Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Thanks to the implementation of thestrategic orientations of the Party and the State, Vietnam’s energy industrywith three pillars of oil and gas, coal and electricity has developed strongly,serving socio-economic development as well as people's everyday life, a seminarheard on May 29.

In a seminar on promoting digital transformation to ensure national energysecurity by 2050 held by the Cong thuong (Industryand Trade) newspaper, experts said that the energy industry has had manyinnovations, applying achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,including digital transformation in all activities of management, operation,exploitation and use of energy resources.

This has helped improve the efficiency of production, business, and customer servicein accordance with the competitive market, adapting to the context ofinternational integration.

In the national digital transformation programme, energy is one of eightpriority areas for implementation.

Decision No 749 dated June 3, 2020 approving the National DigitalTransformation Programme by 2025 and orientation to 2030 of the Prime Minister,defines that digital transformation in the energy sector focuses on the powersector towards maximising and automating networks for efficient power supply.

The decision also defines the connection of digital meters to improve speed andbilling accuracy, identify network problems faster and assist users in ways tosave energy and detect power losses.

Ngo Thuy Quynh, deputy director of Petroleum and Coal Department under Ministryof Industry and Trade, said that technology and digital transformation in theoil and gas exploitation sector is evaluated as advancing.

Vietnam has built relatively complete oil and gas technology, from exploring,exploiting and processing oil and gas to other services, said Quynh.

These technologies are from advanced countries and is evaluated as relativelymodern.

Enterprises have also started applying digital transformation in thedistribution unit system.

The information and technology in the coal sector has been limited and lacksimultaneity, she said.

The coal sector has been active in applying technology innovation. However, dueto its characteristics such as using unskilled labour, low technology levelsand the application of smart technology and digital transformation inproduction still face difficulties.

In the electric industry, digital transformation in hydropower plants is stilllimited.

Thermal power plants have applied more new technology. Their operationparameters are stored by software and are being integrated in the digitalplatform.

Le Xuan Huyen, deputy general director of PetroVietnam, said the market hasbeen changed adversely for the oil and gas sector both at home and abroad.

However, the PetroVietnam was determined to apply technology from2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic spread./.