Muhammad Kahfi Arifansyah, a 2021 undergraduate student of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), was awarded Second Place at the International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) 2025, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on February 18–20, 2025.
IPTC is one of the world’s largest petroleum technology conferences, bringing together over 60,000 oil, gas, and energy professionals from 60 countries, with more than 1,000 participating organizations and 420 leading technical and industry experts. The conference attracted 425 participants from 103 universities across 27 countries this year. Out of all the registrants, only 50 delegates were selected to participate, with Muhammad Kahfi Arifansyah being the sole representative from Universitas Indonesia.
Kahfi served as the “Carbon Commanders team leader,” a group of seven international students from Nigeria, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Malaysia. The team presented an innovative proposal on “Carbon Management,” discussing strategies for carbon emissions management in the oil and gas industry as a concrete contribution toward sustainable energy transition. Carbon Management was highlighted not merely as a technical concept but as a vital component of global energy industry sustainability strategies, especially in countries like Indonesia that continue to rely on fossil fuels in their energy mix.
Kahfi’s participation in this prestigious event was guided by Dr. Bambang Heru Susanto, S.T., M.T., a lecturer at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Faculty Advisor of the Society of Petroleum Engineers Universitas Indonesia Student Chapter (SPE UI SC). His mentorship played a key role in enhancing the quality of Kahfi’s research, analysis, and presentation skills at the international forum.
In their presentation, the Carbon Commanders proposed an innovative solution called the Integrated Carbon Capture and Utilization System (ICCU System). This concept integrates carbon capture technologies throughout the oil and gas production chain. It utilizes the captured carbon to create high-value products such as eco-friendly fuels, chemical feedstocks, and low-carbon construction materials. This approach reduces emissions and creates economic circularity that supports long-term industrial resilience. The solution references major CCS projects such as the Tangguh LNG CCS Project in Indonesia, led by BP, which targets 15 million tons of CO₂ storage by 2028, and the Kasawari CCS Project in Malaysia, expected to capture 3.3 million tons of CO₂ annually starting in 2025. In addition, policy frameworks like Singapore’s Carbon Pricing Act (setting a carbon tax of S$50–80 per ton by 2030) and Indonesia’s Presidential Regulation 14/2024 (providing tax incentives for CCS) reflect concrete steps to support CCS investment.
According to Kahfi, “Our team emphasized the importance of harmonizing carbon regulations across the region, enhancing cross-border collaboration, and advancing intensive research to overcome challenges such as profitability and public perception surrounding CCS. This solution aims to position Southeast Asia as a leading carbon storage hub in the region through a structured and collaborative approach.”
Dean of FTUI, Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., expressed his appreciation for this outstanding achievement. He stated that this accomplishment is a source of pride not only for FTUI and UI but also proves that FTUI students can compete on the global stage. “Kahfi has shown that engineering students are not just tied to theses and lab work, but are also able to contribute meaningfully to global issues by presenting innovative ideas relevant to future challenges.”
***
Public Communication Office
Faculty of Engineering Universitas Indonesia
