and US currently lead alternative fuel ecosystems. In this Viewpoint, we focus on how Southeast Asia (SEA) can replicate that success for the emerging class of alternative fuels.
Why the bio-based materials market is finally poised for growth
This is now changing rapidly, reinvigorating the market. Demand is growing, driven by increasingly environmentally conscious consumers and governments’ Net Zero targets requiring consumer-focused product companies to achieve sustainability. Finally, technology breakthroughs are bringing down production costs for bio-based materials, while improving their performance to make them comparable or superior to fossil-based counterparts.
The rise of the energy community & its lifeline to the battery
Increased consumer engagement combined with growing availability of affordable, small-scale distributed energy resources (DERs), along with legislative changes, present opportunities for local energy community (LEC) initiatives, in which consumers can actively participate in optimizing their energy bills. These initiatives can protect consumers from high and extremely volatile energy prices. Moreover, opportunities are emerging for traditional and nontraditional market players to enable and facilitate these new community models.
Corporate sustainability – Using your ecosystem to sustain the ecosystem
It has been nearly 25 years since the Brundtland Report introduced the modern concept of sustainable development, highlighting its three fundamental components – the environment, the economy, and society. Yet since then, despite the many global, regional, and local goals, pledges, and initiatives, society has been largely ineffective in transforming discussions around sustainability into concrete and strategic actions.
The global AI arms race - How nations can avoid being left behind
Artificial intelligence promises to have the same disruptive effect on today’s global economy as electricity in the 19th century. This has led governments to focus heavily on how they can unlock AI’s potential within their countries. Based on in-depth research, this article outlines the current winners and losers, exploring what it takes to win in the global AI arms race.
Unlocking high CO2 gas fields – Contributing to the carbon economy
Can high CO2 fields successfully become a new business line for exploration and production operators that embrace an energy transition strategy?
When should national oil companies have subsidiaries?
National oil companies (NOCs) are becoming ever more influential in today’s oil and gas environment, dominating production output and expanding their footprints beyond their local boundaries. With this growth and increase in influence, many NOCs have expanded their organizations over the years, creating subsidiaries and other holding companies, all of which were meant to ease management of resources, technology, and people.