2012

Report supports gas industry analysis on water drawdown

Thursday, 17 May 2012

A draft report released by the Queensland Water Commission (QWC) finds that 97.5 per cent of the 21,000 water bores in the Surat Basin will not see any impact arising from coal seam gas activity. This shows that previously reported figures on CSG-related water drawdown should now be revised down.

Santos and Woodside win APPEA Environment Awards

Wednesday, 16 May 2012

Santos GLNG and Woodside Energy have won environment awards at the APPEA national conference in Adelaide. Santos has implemented an online water portal that shows results from more than 100 monitoring locations at which the Santos GLNG Project monitors surface and groundwater. Woodside's partnerships with the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Western Australian Museum have improved scientists', industry's and the broader community's understandings of biodiversity and ecological function in Western Australia's tropical marine communities.

ConocoPhillips and Vermilion Energy win APPEA Safety Awards

Wednesday, 16 May 2012

APPEA Safety Awards winners, ConocoPhillips and Vermilion Energy, have shown that demanding work programs and improvements in safety standards can be successfully delivered in tandem. Presenting the awards at last night's APPEA 2012 Conference Dinner in Adelaide, APPEA Chief Executive David Byers noted that in 2011 ConocoPhillips and Vermilion both improved their total recordable injury frequency rate by more than 35 per cent from 2010.

Unprecedented industry investment in spill-response system

Monday, 14 May 2012

Building on the Australian oil and gas industry's capacity to rapidly respond to an offshore well incident, the industry's leaders today announced funding of a world-class subsea response solution to be in place by early 2013. The announcement, at the APPEA Conference in Adelaide, means Australia has an industry-wide subsea solution addressing the risk of any uncontrolled discharges from offshore wells that is integrated into an international and regional response strategy.

New report warns against resource policy complacency

Sunday, 13 May 2012

A new report from Deloitte Access Economics warns the continuation of Australia's resources boom cannot be taken for granted and that government must help manage the economic adjustment necessary to maximise the benefits flowing from record investment, rather than focusing on their re-distribution. Commissioned by APPEA, the report outlines the scale and significance of the Australian oil and gas industry's economic contribution. It also flags policy areas in which complacency and political expedience may threaten both Australia's attractiveness as a place to do business and the hundreds of billions of dollars' in oil and gas industry investment still to be approved.

To read the interim report, CLICK HERE.

Budget highlights the importance of a strong oil and gas industry to the Australian economy

Wednesday, 09 May 2012

The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) says the 2012-13 Budget has highlighted the critical importance of a strong and growing oil and gas industry to Australia's economic fortunes. APPEA Chief Executive, Mr David Byers, said "the Budget has identified growth in the resources sector, particularly of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industry, as the key driver of Australia's economic prosperity in an uncertain global environment over coming years."

Upper House inquiry report would keep NSW in the cellar

Tuesday, 01 May 2012

APPEA says the recommendations of a report released today by the NSW Upper House would have dire consequences for households and industry that rely on gas supplies at a competitive price. APPEA Chief Operation Officer Eastern Australia, Rick Wilkinson said the General Purpose Standing Committee No. 5 inquiry, established by the NSW Greens, advocates constraining gas production in NSW at a time when the state is set to face acute gas supply shortages.

APPEA welcomes Cotter appointment

Thursday, 19 April 2012

The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) today welcomed the appointment of John Cotter as Chairman of the Queensland Gasfields Land and Water Commission.

Survey finds small businesses buoyed by gas industry activity

Thursday, 19 April 2012

Regional and rural small business owners in Gladstone, Toowoomba and the Surat Basin remain optimistic about the future and are bucking the state trend by reporting favourable business conditions, a survey has found.

Campaign to focus on industry that delivers

Monday, 16 April 2012

Australia's natural coal seam gas (CSG) producers are today continuing an information campaign focusing on the investment, jobs, environmental benefits, and enormous opportunities the industry now generates. Produced by APPEA, the apolitical campaign shows how CSG is providing much-needed opportunities for regional communities at a time of economic insecurity.

ABC admits significant gas website errors

Monday, 09 April 2012

An ABC investigation into the broadcaster's Coal Seam Gas: By the Numbers website has found "significant" inaccuracies, leading to an official apology. The ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs report was released late last Thursday (just before the Easter long weekend), almost four months after APPEA lodged its first complaint about the site's inaccuracies and well outside the ABC's 30-day response time target. The investigation found seven material inaccuracies, six contravening ABC editorial standards. However, many inaccuracies still remain on the website.

Huge early bird response to APPEA’s annual conference

Wednesday, 04 April 2012

APPEA has received an unprecedented early bird registration response to its upcoming annual conference in Adelaide. By the time early bird closed APPEA had received more than 2000 registrations, the biggest early bird number received in the event's 52-year history. More than 2700 delegates are expected to gather at Adelaide's Conference and Exhibition Centre from 13-16 May. APPEA Chief Executive David Byers said the response highlighted intense interest in this year's conference and exhibition amid significant investment in Australian oil and gas projects.

WA onshore gas: information on next-generation energy

Tuesday, 03 April 2012

The petroleum industry today launched a comprehensive information program on exploration for Western Australia's shale and tight gas resources, providing valuable information on the industry's operating practices and potential benefits. Preliminary estimates suggest Western Australia could become one of the world's most important onshore gas provinces. The state's onshore gas industry could follow in the steps of the USA's shale gas sector to become a major driver of national and regional energy security and economic development.

Damaging tax speculation needs to end

Friday, 30 March 2012

APPEA is calling on the Government to put an immediate end to the current speculation surrounding possible changes to the business taxation system. This speculation is creating investor uncertainty. The impact is greatest on projects under consideration, but not yet sanctioned, together with future exploration decisions. Unfortunately, Australia is developing a damaging propensity for continually fiddling with the fiscal regime on which long-term investment decisions are founded.

WA gas market initiatives to increase transparency

Friday, 30 March 2012

The successful passage of the Gas Services Information Bill through the Western Australian Parliament this week will add to the transparency of that state's gas market. It is consistent with APPEA's view that long-term energy security is best delivered through efficiently operating markets and by encouraging new entrants and competition.

Energy White Paper submission

Monday, 26 March 2012

In its submission to the Government's Energy White Paper, APPEA has highlighted the policy issues crucial to ensuring Australia's international competitiveness and the industry's capacity to deliver growing domestic gas supplies and its $180 billion pipeline of liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects on-time and on-budget.

In its submission to the Government’s Energy White Paper, APPEA has highlighted the policy issues crucial to ensuring Australia’s international competitiveness and the industry’s capacity to deliver growing domestic gas supplies and its $180 billion pipeline of liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects on-time and on-budget.

New CSG employment statistics show record job numbers

Wednesday, 07 March 2012

The economic benefit of Queensland’s burgeoning coal seam gas sector was this morning presented to delegates at ABARES’ Outlook 2012 conference in Canberra. APPEA Chief Operating Officer Eastern Region, Rick Wilkinson, released a range of 2011 industry statistics that reveal unprecedented growth in investment and jobs.

Strategic Regional Land Use Policy another investment hurdle for NSW

Tuesday, 06 March 2012

The Strategic Regional Land Use Policy released today by the NSW Government will increase the heavy regulatory burden the coal seam gas industry faces. APPEA Chief Operating Officer - Eastern Region, Rick Wilkinson, said: "The CSG industry operates in two states in Australia and we are seeing two very different stories unfold. In Queensland, the industry is offering unprecedented growth and opportunity. And in NSW, the industry is becalmed."

The Strategic Regional Land Use Policy released today by the NSW Government will only increase the heavy regulatory burden the coal seam gas industry faces. APPEA Chief Operating Officer – Eastern Region, Rick Wilkinson, said: “The CSG industry operates in two states in Australia and we are seeing very different stories unfold. In Queensland, the industry is offering unprecedented growth and opportunity. And in NSW, the industry is becalmed.”

Green agenda laid bare

Tuesday, 06 March 2012

The green movement’s ideological war on development, jobs, economic opportunity, and Australian enterprise has this morning been shown for what it is. Revelations in this morning’s press of a cynical, sophisticated, orchestrated attack on the Australian resources sector confirm the Big Green agenda to manipulate farmers and local communities.

Government urged to boost labour productivity in oil and gas industry

Monday, 05 March 2012

APPEA has called on the Australian Government to commit to workplace relations reform to help reduce institutional barriers to investment in the oil and gas industry. In its submission to the Fair Work Act 2009 Review, APPEA identified a range of barriers embedded in Australia’s industrial relations framework that could cost investment and jobs in the sector.

WA gas industry welcomes science-based fraccing regulation

Sunday, 04 March 2012

The Western Australian Government’s rejection of appeals against onshore gas exploration is a win for companies advocating science-based regulation of the sector. WA Environment Minister, Bill Marmion, dismissed appeals against approval for four proof-of concept-proposals using hydraulic fracturing to test the potential for commercial flows of gas from shale and tight gas resources.

ABC embarrassed again over fraccing and gas coverage

Thursday, 12 January 2012

The ABC has been forced to remove from its website coverage of what it claimed was a US study linking gas drilling to health problems and comments on the implications for the Australian gas industry. The so-called study was littered with serious problems and should never have been considered as a scientific report. APPEA Chief Operating Officer – Eastern Australia, Rick Wilkinson, said: “The fact that this research was ignored by the US media suggests that it was seen for what it is - a piece of advocacy or activism, rather than a work of scientific endeavour.”

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