Monday 20 / October / 2025
As Gulf nations move steadily toward diversified, low-emission energy systems, LPG is quietly proving its value as a reliable, flexible, and cleaner fuel. Ahead of the WLGA Middle East LPG Summit & Exposcheduled for November 10-11, 2025, Times of Oman and Gulf Leaders Circle spoke with James Rockall, CEO and Managing Director of the World LPG Association (WLPGA), about LPG’s role in the GCC’s energy transition, policy priorities, innovation, and his long-term vision for the sector.
Q. The GCC is accelerating its energy diversification journey. Where does LPG fit into that transition, and what opportunities do you see for expanding its use across domestic, industrial, commercial, and transport sectors? How is it different here compared to the Western markets, as well as markets like China and India?
A. LPG is the quiet workhorse of diversification in the Gulf, offering a fast, low-capex route to cleaner energy. It complements renewables as a reliable bridge and backup fuel, displacing diesel in power generation and industry while supporting the region’s drive for lower emissions and resilience.
Across sectors, LPG delivers immediate gains: clean cooking and heating that improve air quality and health outcomes; industrial and commercial heat that is precise, efficient, and low-maintenance; Autogas for fleets, taxis, and logistics that cuts urban emissions; and off-grid energy access for remote sites and desert operations.
The GCC is uniquely placed to scale this quickly thanks to its infrastructure and production base. Unlike Western markets focused on electrification or Asia’s emphasis on household use, the Gulf can lead in industrial, transport, and hybrid power applications that deliver impact today.
Q. From your global perspective, what kinds of policies could help the GCC strengthen its LPG ecosystem and stay competitive as renewable energy technologies such as solar gain traction?
A. The smartest policies are those that reward real emissions outcomes, not technologies. Technology-neutral standards would allow LPG to compete fairly with diesel and high-sulphur fuels by recognising its lower CO₂, NOₓ and SOₓ footprint. The region also needs a clear bioLPG and renewable-LPG framework — guarantees of origin, blending mandates, and import standards — to seed a Gulf market for renewable molecules.
Practical enablers include Autogas programmes for taxis and municipal fleets; unified safety and quality codes for cylinders, valves and training; and streamlined permitting for storage, micro-bulk hubs, and rooftop tanks. Policies that recognise the value of hybrid LPG-plus-solar microgrids and publish transparent market data will attract private capital and anchor LPG’s role in a balanced, resilient energy mix.
Q. What new technologies or innovations in LPG production, storage, or distribution are you most positive about right now? Do you have examples of typical distribution challenges being addressed innovatively in different parts of the world?
A. The industry is reinventing itself through digitalisation and renewable chemistry. Renewable LPG from HVO, HEFA, and emerging e-LPG synthesis offers true drop-in decarbonisation. On the distribution side, smart cylinders, IoT telemetry, and composite packaging are transforming safety, logistics and consumer trust.
Digital routing, pay-as-you-go metering, and AI-driven safety analytics are cutting losses and expanding access. Examples include e-rickshaw cylinder swaps in South Asia, smart-valve PAYG models in Africa, and telemetry-mandated refilling in China. These innovations make LPG cleaner, safer, and more inclusive — key qualities for the next decade.
Q. What are the key themes and outcomes you see emerging from this year’s World LPG Expo? Are there any technologies or partnerships being highlighted that you think could be big for the industry in Oman?
A. This year’s Expo focuses on hard-to-electrify sectors such as industrial heat, backup power, and remote or mobile operations where LPG and renewable LPG deliver immediate emissions cuts. Major attention is being given to digital safety and efficiency, Autogas fleet conversions, and renewable-molecule integration.
For Oman and the wider region, the biggest opportunities lie in Autogas, diesel-to-LPG conversions across hospitality and tourism, industrial burner retrofits, micro-bulk hubs serving SMEs in special economic zones, and LPG-solar hybrid microgrids for remote communities. Training and standards partnerships emerging from the Expo could also position Oman as a regional safety and service leader.
Q. You’ve led the WLPGA for two decades through major shifts in the global energy landscape. How has your vision evolved during that time, and what continues to keep you optimistic about the sector’s future?
A. Over two decades, the vision has evolved from “access and affordability” to “clean, reliable, and progressively renewable molecules.” LPG’s flexibility and resilience, moving seamlessly by ship, rail, road, cylinder, or bulk, has proven indispensable during crises and grid stress events.
The industry today is far more customer-centric, offering energy-as-a-service models that guarantee uptime and safety. What keeps the optimism alive is the growing policy maturity worldwide — the recognition that pragmatic, multi-fuel pathways, not bans, decarbonise fastest. LPG’s adaptability and resilience ensure it will remain central to the energy transition for many years to come.
