IPA 2026: A Market Moving Forward

We recently joined operators, contractors, technology providers and industry leaders from across the energy industry at the IPA Convex 2026 in Jakarta.

As one of Southeast Asia’s biggest energy events, IPA provides a valuable opportunity to connect with customers, strengthen industry relationships and gain insight into the priorities shaping the future of the upstream sector. This year, one message stood out above all others: Indonesia is moving forward with confidence.

Across conference sessions, customer meetings and discussions on the exhibition floor, there was a clear sense of momentum. Investment is returning, upstream activity is accelerating and operators are demonstrating a long-term commitment to the market. Combined with growing adoption of digital technologies and a continued focus on operational performance, the outlook for the sector feels increasingly positive.

Energy Security Continues to Drive Growth

Strengthening energy security remains a key priority for Indonesia, with significant focus being placed on new oil, gas and geothermal developments.

As the country looks to meet growing energy demand while supporting long-term economic growth, investment in upstream projects continues to play a critical role. Discussions throughout the event highlighted the importance of developing domestic resources, expanding infrastructure and creating a resilient energy future.

Geothermal also continues to gain momentum as Indonesia looks to leverage its significant natural resources to support a more diverse energy mix. With some of the world’s largest geothermal potential, the sector presents a major opportunity for continued investment and development in the years ahead.

At BENTEC, we see this creating opportunities to support customers across both conventional and emerging energy markets through engineering expertise, drilling technologies, rig solutions and lifecycle services that help deliver reliable and efficient energy projects.

Reliability and Performance Remain Essential

While the market is expanding, the focus on cost control, uptime and operational performance remains as important as ever.

Operators continue to seek high-quality equipment and services that can deliver consistent performance in demanding operating environments. Reliability is no longer viewed as a competitive advantage. It is an expectation.

The conversations at IPA reinforced the importance of long-term asset performance, responsive support and lifecycle value in helping operators meet both commercial and operational objectives.

For us, reliability sits at the heart of our approach, from engineering and manufacturing through to aftermarket support, helping customers maximise uptime and extend asset life.

Digitalisation Is Becoming Business as Usual

Artificial intelligence, digitalisation and data-driven operations were prominent themes throughout the event.

What was particularly noticeable was the shift from discussing future possibilities to implementing practical solutions today. Operators are increasingly exploring how digital technologies can improve equipment reliability, support predictive maintenance, enhance safety and provide greater visibility across operations.

As these technologies become more deeply embedded into the upstream sector, they will continue to play a critical role in improving performance and supporting smarter decision-making.

At BENTEC, we understand the importance of this and are continuing to invest in digital solutions that help customers gain greater insight into their assets, improve maintenance strategies and reduce unplanned downtime.